UN HUMANITARIAN CHIEF ASSESSES IMPACT OF CLOSURES ON WEST BANK RESIDENTS

UN HUMANITARIAN CHIEF ASSESSES IMPACT OF CLOSURES ON WEST BANK RESIDENTS New York, Feb 17 2008 12:00AM During a visit to the West Bank today, the United Nations humanitarian chief saw the difficulties faced daily by Palestinian residents due to restrictions on the movement of people, goods and services.

At the Augusta Victoria Hospital, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs John Holmes heard about the various hardships faced by West Bank patients in getting to hospitals and receiving crucial treatments, as well as the difficulties health workers holding West Bank identity cards encounter in getting to their jobs due to the existing permit regime.

During a stop in the East Jerusalem neighbourhood of Abu Dis, Mr. Holmes, who is also UN Emergency Relief Coordinator, saw the Barrier being constructed by the Israeli Government, and upon crossing the Gilo checkpoint, viewed the enclaves created by the construction.

Stressing the consequences of further construction of the Barrier for the daily lives of Palestinians, he said: "It is clear that the route of the Barrier, the expanding settlements and the closure regime and associated controls are severely damaging the social and economic structures of the West Bank and contributing to increased aid reliance, poverty and unemployment.

"The promised relaxation of the closures is urgently needed, as a minimum first step towards the kind of economic development which can underpin successful peace negotiations," Mr. Holmes added.

The humanitarian chief also travelled today to Hebron, where he was briefed on the implications of the closures and restrictions on the area's socio-economic activities.

Tomorrow, Mr. Holmes is scheduled to visit the Israeli cities of Sderot and Tel Aviv, where he will meet with government officials, before returning to the West Bank to hold discussions with representatives of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) providing assistance to residents of the occupied Palestinian territory.

2008-02-16 00:00:00.000

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TOP UN OFFICIAL CALLS FOR GREATER EFFORTS TO FIGHT HUMAN TRAFFICKING

TOP UN OFFICIAL CALLS FOR GREATER EFFORTS TO FIGHT HUMAN TRAFFICKING New York, Feb 16 2008 1:00PM The head of the United Nations anti-crime agency has urged governments, businesses and civil society to boost their efforts to combat human trafficking, including by increasing awareness of the problem and providing greater resources to tackle it.

"Let us build on the momentum generated here to ensure that people's lives will not be for sale," Antonio Maria Costa, Executive Director of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (< http://www.unodc.org/>UNODC), said yesterday at the end of the Vienna Forum to Fight Human Trafficking.

The three-day gathering brought together 1,400 experts, legislators, law enforcement teams, business leaders, non-governmental organization (NGO) representatives and trafficking victims from 116 countries.

The conference also drew the participation of celebrities and public figures such as Egypt's First Lady Suzanne Mubarak, Academy Award-winning British actress Emma Thompson, and international pop star Ricky Martin, who joined the outcry against the global scourge.

Calling the Forum "just the beginning of a process," Mr. Costa called for practical measures to prevent trafficking, such as self-certification by businesses to take slave-made products off the shelves and developing new technology to monitor human trafficking routes.

He also proposed the tracking and blocking of credit card payments for internet human trafficking transactions and codes of conduct to curb sex tourism.

Stressing the need to strengthen partnerships among governments, businesses and civil society in the fight against trafficking, the Executive Director hailed the launch during the Forum of the Women Leaders' Council. The group brings together political figures, diplomats, trade union representatives, business leaders and entertainers from around the world to work together to tackle the problem and help the victims.

The Forum was convened by the UN Global Initiative to Fight Human Trafficking (UN.GIFT), an initiative launched by UNODC and several UN partners last year to bring governments, the private sector, academia, civil society and the media together to combat a practice that is viewed as modern-day slavery.

2008-02-16 00:00:00.000

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UN MEETING ENDS WITH CALL FOR INCREASED AGRICULTURAL INVESTMENT FOR RURAL POOR

UN MEETING ENDS WITH CALL FOR INCREASED AGRICULTURAL INVESTMENT FOR RURAL POOR New York, Feb 15 2008 7:00PM The annual meeting of the United Nations International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) has wrapped up with participants issuing a call for stepped-up investment to help poor rural farmers.

At the two-day <"http://www.ifad.org/">IFAD Governing Council meeting in Rome, delegates from the agency's 164 Member States recognized the impact of climate change and soaring food prices on poverty-stricken smallholders in developing countries.

Attendees suggested measures to ease the burden on the rural poor, including reducing transportation costs, establishing safety nets for those who purchase more food than they grow and increasing productivity through research and micro-credit programmes.

"The major donor countries have not yet fully realized that the root cause of many social ills – youth unemployment, migration, urban slums and immigration, stem from the lack of investment in rural space," IFAD President Lennart Båge told reporters.

He appealed for more fund to support agriculture, since the vast majority of the world's poorest reside in rural areas. Currently, only 3 per cent of all international aid is directed towards farming.
2008-02-15 00:00:00.000

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KENYA: BAN KI-MOON WELCOMES ADVANCES IN POLITICAL TALKS

KENYA: BAN KI-MOON WELCOMES ADVANCES IN POLITICAL TALKS New York, Feb 15 2008 6:00PM Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has lauded the progress made towards ending the political crisis that has gripped Kenya since contested elections were held in the East African nation last December.

The parties to the Kenya National Dialogue and Reconciliation process, which includes the planned creation of an independent review of the electoral process, announced today that their talks are advancing.

In a <"http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2008/sgsm11422.doc.htm">statement, Mr. Ban said that he "hopes these understandings will contribute immediately to reduced levels of violence in the country," where some 1,000 people have lost their lives and more than 310,000 others displaced since the December elections in which President Mwai Kibaki was declared the winner over opposition leader Raila Odinga.

The Secretary-General expressed his concern for the safety of civilians, urging the full respect of human rights in the country and applauding "all those Kenyans who in these trying times have reached out to their neighbours irrespective of ethnic differences."

To heal the country's rifts, he said it was essential for its leaders to be open to compromise and reconciliation.

Mr. Ban also expressed his full and ongoing support for the mediation efforts of the Panel of Eminent African Personalities led by former Secretary-General Kofi Annan.
2008-02-15 00:00:00.000

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SECURITY COUNCIL EXTENDS ARMS EMBARGO AGAINST MILITIA GROUPS IN DR CONGO

SECURITY COUNCIL EXTENDS ARMS EMBARGO AGAINST MILITIA GROUPS IN DR CONGO New York, Feb 15 2008 6:00PM The Security Council today <"http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs//2008/sc9248.doc.htm">extended its arms embargo and other sanctions against militias operating in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) until the end of March, underlining that it remains deeply concerned about the presence of unauthorized armed groups, especially in the east of the vast and impoverished country.

Council members voted unanimously this morning to maintain the sanctions – consisting of the arms embargo, a travel ban and an assets freeze on those who violate the embargo – until at least 31 March.

The 15-member Council expressed serious concern about the situation in the provinces of North and South Kivu and in the Ituri district, close to the border with Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi.

The presence of so many active armed groups there "perpetuates a climate of insecurity in the whole region," the resolution said, referring to the Great Lakes region of Central Africa.

Council members reserved the right to adjust the sanctions as appropriate depending on the security situation in the DRC, which has suffered from decades of war and misrule but in 2006 held its first free elections since in more than 45 years.

They stressed the need for progress in security sector reform, including integration of the armed forces and reform of the national police, as well as the disarmament, demobilization, repatriation and reintegration of members of both Congolese and foreign armed groups.

The embargo was first imposed in 2003 amid concerns that the growth and trafficking of arms was serving to fuel and exacerbate conflicts across the Great Lakes region. The Council also noted the link between the illegal exploitation and trade of natural resources in the DRC and the proliferation of arms.

The embargo does not apply to arms and related materiel intended for the use of units of the national army or police as long as those units meet certain criteria.
2008-02-15 00:00:00.000

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AFTER VISIT TO GAZA, UN HUMANITARIAN CHIEF DEPLORES DAILY LIVING CONDITIONS

AFTER VISIT TO GAZA, UN HUMANITARIAN CHIEF DEPLORES DAILY LIVING CONDITIONS New York, Feb 15 2008 6:00PM Decrying the "miserable" daily living conditions inside the Gaza Strip, the United Nations humanitarian chief today deplored the restrictions on the flow of aid and commercial goods in and out of the area and said he would raise his concerns with Israeli and Palestinian officials.

John Holmes, the Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, made a day-long visit today to assess the impact on the restrictions on Gaza's estimated 1.4 million inhabitants.

"I have been shocked by the grim and miserable things that I have seen and heard today, which are the result of current restrictions and the limitations on the number of goods that are being allowed into Gaza," he said.

"Around 80 per cent of the population is dependent on good aid from international organizations. Poverty and unemployment are increasing and the private sector has more or less collapsed. Only 10 per cent of the amount of goods that entered Gaza a year ago are being permitted to enter now."

During his first official visit to Gaza since taking up the post just over a year ago, Mr. Holmes saw the sewage lagoons at Beit Lahiya, where the waste-water system is in a precarious state, and the Shifa hospital in Gaza City, where the director told the Emergency Relief Coordinator that the interruptions to supplies of fuel and electricity as a result of the restrictions was having a particularly disastrous effect on the dialysis and neo-natal wards.

The Emergency Relief Coordinator was also briefed by UN staff, including officials from the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (<"http://www.un.org/unrwa/news/index.html">UNRWA), and representatives of non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and he also travelled to the Karni border crossing.

"What's essential to alleviate this situation is the opening of crossings to allow a lot more humanitarian and non-humanitarian goods to enter Gaza so people can lead better lives and have a minimum of human dignity. These are points I will be making to the Israeli Government and the Palestinian Authority later in my trip."

Tomorrow Mr. Holmes is scheduled to travel to the West Bank to assess the impact there of restrictions on the movement of people, goods and services. He is expected to visit Bethlehem, Hebron and the Augusta Victoria hospital.

In a related development, UNRWA Deputy Commissioner-General Filippo Grandi told a press briefing in Geneva that he had been informed by the director of a large public hospital in Gaza that he was unable to deal with patients' health problems because he had to spend his entire day searching for fuel. Without that fuel, generators and vital equipment such as incubators would shut down, he told Mr. Grandi.

The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (<"http://ochaonline.un.org/">OCHA) reports that residents of the West Bank are also suffering, with over 560 blockages of various sorts making everyday life increasingly difficult.

OCHA has voiced concern that the constraints could lead to growing political radicalization, especially among the younger members of society in the West Bank.

Meanwhile, in northern Lebanon, UNRWA and the Lebanese Government have announced plans to rebuild the Nahr el-Bared camp for Palestinian refugees, which was badly damaged last year when members of a militant group used it as a base to fight Lebanese Government forces.

The reconstruction of Nahr el-Bared, which is host to more than 30,000 people, is likely to cost about $174 million, according to Mr. Grandi.
2008-02-15 00:00:00.000

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BAN KI-MOON CALLS ON ERITREA TO STOP BLOCKING UN MISSION'S RELOCATION

BAN KI-MOON CALLS ON ERITREA TO STOP BLOCKING UN MISSION'S RELOCATION New York, Feb 15 2008 5:00PM Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today appealed to Eritrea to cease obstructing the temporary relocation of the personnel and equipment of the United Nations mission across the border to Ethiopia.

Asmara cut off diesel fuel supplies to the UN Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea (<"http://www.un.org/Depts/dpko/missions/unmee/index.html">UNMEE) last December, paralyzing the operation. Its advance units started moving by road on 11 February, while UNMEE's main body began its relocation yesterday.

But in a <"http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2008/sgsm11423.doc.htm">statement released by his spokesperson, the Secretary-General said that so far, Asmara has only allowed six vehicles to cross into Ethiopia. In one case, yesterday, "UNMEE personnel were threatened and the equipment seized."

He also voiced concern about the "disturbing" development in which the Eritrean commercial company supplying rations to UNMEE today said that it will no longer fulfil its contractual obligations, leaving the mission with only a few days of emergency food left.

Mr. Ban "is in close contact with the Security Council and the Troop Contributing Countries, and the Eritrean authorities are being contacted at the highest level to seek and immediate resolution of this unacceptable situation," the statement said.
2008-02-15 00:00:00.000

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IN WASHINGTON, BAN KI-MOON URGES SUPPORT FOR GLOBAL DEVELOPMENT GOALS

IN WASHINGTON, BAN KI-MOON URGES SUPPORT FOR GLOBAL DEVELOPMENT GOALS New York, Feb 15 2008 5:00PM Following talks today in Washington with United States President George W. Bush, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon stressed the importance of reaching global anti-poverty targets and said a strong partnership between the world body and its host country is key to achieving shared goals.

<"http://www.un.org/apps/sg/offthecuff.asp?nid=1132">Speaking to reporters following their 90-minute meeting, Mr. Ban said he has been working to make the UN "a more trusty, transparent, accountable and more effective organization" and pledged to continue that effort. He also said regional hotspots such as Darfur, Lebanon, Myanmar and Kenya are high on the agenda. "There are so many problems that challenge us at this time; I'm committed to address these issues."

At the same time, Mr. Ban pointed to his efforts to meet global challenges such as climate change. "And I need your strong support as we are going through this year, a midpoint year, to realize the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by 2015," he said, citing in particular the needs of Africa.

Toward that end, he said President Bush's upcoming visit to the continent "will be very important and historic," voicing hope that he would "discuss with African leaders on how to achieve these Millennium Development Goals, how to help people overcome abject poverty, and sanitation [problems] and [gain] access to educational opportunities. "

Mr. Ban wished the US President success, calling his trip "a very great opportunity."

He emphasized the need to sustain the momentum established in December last year at the UN Conference on Climate Change, pledging to work for a globally accepted framework to replace the Kyoto Protocol, which contains legally binding targets for cutting greenhouse gas emissions but will expire in 2012.

"The United States is the country with the most ability for technology and financing capacities. I count on your leadership and active participation," said Mr. Ban.

"All in all, I need your strong support, because I believe a strong partnership between the United Nations and United States is the crucial element in carrying out my duty as Secretary-General, and also in making the United Nations a stronger organization in carrying out the common challenges we share together."

According to a UN spokesperson, during their meeting, the two leaders discussed UN reform, "with the Secretary-General briefing President Bush on his efforts to promote transparency and accountability at the UN." They also discussed climate change, the MDGs in an African context, Darfur, Kenya Myanmar, Kosovo, Iraq, Lebanon and Afghanistan.
2008-02-15 00:00:00.000

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UN REFUGEE AGENCY ALARMED AFTER ARMED GROUP PREVENTS RELOCATION OF DARFURIANS

UN REFUGEE AGENCY ALARMED AFTER ARMED GROUP PREVENTS RELOCATION OF DARFURIANS New York, Feb 15 2008 5:00PM Unidentified gunmen today blocked attempts by the United Nations refugee agency to move 179 Darfurian families away from the volatile border region and into formal camps in eastern Chad, sparking concern among humanitarian officials.

The men gave no reason for blocking the relocation when staff with UN High Commissioner for Refugees and its aid partners attempted on Tuesday to begin boarding the refugees on trucks bound for Kounoungou, one of 12 camps the agency operates in the region, <"http://www.unhcr.org/news/NEWS/47b5c2ad2.html">UNHCR spokesperson Jennifer Pagonis told reporters.

"This is deeply concerning and we are making every effort with the Chadian authorities to get these refugees moved quickly," she said. "The situation is so serious that our representative in Chad is now at the border trying to find a solution to this problem."

As many as 8,000 people – mainly women and children – have crossed into the Birak and Koruk areas of Chad following deadly militia attacks on three towns in West Darfur last week, and nearly all are currently living in makeshift conditions near the border.

Ms. Pagonis warned that the refugees are "extremely exposed and vulnerable. The area is highly insecure, with roaming armed groups posing a real threat to the refugees and aid workers."

Notorious militia groups allied to the Sudanese Government and known as Janjaweed have been attacking villagers across Darfur since 2003 when rebels took up arms against the Government in the arid region. In the fighting since then more than 200,000 people have been killed and at least 2.2 million others displaced.

UNHCR said it has several trucks ready to begin the relocation process but is now awaiting approval from central authorities in Chad.

Ms. Pagonis said the agency faces "tough logistical challenges" in moving the refugees away from the border. In the meantime, basic items such as sleeping mats, blankets, jerry cans and soap will be distributed, along with tents and food.

Meanwhile, UNHCR is also preparing to start the first transfer of Chadian refugees from a site just over the border in neighbouring Cameroon to a better equipped site about 30 kilometres away in Maltam.

The refugees, who fled recent fighting in the Chadian capital, N'Djamena, have been living temporarily at a transit centre in Kousseri, close to the border. As many as 7,000 to 10,000 are living in the open there, while thousands of others have found shelter in schools and churches in Kousseri.

About 1,000 refugees are expected to be transferred tomorrow to Maltam, which can host up to 50,000 people at full capacity. UNHCR and its partners have begun building schools, health centres and latrines at the site and also started erecting tents.
2008-02-15 00:00:00.000

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CAMBODIA: UN LAUNCHES ONLINE MAP TO IDENTIFY FOOD INSECURITY

CAMBODIA: UN LAUNCHES ONLINE MAP TO IDENTIFY FOOD INSECURITY New York, Feb 15 2008 4:00PM The United Nations World Food Programme (<"http://www.wfp.org/english/?n=31">WFP) has launched an interactive and online map of Cambodia to identify areas of food insecurity so that it can better ascertain where to step up its aid in the South-East Asian country.

"It illustrates the fact that food security goes far beyond sufficient food production, but is affected by poverty, maternal health, access to clean water and health services, as well as shocks such as natural disasters and other socio-economic vulnerability," said the agency's Cambodia Country Director Thomas Keusters.

Despite the recent economic improvements in Cambodia – where levels of hunger vary by region and by social group – the new WFP Food Security Atlas highlights how food security continues to be a challenge.

The tool, created by WFP in concert with the Council for Agriculture and Rural Development of Cambodia, is especially relevant given such factors as climate change, shifts in food availability, high energy prices and globalization, Mr. Keusters pointed out.

"I am hopeful that the atlas will improve the handling of hunger in Cambodia by serving as an important reference in formulating the right kind of interventions," he said.
2008-02-15 00:00:00.000

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MIGIRO TRAVELS TO THAILAND FOR REGIONAL MEETING TO SPUR DEVELOPMENT

MIGIRO TRAVELS TO THAILAND FOR REGIONAL MEETING TO SPUR DEVELOPMENT New York, Feb 15 2008 4:00PM Deputy Secretary-General Asha-Rose Migiro heads to Thailand this weekend to chair the latest regional coordination meeting of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (<"http://www.unescap.org/">ESCAP) as part of her efforts to promote development worldwide.

While in Bangkok, Ms. Migiro is also scheduled to meet Thai Foreign Minister Noppadon Patama, as well as with representatives of some of ESCAP's 53 Member States, UN spokesperson Marie Okabe told reporters today.

The Deputy Secretary-General also plans to meet with UN staff based in Bangkok before she returns to UN Headquarters in New York on Wednesday.

One of Ms. Migiro's key responsibilities since assuming her post last year is to strengthen the UN's role as a centre for development assistance and policy.
2008-02-15 00:00:00.000

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UNESCO CHIEF SPEAKS OUT AGAINST MURDERS OF IRAQI AND PAKISTANI JOURNALISTS

UNESCO CHIEF SPEAKS OUT AGAINST MURDERS OF IRAQI AND PAKISTANI JOURNALISTS New York, Feb 15 2008 3:00PM The head of the United Nations agency mandated to defend press freedom today condemned the recent killings of journalists in Iraq and Pakistan.

Hisham Mijawet Hamdan, 27, was kidnapped on 10 February while shopping for office supplies in a Baghdad market and was tortured before being executed. His body was discovered by police on 12 February.

The murder of Mr. Hamdan, who worked for the fortnightly Internet publication <i>Al-Siyassa wal-Karar</i>, demonstrates "once again the dangers that journalists face every day when working in Iraq," Koïchiro Matsuura, Director-General of the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (<"http://portal.unesco.org/en/ev.php-URL_ID=29008&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html">UNESCO), said in a statement.

"While these professional men and women deserve to be praised for their bravery, further measures also need to be taken to ensure their safety."

The Association of Young Journalists, which counted Mr. Hamdan as a member, said he had of late been active in the group's campaign aiding families of journalists killed in the violence-ridden country and may have become a target after appearing on television regarding his work assisting survivors.

Meanwhile, Pakistani journalist Abdus Samad Chishti Mujahid was gunned down in Quetta, which is close to the South Asian nation's border with Afghanistan and is the capital of Baluchistan province, on 9 February.

"The intimidation and murder of journalists constitutes a crime not only against the individuals targeted, but also against the whole society," Mr. Matsuura noted in a separate statement.

The slain journalist, 55, was a photographer and columnist for the Urdu-language weekly <i>Akhbar-e-Jehan</i>. After being shot by an unknown assailant while coming out of his home with his wife, he died at the hospital.

Mr. Matsuura appealed to Pakistani authorities to bring the perpetrators of "this despicable attack on the fundamental human right of freedom of expression" to justice.

The Baluchistan Liberation Army, a separatist organization, has reportedly claimed responsibility for the murder, which has been condemned by the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists and the Baluchistan Union of Journalists.
2008-02-15 00:00:00.000

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UN POLICE TRAINERS TO MEET IN GHANA TO DISCUSS PLANS FOR DARFUR FORCE

UN POLICE TRAINERS TO MEET IN GHANA TO DISCUSS PLANS FOR DARFUR FORCE New York, Feb 15 2008 3:00PM Senior international police trainers will gather in Ghana next week to coordinate plans to run pre-deployment training for the thousands of United Nations police – the largest-ever UN Police contingent – mandated to serve in the joint peacekeeping mission to Sudan's troubled Darfur region.

The five-day conference, which is being sponsored by Germany, will start on Monday and will take place at the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre in Accra, Ghana's capital, according to a press release.

The conference will involve the UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO) Police Division and the Integrated Training Service, and will focus on how pre-deployment training for police officers can be improved, it added.

The joint UN-African Union peacekeeping force (UNAMID) will require the largest single UN Police contingent ever, with more than 6,400 police officers out of a total of over 30,000 personnel.

Over 30 senior police trainers will take part in next week's conference, along with representatives from the UN Police Division, Ghana's Inspector General of Police and the German Ambassador, representing the donor nation.

In a related development, some 250 Nigerian police officers who will serve with UNAMID are being trained by Norwegian officers as part of Norway's long-term Training for Peace (TfP) program, according to a press release from Norway's Mission to the UN.

Norway has trained African police personnel for peacekeeping operations since 1998 when Norway and African partners started the TfP program in Southern Africa. This specific Darfur training involves trainers from Norway, together with TfP colleagues from South Africa and Botswana, working with Nigerian officers in the capital Abuja.

Norwegian police also take part directly in UN peacekeeping operations and currently there are 36 officers serving in missions worldwide.
2008-02-15 00:00:00.000

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VALENTINE'S DAY ART AUCTION RAISES OVER $40 MILLION FOR UN-BACKED GLOBAL FUND

VALENTINE'S DAY ART AUCTION RAISES OVER $40 MILLION FOR UN-BACKED GLOBAL FUND New York, Feb 15 2008 3:00PM At a Valentine's Day art auction in New York yesterday to benefit the United Nations-backed <"http://www.theglobalfund.org/en/">Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, more than $40 million was raised to fight HIV/AIDS in Africa.

The contemporary art auction was part of the (RED) campaign, which, since being launched in 2006 by Bono and Bobby Shriver, has become one of the largest consumer-based fundraising efforts by the private sector for an international humanitarian issue.

Yesterday's event "is yet more confidence expressed in the work of the Global Fund and those thousands of health workers who turn the money into lives saved," said Michel Kazatchkine, the Fund's Executive Director.

With support from its partners – the Gap, Hallmark, Apple, Motorola, Emporio Armani, American Express, Converse, Microsoft and Dell – the Global Fund takes no overhead so that all (RED) money is sent directly to the Fund to be invested in HIV/AIDS programmes in Africa.

To date, funds generated by (RED) have already provided anti-retroviral treatments to nearly 30,000 people and reached over one million women and children through counselling, HIV testing and other services.

Since its creation in 2002, the Global Fund has contributed more than $10 billion to fight AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria through 550 programmes in 136 countries.
2008-02-15 00:00:00.000

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UN POLICE TRAINERS TO MEET IN GHANA TO DISCUSS PLANS FOR DARFUR FORCE

UN POLICE TRAINERS TO MEET IN GHANA TO DISCUSS PLANS FOR DARFUR FORCE New York, Feb 15 2008 2:00PM Senior international police trainers will gather in Ghana next week to coordinate plans to run pre-deployment training for the thousands of United Nations police – the largest-ever UN Police contingent – mandated to serve in the joint peacekeeping mission to Sudan's troubled Darfur region.

The five-day conference, which is being sponsored by Germany, will start on Monday and will take place at the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre in Accra, Ghana's capital, according to a press release.

The conference will involve the UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO) Police Division and the Integrated Training Service, and will focus on how pre-deployment training for police officers can be improved, it added.

The joint UN-African Union peacekeeping force (UNAMID) will require the largest single UN Police contingent ever, with more than 6,400 police officers out of a total of over 30,000 personnel.

Over 30 senior police trainers will take part in next week's conference, along with representatives from the UN Police Division, Ghana's Inspector General of Police and the German Ambassador, representing the donor nation.

In a related development, some 250 Nigerian police officers who will serve with UNAMID are being trained by Norwegian officers as part of Norway's long-term Training for Peace (TfP) program, according to a press release from Norway's Mission to the UN.

Norway has trained African police personnel for peacekeeping operations since 1998 when Norway and African partners started the TfP program in Southern Africa. This specific Darfur training involves trainers from Norway, together with TfP colleagues from South Africa and Botswana, working with Nigerian officers in the capital Abuja.

Norwegian police also take part directly in UN peacekeeping operations and currently there are 36 officers serving in missions worldwide.
2008-02-15 00:00:00.000

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UNESCO CHIEF SPEAKS OUT AGAINST MURDERS OF IRAQI AND PAKISTANI JOURNALISTS

UNESCO CHIEF SPEAKS OUT AGAINST MURDERS OF IRAQI AND PAKISTANI JOURNALISTS New York, Feb 15 2008 2:00PM The head of the United Nations agency mandated to defend press freedom today condemned the recent killings of journalists in Iraq and Pakistan.

Hisham Mijawet Hamdan, 27, was kidnapped on 10 February while shopping for office supplies in a Baghdad market and was tortured before being executed. His body was discovered by police on 12 February.

The murder of Mr. Hamdan, who worked for the fortnightly Internet publication <i>Al-Siyassa wal-Karar</i>, demonstrates "once again the dangers that journalists face every day when working in Iraq," Koïchiro Matsuura, Director-General of the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (<"http://portal.unesco.org/en/ev.php-URL_ID=29008&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html">UNESCO), said in a statement.

"While these professional men and women deserve to be praised for their bravery, further measures also need to be taken to ensure their safety."

The Association of Young Journalists, which counted Mr. Hamdan as a member, said he had of late been active in the group's campaign aiding families of journalists killed in the violence-ridden country and may have become a target after appearing on television regarding his work assisting survivors.

Meanwhile, Pakistani journalist Abdus Samad Chishti Mujahid was gunned down in Quetta, which is close to the South Asian nation's border with Afghanistan and is the capital of Baluchistan province, on 9 February.

"The intimidation and murder of journalists constitutes a crime not only against the individuals targeted, but also against the whole society," Mr. Matsuura noted in a separate statement.

The slain journalist, 55, was a photographer and columnist for the Urdu-language weekly <i>Akhbar-e-Jehan</i>. After being shot by an unknown assailant while coming out of his home with his wife, he died at the hospital.

Mr. Matsuura appealed to Pakistani authorities to bring the perpetrators of "this despicable attack on the fundamental human right of freedom of expression" to justice.

The Baluchistan Liberation Army, a separatist organization, has reportedly claimed responsibility for the murder, which has been condemned by the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists and the Baluchistan Union of Journalists.
2008-02-15 00:00:00.000

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UN REFUGEE AGENCY AIDS 55,000 CONGOLESE RETURNING TO KATANGA

UN REFUGEE AGENCY AIDS 55,000 CONGOLESE RETURNING TO KATANGA New York, Feb 15 2008 8:00AM The United Nations refugee agency is distributing supplies to some 55,000 displaced people who have returned to their homes in the southern province of Katanga in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

Roger Hollo, a protection officer with the UN High Commissioner for Refguees (UNHCR) in the provincial capital, Lubumbashi, said the initiative is part of the agency's programme of assistance and protection for people displaced in northern and central Katanga.

"Some 11,000 households, or 55,000 people, will benefit," he said after the distribution began in central Katanga's Kilumbe district on Tuesday.

The exercise, expected to take up to three weeks to complete, involves handing out kitchen utensils, blankets, jerry cans, mosquito nets, plastic sheeting, buckets and soap to each returnee family. The refugee agency and a local partner will also distribute string, nails and hammers to help the former internally displaced people (IDP) construct homes.

The World Food Programme (WFP) and the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) are also assisting the group.

"I am very happy and grateful for this gesture. I was lost, I had nothing left," said an old woman, who, like others at the distribution, fled her home three years ago to escape fighting between government forces and the Mai-Mai militia.

This final distribution of food and supplies is being conducted in three isolated villages close to the town of Bukama in central Katanga's Kilumbe district. The area, located in Upemba National Park, can only be accessed by boat.

Last November, UNHCR sent a team to the region to assess the needs of the returnees and look at ways to bring in relief items and distribute them. Aid stocks were brought to the area by railway and road and the first distribution was held in January, with almost 8,000 families benefiting.

There are still more than 30,000 IDPs in Katanga and some 1.3 million throughout the DRC, according to UNHCR.

2008-02-15 00:00:00.000

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UN'S TOP REFUGEE OFFICIAL URGES MORE SUPPORT FOR UPROOTED IRAQIS

UN'S TOP REFUGEE OFFICIAL URGES MORE SUPPORT FOR UPROOTED IRAQIS New York, Feb 15 2008 8:00AM In Syria as part of a weeklong visit to the Middle East, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees has appealed to the international community to provide greater support for Iraqis who have fled across borders.

António Guterres urged help for Iraqis in Syria and Jordan, for more resettlement places in third countries and for the Government of Iraq to be more active in supporting those who have been forced to flee.

The High Commissioner met senior leaders in both Jordan and Syria, including Jordanian King Abdullah II and Syria's President Bashar al-Assad. He told reporters that he had received assurances from both governments that Iraqi refugees would not be pushed back against their will and that the "asylum space" will be preserved. "This is a very important guarantee," he added, particularly in view of the heavy burden both countries are bearing.

He said the international response remains disproportionate to the scope of the problem.

UNHCR and its partners estimate that out of a total population of 26 million, some 4.4 million Iraqis are still uprooted, including 2.4 million displaced inside Iraq and 2 million outside -- mainly in Syria and Jordan. In addition, more than 41,000 non-Iraqi refugees are in Iraq.

"The international community needs to provide more support to Iraqis themselves through the programmes that assist Iraqi refugees in Syria, Jordan and other host countries," he said.

"Up until now the international assistance has been out of proportion to the challenges that these countries face."

The High Commissioner also asked governments to increase the number of resettlement places for vulnerable refugees. "Some Iraqi families will not be able to go back to their country because they have been tortured or family members were all killed or because of some other situations," he said. "The number of resettlement opportunities for the most vulnerable is very important."

Mr. Guterres urged the Iraqi Government to reach out to its uprooted population, noting that they were not typical refugees fleeing persecution but, rather, escaping generalized violence.

"They need to feel that their government is supporting them and assisting them in the difficult conditions they are facing today," he said. "My appeal to the Iraqi government is for stronger engagement with Iraqis in Syria and Jordan and with the governments of neighbouring countries."

Mr. Guterres said UNHCR had clear global criteria on the conditions needed for the voluntary return of refugees which " are not met by the situation in Iraq now."

The agency is not promoting returns to Iraq in the present circumstances "because we do not believe the conditions are there for it to be possible on a meaningful scale," he said.

"That does not mean we cannot support people to go back if they decide to do so in the present circumstances. In our operations around the world we see that people are willing to go home even in the most dramatic circumstances."

The High Commissioner, who left Damascus for the Syrian town of Aleppo on Thursday evening, has also met top Government officials in both countries, talked to refugees and reviewed UNHCR operations. He has sought to assure Governments in the region of UNHCR's continued commitment to, and engagement in, efforts to ease the plight of Iraq's displaced.

UNHCR this year has appealed for $261 million for programmes to support the most vulnerable of the uprooted inside and outside Iraq.

2008-02-15 00:00:00.000

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LOW-CARBON ECONOMY 'MAKES GOOD BUSINESS SENSE,' BAN KI-MOON TELLS INVESTORS

LOW-CARBON ECONOMY 'MAKES GOOD BUSINESS SENSE,' BAN KI-MOON TELLS INVESTORS New York, Feb 14 2008 7:00PM Transitioning to a low-carbon economy will not only help to combat climate change, but also promises to bring huge returns for investors, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon told global business leaders.

"You are here today because you recognize climate change as an opportunity as well as a threat," Mr. Ban told the large gathering at UN Headquarters in New York which brought together 450 participants, who together control $10-15 trillion in investment capital. "You understand that the shift to a low-carbon economy opens new revenue streams and creates new markets."

He <"http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2008/sgsm11416.doc.htm">urged the investors to lead efforts to finance the technological innovation necessary for a shift to a green economy.

"The carbon market makes good business sense – it has doubled in size to $60 billion in the past year alone – and it makes good moral sense," the Secretary-General, who has made climate change one of his top priorities since taking office last January, said at a dinner held last night.

The Investor Summit on Climate Risk, which was organized by the UN Fund for International Partnerships (UNFIP), the UN Foundation (UN Foundation) and Ceres, a network of investors and public interest groups that promotes green issues, aimed to provide a high-level forum for investment leaders to discuss the scale and urgency of climate change risks.

Attendees included leading institutional investors, financial services firms and United States state treasurers.

Alex Sink, the Chief Financial Officer of Florida, told reporters that his state is "at risk from climate change," but voiced his determination to tackle the issue.

"There is a financial imperative and it grew out of an environmental concern," he noted.

The Treasurer of California underscored the strong links between environmental sustainability and profitability.

"We have to be clean, green and sustainable," Bill Lockyer said at the same press briefing.

Yesterday, a three-day General Assembly event on climate change wrapped up with the body's President Srgjan Kerim emphasizing the importance of global partnerships and the need to define a clear global strategy to stemming the impacts of global warming.
2008-02-14 00:00:00.000

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VISITING RAMALLAH, UN HUMANITARIAN CHIEF VOICES SOLIDARITY WITH SUFFERING PEOPLE

VISITING RAMALLAH, UN HUMANITARIAN CHIEF VOICES SOLIDARITY WITH SUFFERING PEOPLE New York, Feb 14 2008 6:00PM The United Nations humanitarian chief has opened his first official trip to the occupied Palestinian territory and Israel with a visit to the West Bank town of Ramallah, which he described as an act of solidarity with the suffering people of the region.

Mr. Holmes, the Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, said many people in the Gaza Strip – which has been the subject of tight Israeli restrictions over the past month – were hovering on the brink of a humanitarian disaster.

Meanwhile, closures in the West Bank were destroying economic life there, Mr. Holmes said, and in the Israeli town of Sderot, the target of frequent rocket attacks by Palestinian militants in Gaza, communities were living in fear of rocket barrages.

The Under-Secretary-General, who is on a five-day visit to the region, stressed that the present situation cannot continue.

Mr. Holmes plans to visit two Gaza border crossings, both currently closed, tomorrow. He is also scheduled to visit a hospital that is finding it difficult to provide adequate medical care because of the reduced fuel, electricity, medicines and other supplies to Gaza.

In a related development, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon sent a <"http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2008/sgsm11418.doc.htm">message to today's opening at UN Headquarters in New York of the latest session of the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People.

Mr. Ban said in his message – delivered on his behalf by his chief of staff Vijay Nambiar – that Israel's decision to introduce a full closure of the Gaza Strip last month "has cut off an already destitute population of Gaza from vitally needed supplies.

"The recent breach of the border between Gaza and Egypt showed the degree of desperation among ordinary Gazans, as thousands crossed into Egypt in search of food and basic daily necessities."

The Secretary-General reminded Israel of its obligations under international law towards Gaza's civilian population. He said those obligations included the laws of occupation, "which continue to apply to the extent of Israel's control over the territory and its population."

Mr. Ban also noted that he has repeatedly called on Palestinian groups to stop firing rockets at Israeli civilians and on Israel to show maximum restraint in its military operations and avoid a disproportionate response.

"It is the responsibility of all parties to adhere to their obligations under international humanitarian law and not to harm civilians."

In addition, Mr. Ban backed the proposal of the Palestinian Authority to operate the Gaza Strip, and said a restoration of "the unity of the Gaza Strip and the West Bank within the legitimate framework of the Palestinian Authority" was critical for a viable peace accord between Israelis and Palestinians.
2008-02-14 00:00:00.000

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BAN KI-MOON APPOINTS RAY CHAMBERS AS SPECIAL ENVOY FOR MALARIA

BAN KI-MOON APPOINTS RAY CHAMBERS AS SPECIAL ENVOY FOR MALARIA New York, Feb 14 2008 5:00PM With two children dying each minute from malaria, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today <"http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs//2008/sga1118.doc.htm">announced the appointment of Ray Chambers of the United States as his Special Envoy to mobilize global support for action on the disease.

"Mr. Chambers will help the Secretary-General to raise the issue of malaria on the international political and development agendas including by doing all in his power to reduce child deaths from the disease," a spokesperson for Mr. Ban said.

A philanthropist and humanitarian, Mr. Chambers is the Founding Chairman of the Points of Light Foundation and Co-Founder, with Colin Powell, of America's Promise - The Alliance for Youth.

Speaking to reporters in New York, Mr. Chambers recalled the dawning of his understanding about the tragedies caused by malaria through Jeffrey Sachs, the Secretary-General Special Adviser on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), a set of antipoverty targets to be reached by the year 2015.

Mr. Chambers remembered the moment when Mr. Sachs showed him a photograph of some children he thought were sleeping. "I said, 'Aren't they cute?' And he said, 'You don't understand; they are all in malaria comas.' They subsequently died, and I've never been able to get that rid of that image."

Since then, he studied the disease, which kills millions each year despite being preventable in what Mr. Chambers called "a genocide of apathy."

He reviewed recent initiatives to galvanize action on the issue, including "Idol Gives Back," a charity event by the "American Idol" televised talent competition, which raised $80 million for malaria and other causes. "We're going to do that again this April," said Mr. Chambers.

He said efforts would be made to raise $8 billion to $10 billion in the coming years to address malaria, he said. With that budget and concerted action, it would be possible to significantly cut mortality rates.

"That won't eradicate malaria," he said, adding that a longer-term plan to achieve a vaccine would take perhaps decades.
2008-02-14 00:00:00.000

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AT UN ANTI-TRAFFICKING FORUM, PARTICIPANTS RAISE AWARENESS OF TAINTED GOODS

AT UN ANTI-TRAFFICKING FORUM, PARTICIPANTS RAISE AWARENESS OF TAINTED GOODS New York, Feb 14 2008 5:00PM As couples celebrated Valentine's Day around the world with gifts of chocolate and cut flowers, participants at a United Nations forum in Vienna on human trafficking today worked to raise awareness of how the problem is tied to these commodities.

Behind the romantic gestures of roses and chocolate "is often a chain of trafficked human beings delivering disposable commodities to affluent consumers. Many are children toiling in inhumane conditions or women trapped in near-slavery," the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (<"http://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/frontpage/upset-hearts.html">UNODC) said in a news release issued in conjunction with the Vienna Forum to Fight Human Trafficking.

Conference participants wore upturned heart lapel badges called the "upset heart" as a sign of solidarity with the victims. Their aim was to raise consciousness and affect the buying decisions of consumers just as the "blood diamond" and Fair Trade certifications have fostered ethical choices on diamonds. The campaign was also the subject of a press conference at UN Headquarters in New York this week.

"Take exploitation out of your bottom line," said UNODC Antonio Maria Costa in his opening speech to the Vienna Forum yesterday. "Make sure that the supply chain is not tainted by blood, sweat and tears of modern slaves."

"On this Valentine's Day, spare a thought for those whose lives have been turned upside down by human trafficking," he said.
2008-02-14 00:00:00.000

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UN BACKS OVER ONE DOZEN WOMEN IN LARGEST ALL-FEMALE EVEREST EXPEDITION

UN BACKS OVER ONE DOZEN WOMEN IN LARGEST ALL-FEMALE EVEREST EXPEDITION New York, Feb 14 2008 5:00PM In the largest all-female expedition to Mount Everest ever, 13 courageous Nepali women representing the range of the Asian country's castes and ethnicities, backed by the United Nations, will attempt to reach the world's highest peak this Spring.

The women hope to draw attention to the impact of climate change on the Himalayas, as well as inspire and encourage other women through their endeavour to work together to achieve their goals. Since Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay Sherpa reached the summit in 1953, only seven Nepali have successfully completed the ascent to the peak.

So far, the UN Development Programme (<"http://www.undp.org/">UNDP) and the UN World Food Programme (<"http://www.wfp.org/english/?n=31">WFP) have raised one quarter of the $200,000 needed for the group, called the First Inclusive Women Sagarmatha Expedition 2008.

"We hope the efforts of this unique expedition will inspire women across Nepal to reach for their dreams – dreams to become doctors, teachers or even mountaineers," said Richard Ragan, WFP Representative in Nepal.

One of the climbers, Nimdoma Sherpa, received WFP food at school as a child.

"It is amazing to think about how far I have come," she said. "WFP was there to motivate me to begin my schooling and is now supporting me and this amazing group of women from across Nepal to achieve our dream of reaching the top of the world."

Expectations are high that the group will return with data on how global warming has affected Mount Everest from top to bottom.

"We hope that their observations will provide additional ideas on how to ecologically better manage and preserve this unique tourist and world heritage site," said Anne-Isabelle Degryse-Blateau, UNDP Country Director in Nepal.

The climbing leader of the team – organized exclusively by women, including the coordinator, technical experts, kitchen staff and mule drivers – will be Pemba Dorje Sherpa, who holds the record for the fastest ascent time for Mount Everest of eight hours and 10 minutes and is also a former WFP beneficiary.
2008-02-14 00:00:00.000

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CIVIL UNREST IN KENYA PROJECTED TO IMPACT WORLD TEA PRICES - UN REPORT

CIVIL UNREST IN KENYA PROJECTED TO IMPACT WORLD TEA PRICES – UN REPORT New York, Feb 14 2008 5:00PM World tea prices are continuing to rise because of a tight global supply worsened by a projected 10 per cent decrease in production in Kenya, which has been rocked by civil unrest in recent months, a new report from the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization (<"http://www.fao.org/newsroom/en/news/2008/1000784/index.html">FAO) says.

For many years, there was an oversupply of tea, but the FAO report says that prices increased by 11.6 per cent in 2006 and are expected to reflect a further 6.5 per cent rise in 2007.

World tea production grew by more than 3 per cent to reach an estimated 3.6 million tons in 2006, according to the latest available figures cited by the report.

Increases in China, India and Viet Nam should offset declines in major producing countries, according to the report.

The expansion was due to another record crop in China with 1.05 million tons and a record 28 per cent increase in output in Viet Nam, which pulled its production up to 133,000 tons.

An increase was also recorded in India, the second larger producer, where harvests were 3 per cent higher, totalling 945,000 tons for 2006.

Consumers are also drinking more tea, with consumption up by 1 per cent in 2006, reaching 3.64 million tons. Green tea appears to be gaining popularity; black tea production is projected to grow at 1.9 per cent annually while green tea production is expected to grow at a rate of 4.5 per cent.

FAO tea expert Kaison Chang called for strategies to improve demand. "Opportunities for an expansion in consumption and improvement in prices exist in producing countries themselves as per capita consumption levels are relatively low."

The report was prepared for the Global Dubai Tea Forum 2008, which opens next week with a focus on sharing industry-specific knowledge and best practices for improving tea production and marketing worldwide.
2008-02-14 00:00:00.000

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GENERAL ASSEMBLY CLIMATE CHANGE DEBATE ENDS WITH CALL FOR GLOBAL COOPERATION

GENERAL ASSEMBLY CLIMATE CHANGE DEBATE ENDS WITH CALL FOR GLOBAL COOPERATION New York, Feb 14 2008 5:00PM The three-day General Assembly debate on climate changed <"http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs//2008/ga10690.doc.htm">wrapped up yesterday with the body's President issuing a <"http://www.un.org/ga/president/62/statements/closingremarksCC130208.shtml">call for increased global partnerships to tackle the issue.

The event – entitled "Addressing Climate Change: The United Nations and the World at Work" – was held at UN Headquarters in New York and included addresses by Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and New York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg; panels featuring media, government and business leaders; and plenary meetings featuring 115 delegates.

What is evident is "that the actions necessary to address climate change are so intertwined that they can only be tackled through combined efforts," Assembly President Srgjan Kerim said in his closing remarks to the debate.

But despite the importance of partnerships, he underscored that individuals can also make a difference in the battle against global warming.

"Small contributions add up," Mr. Kerim pointed out. "Many of our speakers made the case that we can all make a difference through simple changes to our daily behaviour."

He also spotlighted the link between addressing climate change and sustainable development, nothing the need for the creation of low-carbon economies which can in turn promote growth.

Last December's historic UN Climate Change 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.

The Assembly President said yesterday that much work remains to be done to tackle climate change, and expressed his intention to convene two further meetings to contemplate more specific global warming issues: one will consider the impact of climate change on vulnerable countries while the other will focus on corporate responsibility and sustainability.
2008-02-14 00:00:00.000

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'WE HAVE LOST A VOICE,' BAN KI-MOON SAYS IN TRIBUTE TO LATE TOM LANTOS

'WE HAVE LOST A VOICE,' BAN KI-MOON SAYS IN TRIBUTE TO LATE TOM LANTOS New York, Feb 14 2008 5:00PM Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today <"http://www.un.org/apps/sg/sgstats.asp?nid=3002">paid tribute to the contributions of the late Congressman Tom Lantos at a memorial service held in Washington, DC, saying the world has "lost a voice" that speaks for the very principles of the United Nations.

Mr. Ban, who enjoyed a friendship with Mr. Lantos stemming from the former's days as Foreign Minister of the Republic of Korea, praised in particular his support for the UN.

"As for me personally, I will always remember all I learned from Chairman Lantos," said the Secretary-General, recalling that when he first visited Washington after taking the reins at the UN, Mr. Lantos "introduced me to people who could support me in my work."

The Secretary-General has also long known the California Congressman's wife. "When I visited him again in his office a few months ago, I had no time for lunch, so he and Annette gave me sandwiches as we worked, and he told me to consider his office my sanctuary on the Hill," Mr. Ban said.

The veteran United States legislator also survived the Holocaust, a fact which Mr. Ban alluded to, saying Mr. Lantos' had a voice "that stemmed from witnessing the worst in man confronted by the best in man. He knew what was possible, because he had lived through the unimaginable."

Mourning the passing of Mr. Lantos, the Secretary-General said, "We have lost a voice that binds us to the very reasons the United Nations was founded.

"Today, I am proud to stand among you and give thanks for Tom Lantos' valiant and incomparable life."

During his stay in the US capital, which extends through tomorrow, Mr. Ban will hold meetings with top officials, including President George W. Bush and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.
2008-02-14 00:00:00.000

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UN CHIEF HAILS CREATION OF NEW CENTRE ON 'RESPONSIBILITY TO PROTECT'

UN CHIEF HAILS CREATION OF NEW CENTRE ON 'RESPONSIBILITY TO PROTECT' New York, Feb 14 2008 4:00PM Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today welcomed the establishment in New York of the Global Centre for the Responsibility to Protect, a doctrine that holds States responsible for shielding their own populations from genocide and other major human rights abuses and requires the international community to step in if this obligation is not met.

"The birth of this new initiative holds great promise in supporting the endeavours of the international community to take the principle of the responsibility to protect from concept to actuality, from word to deed," said Mr. Ban in a <"http://www.un.org/apps/sg/sgstats.asp?nid=3000">statement delivered by Vijay Nambiar, the Secretary-General's Chief of Staff.

"You will help ensure that the responsibility to protect is known, understood and enjoyed by everyone, everywhere," he said, pointing out that those who most need their rights protected often also need to be informed that the obligation exists for them.

The new Centre is housed at the Ralph Bunche Institute for International Affairs of the CUNY Graduate Center named for the late UN Under-Secretary-General and 1950 Nobel Peace Laureate.

The Secretary-General called the responsibility to protect, sometimes known as 'R2P,' "a solemn commitment by the international community" and a "profound moral imperative in today's world."

Working together, he said that "we can deliver on the promise of the responsibility to protect, and we can transform this idea from an abstract obligation into what it truly is: one of humanity's highest calling."
2008-02-14 00:00:00.000

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COLOMBIA AND UN FOOD AGENCY JOIN FORCES TO HELP OVER HALF A MILLION DISPLACED

COLOMBIA AND UN FOOD AGENCY JOIN FORCES TO HELP OVER HALF A MILLION DISPLACED New York, Feb 14 2008 4:00PM The United Nations World Food Programme (<"http://www.wfp.org/english/?ModuleID=137&Key=2770">WFP) has launched a $157 million joint operation with the Colombian Government to provide food and other humanitarian assistance to more than 530,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the South American country over the next three years.

Starting in April, the programme will provide assistance through a series of projects, including school feeding, food for training, food for work and food assistance for both vulnerable communities at high risk of displacement and for host communities for IDPs.

WFP is already helping over 500,000 people across Colombia each year, drawing on its network of 10 field offices to support families and individuals who been forced to flee their homes because of long-running fighting between Government forces, rebels and paramilitary groups or attacks against civilians by armed groups.

The agency said in a press statement issued in Bogotá today that the new programme will be the largest international cooperation scheme for IDPs ever developed by a UN agency in Colombia.

Praveen Agrawal, the agency's country director in Colombia, said "the unanimous support for the implementation of these activities is not only the result of the excellent relationship between WFP and the Colombian Government, but also testament to the positive results WFP has achieved in the country during the last few years."

To finance the programme WFP will appeal to international donors for $93 million and the Colombian Government has pledged to contribute $64 million.
2008-02-14 00:00:00.000

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US MORTGAGE CRISIS, RISING PRICES SPELL FINANCIAL TURMOIL - ASSEMBLY PRESIDENT

US MORTGAGE CRISIS, RISING PRICES SPELL FINANCIAL TURMOIL – ASSEMBLY PRESIDENT New York, Feb 14 2008 4:00PM The sub-prime mortgage market collapse in the United States, rising oil and commodity prices and other factors could combine to hamper the economies of developing countries, the President of the United Nations General Assembly said today.

Srgjan Kerim recalled that in the last quarter of 2007, macroeconomic and fiscal management had improved in many developing countries, creating higher savings, investments and consumer demand. Expenditures on social programmes went up while extreme poverty went down – but globally inequality was still rising, he said.

"Since then, the fall-out from the collapse of the US sub-prime mortgage market has spilled over into global equity and bond markets, eroding confidence in the financial system," Mr. Kerim told the Assembly.

"In addition, high oil and commodity prices, particularly in the agricultural sector, and rising global imbalances are storing up inflationary pressures."

Mr. Kerim made his comments as the General Assembly began the first of six review sessions on the "Monterrey Consensus," a 2002 agreement by which developing countries took primary responsibility for mobilizing domestic resources and developed countries agreed to promote an environment conducive to this effort.

The Assembly President warned that the ongoing financial turmoil could reduce "demand in developed countries with significant spillovers into emerging markets and developing countries."

At the same time, he noted that markets in developing counties have continued to expand. "Overall, developing countries have benefited from strong domestic demand, better governance, more disciplined economic management, and in the case of commodity exporters, from high food and energy prices."

But he said that unless growth is translated into human development that creates opportunities and benefits for all, "growing inequality and the sheer scales of global poverty will create destabilizing economic and political pressures in many countries."

Addressing climate change is central to ensuring sustainable economic development and poverty reduction, he said, adding that "its policy implications also embrace issues of equity, ethics, human rights and security."

The Financing for Development process "has a special responsibility to support those countries most affected to adapt to climate change; and, to create incentives for investment in climate-friendly energy production, energy efficiency and new technologies to ensure that all the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) are met – not at the cost of economic growth, but to achieve it."

The Assembly's meeting is being held in preparation for the conference to review the implementation of the Monterrey Consensus, to be held in Doha, Qatar, toward the end of this year.
2008-02-14 00:00:00.000

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SECRETARY-GENERAL REMEMBERS HARIRI KILLING WITH CALL OF SOLIDARITY FOR LEBANON

SECRETARY-GENERAL REMEMBERS HARIRI KILLING WITH CALL OF SOLIDARITY FOR LEBANON New York, Feb 14 2008 3:00PM Marking the third anniversary of the Beirut bombing that killed Lebanon's former prime minister Rafiq Hariri and 22 others, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today expressed the United Nations' solidarity for the country's people and their Government, restating the world body's longstanding determination to help bring the perpetrators to justice.

"This solemn anniversary comes at a perilous moment for Lebanon," Mr. Ban said in a <"http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2008/sgsm11413.doc.htm">statement released by his spokesperson, adding "there could be no greater homage paid to the memory" of Mr. Hariri than for Lebanon's divided political forces "to redouble their efforts to achieve national reconciliation and to ensure… stability, security and prosperity."

For months Lebanon's parties have been unable to agree on a choice for president of the Middle East country, which has been hit by a wave of car bombings and other terrorist attacks during the past few years.

Mr. Ban said in the statement that he continues to prepare for the establishment of the Special Tribunal, as authorized by the Security Council, "convinced that impunity must not prevail and that the tribunal process cannot be reversed."

The Special Tribunal is tasked with trying those responsible for the assassination of Mr. Hariri and for other recent political killings in Lebanon. This week the Secretary-General set up a management committee for the court, which is to be based in the Netherlands. The committee, which will among other tasks provide advice and policy direction on all non-judicial aspects of the tribunal's operations, is composed of the body's main donors.

Today's statement emphasized the UN's commitment "to assist Lebanon in establishing the truth and in bringing to justice those who instigated, planned and executed this and other callous political assassinations and terrorist attacks in the country."
2008-02-14 00:00:00.000

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UN PREDICTS RISE IN GLOBAL CEREAL PRODUCTION BUT WARNS PRICES WILL REMAIN HIGH

UN PREDICTS RISE IN GLOBAL CEREAL PRODUCTION BUT WARNS PRICES WILL REMAIN HIGH New York, Feb 14 2008 3:00PM The United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) today predicted a rise in world cereal production this year but warned that prices will remain at record levels and could even increase.

Greater anticipated production is resulting from winter grain plantings and good weather among major producers in Europe and in the United States, coupled with a generally satisfactory outlook elsewhere, according to FAO's latest Crop Prospects and Food Situation report.

But with dwindling stocks, continuing strong demand for cereals is keeping international prices high, despite a record world harvest last season, the report said. International wheat prices last month were 83 per cent higher than in January 2007.

Poor countries where food is scarce are expected to import less cereal but pay more, <"http://www.fao.org/newsroom/en/news/2008/1000783/index.html">FAO said. "Cereal imports for all Low-Income Food-Deficit countries in 2007-08 are forecast to decline by about 2 per cent in volume, but as a result of soaring international cereal prices and freight rates, their cereal import bill is projected to rise by 35 per cent for the second consecutive year," the agency said in a news release.

Worldwide, 36 countries are currently facing food crises, according to the report.
2008-02-14 00:00:00.000

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BOLIVIA: UN AID AGENCIES BRING RELIEF IN WAKE OF DEADLY FLOODS

BOLIVIA: UN AID AGENCIES BRING RELIEF IN WAKE OF DEADLY FLOODS New York, Feb 14 2008 3:00PM United Nations humanitarian agencies are helping the survivors of floods sweeping across large swathes of Bolivia that have already claimed at least 52 lives and affected more than 55,000 families.

Nearly $2 million has been allocated from the UN's Central Emergency Response Fund (<"http://ochaonline.un.org/Default.aspx?alias=ochaonline.un.org/cerf">CERF) so that immediate life-saving programmes can be implemented in the worst affected areas, according to officials from the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (<"http://ochaonline.un.org/News/tabid/1080/Default.aspx">OCHA).

The Bolivian Government has declared a state of natural disaster in response to the floods, which follow protracted heavy rains in the landlocked Andean nation. The department of Beni in the northeast is by far the worst hit, but the departments of Cochabamba and Santa Cruz are also suffering. In total, some 24,000 hectares of arable land have been destroyed.

The World Food Programme (<"http://www.wfp.org/english/">WFP) is giving out 10 tons of high-energy biscuits while the UN Children's Fund (<"http://www.unicef.org/">UNICEF) has provided at least 14,000 portions of baby food.
2008-02-14 00:00:00.000

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TEMPORARY RELOCATION OF UN MISSION FROM ERITREA HAS BEGUN - BAN KI-MOON

TEMPORARY RELOCATION OF UN MISSION FROM ERITREA HAS BEGUN – BAN KI-MOON New York, Feb 14 2008 2:00PM The United Nations Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea (<"http://www.un.org/Depts/dpko/missions/unmee/index.html">UNMEE) has begun temporary relocating personnel and equipment from Eritrea to sites on the Ethiopian side of the border because of fuel restrictions imposed by the Government in Asmara, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon announced today.

Mr. Ban said in a <"http://www.un.org/apps/sg/sgstats.asp?nid=2997">statement that he "regrets that the relocation has become necessary despite the letter he addressed to President Isaias Afwerki of Eritrea on 21 January seeking his urgent intervention to resolve the situation."

Asmara cut off diesel fuel supplies to UNMEE last December, paralyzing the mission. Its advance units started moving by road on 11 February, while UNMEE's main body began its relocation earlier today.

"The Secretary-General stresses the important conflict prevention role UNMEE plays in promoting regional stability," the statement noted. "However, without the fuel needed to conduct its operations, the mission has been effectively immobilized and rendered unable to carry out its critical functions."

Thus far, some of the mission's convoys have been able to cross into Ethiopia without difficulty, while others have been stopped.

Yesterday, the UN Secretariat held talks with Eritrea's Permanent Representative regarding the relocation process.

UNMEE is also conferring with the country's authorities so that appropriate instructions are issued to Eritrean troops in the Temporary Security Zone (TSZ) and officials at crossing points to ensure the smooth movement of UN personnel and equipment.
2008-02-14 00:00:00.000

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UNICEF WARNS 90,000 SOMALI CHILDREN COULD DIE WITHOUT INCREASED SUPPORT

UNICEF WARNS 90,000 SOMALI CHILDREN COULD DIE WITHOUT INCREASED SUPPORT New York, Feb 14 2008 1:00PM About 90,000 children in war-ravaged Somalia could die in the next few months without immediate supplementary nutrition and therapeutic feeding, an official with the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) said today, calling for stepped-up international support.

Due to a lack of adequate funding, the agency – which is urgently appealing for $10 million for nutritional, water and sanitation programmes – said it maybe be forced to close its nutritional centres and cease delivering drinking water in two weeks.

"If we cannot maintain the activities that we have been running up to now, you will see a crisis," said UNICEF's Christian Balslev-Olesen. "You will see many children dying, [although] hopefully not like the beginning of the 1990s where between 200,000 and 300,000 people died within a few months in Somalia."

Fighting has intensified in recent months in the Horn of Africa nation, which has not had a functioning government since 1991.

To date, UNICEF said that its $47 million appeal for humanitarian operations in Somalia has not received any funding.

Yesterday, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported that there are up to 2 million vulnerable people in need of assistance in the country. In the capital Mogadishu, the number of people escaping the city to the poorest areas of the Horn of Africa nation has doubled to 700,000 in the last six months.
2008-02-14 00:00:00.000

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FARMERS IN ARID DJIBOUTI TO BENEFIT FROM NEW UN SCHEME TO TRAP SURFACE WATER

FARMERS IN ARID DJIBOUTI TO BENEFIT FROM NEW UN SCHEME TO TRAP SURFACE WATER New York, Feb 14 2008 1:00PM The United Nations agency tasked with trying to reduce rural poverty is setting up an $11.6 million project to better capture and make use of surface water in Djibouti, the small Horn of Africa nation frequently beset by drought.

The new scheme aims to increase the average incomes of 6,000 households in three regions of Djibouti by 20 per cent, meet their drinking water and livestock water needs and boost nutritional standards, the International Fund for Agricultural Development (<"http://www.ifad.org/media/press/2008/14.htm">IFAD) said in a press release issued yesterday from its Rome headquarters.

The project will introduce two surface-water mobilization techniques to Djibouti, where about 50 per cent of the rural population has no access to water either for drinking or for the needs of their livestock and where underground water capacity has been used up.

In the first, small dams will be constructed in 10 selected sites across the country. In the second, cisterns, earth tanks and supplementary works for soil and water conservation will be built. There will also be reseeding and regeneration efforts in and around the Day Forest area and vocational training towards the making of forestry products will be supported.
2008-02-14 00:00:00.000

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UN APPEALS FOR NEARLY $500 MILLION TO SLASH MATERNAL DEATHS IN 75 NATIONS

UN APPEALS FOR NEARLY $500 MILLION TO SLASH MATERNAL DEATHS IN 75 NATIONS New York, Feb 14 2008 12:00PM With a women dying every minute due to pregnancy or childbirth complications, the United Nations Population Fund (<"http://www.unfpa.org/news/news.cfm?ID=1098">UNFPA) today appealed for nearly half a billion dollars to save the lives of millions of women in 75 countries.

"No woman should die giving life," said Thoraya Ahmed Obaid, UNFPA's Executive Director. "To have a healthy society, you have to have healthy mothers."

There are up to half a million maternal deaths annually, and the agency hopes the $465 million it is calling for will support women in the neediest countries over the next four years.

Progress in the area of maternal health has been slow in many nations due to the lack of political will and inadequate resources.

Ms. Obaid urged countries to bolster their investment in national health systems by training birth attendants and promoting family planning. "Millions of deaths and disabilities could be prevented, if every woman had access to reproductive health services," she pointed out.

Improving maternal health by 2015 is also the fifth Millennium Development Goal (MDG).

The new thematic fund – established by UNFPA in collaboration with governments, other UN organizations and international partners – will help countries health systems' capacities to provide a wide range of maternal health services and empower women to exercise their right to maternal health.
2008-02-14 00:00:00.000

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SECURITY SECTOR REFORM DEPENDS ON NATIONAL WILL AND CAPACITY, UN REPORT SAYS

SECURITY SECTOR REFORM DEPENDS ON NATIONAL WILL AND CAPACITY, UN REPORT SAYS New York, Feb 13 2008 7:00PM Security sector reform in any country will not succeed unless there is commitment, leadership and capacity from key figures and institutions in that State, a new United Nations report says.

The Secretary-General's report, <i>Securing Peace and Development: the role of the United Nations in supporting security sector reform</i>, stresses that while the UN has much experience helping nations reform their security sector, "there are no quick fixes for establishing effective and accountable security institutions" and any effective strategy would depend on willing and able national partners.

"Where a genuine will to build effective and accountable security does not exist or where there is no basic agreement between national actors on the objectives and the approach for national security arrangements, the potential contribution of the United Nations – and other partners – is limited at best," according to the report.

But it says the UN can contribute by elaborating basic principles and standards and by ensuring there is responsible and sustained international backing for the efforts of struggling countries to reform their security sector.

"By virtue of its mandate, legitimacy and presence, the United Nations can support national actors, particularly in post-conflict environments, to make informed security choices that are conducive to long-term development, sustainable peace and democratic governance."

The <"http://www.un.org/Docs/journal/asp/ws.asp?m=s/2008/39">report notes that the UN is already helping many countries, especially through its mediation, peacekeeping, peacebuilding and development functions.

It also recommends the formation of appropriate field capacities at the UN to ensure more coherent and integrated implementation of security sector reform, the designation of lead entities for the delivery of effective support and the development of strategic advisory and specialist capacities.

The landmark report has been prepared following requests last year from the Security Council and General Assembly and is the result of consultations with regional groups and other stakeholders inside and outside the UN system.

Marking the report's release, Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations Jean-Marie Guéhenno said the UN's support of security sector reform has until now been largely ad hoc.

"We need to build a system-wide approach, as well as the capacities and resources required to deliver this support," he said.

Assistant Secretary-General Kathleen Cravero, Director of the Bureau for Crisis Prevention and Recovery at the UN Development Programme (<"http://www.undp.org/">UNDP), said the UN has learned that security sector reform (SSR) will only work if it based on the rule of law, human rights and gender equality.

"Effective governance and civilian oversight of the security sector are essential," she added.

Kemal Dervis, the Administrator of UNDP, noted that security issues should no longer be viewed as the exclusive concern of security professionals.

"We know now that an inefficient and unaccountable security sector can be a major obstacle to democratic governance and can undermine the implementation of poverty reduction strategies," he said.

Assistant Secretary-General Dmitry Titov of the Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO) said a new phase in UN support for SSR "could help us all to accelerate much-needed reforms in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Haiti, Timor-Leste and other post-conflict societies."
2008-02-13 00:00:00.000

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UN FORUM HEARS CALLS FOR MEASURES TO COMBAT HUMAN TRAFFICKING

UN FORUM HEARS CALLS FOR MEASURES TO COMBAT HUMAN TRAFFICKING New York, Feb 13 2008 6:00PM Policy makers and celebrities today joined their voices in calling for action against human trafficking, as the first-ever global United Nations forum on the problem opened in Vienna.

Antonio Maria Costa, the Executive Director of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (<"http://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/frontpage/this-is-not-a-journey-that-anyone-should-take.html">UNODC), and the pop star Ricky Martin received a petition from the group "Stop the Traffik" signed by 1.5 million persons calling for action on the issue.

Mr. Costa <"http://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/frontpage/tracking-a-monster.html">accused law enforcement authorities around the world of demonstrating "benign neglect" and appealed for coordinated action to fight the "monster" of human trafficking.

He said efforts to carry out the provisions of the UN Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons have been disjointed, with "victims often prosecuted for their illegal status; interdiction operations limited; few arrests, with inadequate retribution."

He said the Global Initiative to Fight Human Trafficking (UN.GIFT), launched to facilitate implementation of the Protocol, has begun a process of collecting scientific evidence about the extent of this crime while building up profiles of traffickers and their networks. It is also working on enhancing witness protection. In addition, measures are being taken to examine the causes of victims' vulnerability and to strengthen prevention.

Mr. Costa described some "uncomfortable truths" about the problem, which can involve children in conflicts, girls sold by their family into brothels, women enslaved into sex parlours, men in bondage "in southern plantations or northern sweat shops" and kids enslaved to beg in Europe and North America. Children are also sometimes forced to use "their nimble fingers to produce luxury goods."

He urged all segments of society to join forces against the scourge, while calling for contributions to the UN account to fight human trafficking.

But Mr. Costa cautioned that "money and goodwill are not enough; we need concrete actions that will reduce vulnerability and make this crime a riskier business." Toward that end, he said the Forum must adopt practical measures that will stop traffickers and help victims.

A chorus of voices joined Mr. Costa in decrying the problem. "Human trafficking is a vicious violation of human rights; it has no place in our world and I beg you to act now," said the Grammy Award-winning Mr. Martin.

Suzanne Mubarak, the First Lady of Egypt and President of her eponymous International Peace Movement, also decried the problem, calling human trafficking "a pervasive cancer."

"We simply cannot tolerate human beings being bought, sold and hired like commodities," Ursula Plassnik, Minister for European and International Affairs of the Republic of Austria. "Each and every one of us is being called upon to act."

Emma Thompson, Oscar-winning actress and Chair of the Helen Bamber Foundation, who yesterday opened an art installation in Vienna mapping the journey of a trafficking victim, told the Forum the harrowing story of a Moldovan woman who was trafficked to the United Kingdom and forced to work as a prostitute.

The Vienna Forum to Fight Human Trafficking is bringing together 1,200 experts, legislators, law enforcement teams, business leaders, NGO representatives and trafficking victims from 116 countries.

In a related development, UNODC today launched a manual aimed at helping countries develop comprehensive programmes for the protection of victims and witnesses of crime.
Witness protection programmes are considered a key tool in the dismantling of human trafficking networks as well as combating other forms of organized crime.

The manual, <i>Good Practices in the Protection of Witnesses in Criminal Proceedings Involving Organized Crime</i>, calls for early identification of vulnerable and intimidated witnesses; management of witnesses by the police; protection of witness identity during court testimony; and, if necessary, permanent relocation and re-identification.
2008-02-13 00:00:00.000

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MYANMAR: SECRETARY-GENERAL CONVENES 'GROUP OF FRIENDS' MEETING

MYANMAR: SECRETARY-GENERAL CONVENES 'GROUP OF FRIENDS' MEETING New York, Feb 13 2008 6:00PM Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today convened a meeting of the 14 Member States known as the "Group of Friends" to review developments in Myanmar, where the Government forcefully cracked down on peaceful protesters last year.

The Group of Friends – comprising Australia, China, France, India, Indonesia, Japan, Norway, Russia, Singapore, Thailand, the United Kingdom, the United States, Vietnam and Slovenia (as holder of the European Union presidency) – met today for the second time following their first gathering last December.

Mr. Ban's Special Adviser Ibrahim Gambari plans to travel to the region shortly, and will visit Beijing from 18-19 February, followed by stops in Jakarta and Singapore.

Earlier this week, the Secretary-General called on Myanmar to ensure that the constitutional referendum scheduled to be held in May represents the views of all of the South-East Asian nation's people.

He "renews his call to the Myanmar authorities to make the constitution-making process inclusive, participatory and transparent in order to ensure that any draft constitution is broadly representative of the views of all the people of Myanmar," according to a <"http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2008/sgsm11409.doc.htm">statement issued by his spokesperson.
2008-02-13 00:00:00.000

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MEMORIAL FOR US POLITICIAN, MODEL UN ON BAN KI-MOON'S WASHINGTON ITINERARY

MEMORIAL FOR US POLITICIAN, MODEL UN ON BAN KI-MOON'S WASHINGTON ITINERARY New York, Feb 13 2008 6:00PM During his two-day visit to Washington D.C. beginning tomorrow, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon will attend a memorial service for United States Congressman Tom Lantos and address high school students at a Model United Nations gathering, a spokesperson announced today, adding to an agenda that already includes meetings with top officials.

Earlier this week in a <"http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2008/sgsm11410.doc.htm">statement, Mr. Ban mourned the passing of "his friend Tom Lantos, the veteran United States legislator, Holocaust survivor, human rights advocate and long-time supporter of the United Nations."

The Secretary-General will be present at the service for the Californian, with whom he shared a friendship dating back to Mr. Ban's days as foreign minister of the Republic of Korea.

Afterwards, he will meet with representatives of UN agencies in the capital city as well as speak to students attending the North American International Model UN organized by Georgetown University.

Tomorrow, the Secretary-General will hold talks with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice tomorrow before his meeting on Friday with President George W. Bush, with whom he will discuss climate change, the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), human rights, counterterrorism and issues in regions such as Darfur, Kenya, the Middle East, Iraq, Kosovo and Afghanistan.
2008-02-13 00:00:00.000

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