UN AGENCY SEEKS $28 MILLION TO FUND HEALTH PLAN AFTER MYANMAR CYCLONE

UN AGENCY SEEKS $28 MILLION TO FUND HEALTH PLAN AFTER MYANMAR CYCLONE New York, May 31 2008 7:00PM The United Nations health agency is calling for $28 million to fund a six-month action plan to help survivors of this month's catastrophic cyclone in Myanmar and to support efforts to rebuild the country's health-care system.

The plan is designed for the areas most affected by Cyclone Nargis earlier this month -- the Ayeyarwady Delta region and Yangon, Myanmar's biggest city -- with a particular focus on people living in temporary shelters and relocations, the World Health Organization (WHO) said in a press statement yesterday in Geneva.

"We must help repair and revitalize Myanmar's health services and replace the damaged medical equipment in affected facilities," said Eric Laroche, Assistant Director-General at WHO and head of the agency group set up to respond to the cyclone emergency.

"Our goal is to treat survivors and provide them with care and support by building a health system that can withstand future natural disasters."

UN humanitarian agencies estimate that more than 77,000 people have died and 55,000 others are missing since Cyclone Nargis struck on 2 May. As many as 500,000 to 600,000 people, mainly in the delta, have had to be relocated.

The cyclone destroyed about half of the health-care system in the delta and Yangon, according to WHO, which says the money raised for the action plan will be used in part to strengthen surveillance against potential outbreaks of infections diseases, immunize locals for measles and polio, and provide extra emergency medicines, equipment and insecticide-treated bed nets.

Local health workers will also be given training to improve their skills and knowledge under the action plan, which is expected to be carried out by WHO, other UN agencies and more than two dozen international non-governmental organizations (NGOs).

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has stressed that authorities in Myanmar must ensure that more NGO workers are granted visas and access to the affected regions, and that the return of internally displaced persons (IDPs) to the delta region is done on a voluntary basis.

2008-05-31 00:00:00.000

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UN REFUGEE AGENCY WELCOMES ADOPTION OF PACT TO BAN CLUSTER BOMBS

UN REFUGEE AGENCY WELCOMES ADOPTION OF PACT TO BAN CLUSTER BOMBS New York, May 31 2008 7:00PM The United Nations refugee agency has added its voice to the chorus of support greeting yesterday's adoption of an international convention to end the manufacture, use and stockpiling of cluster bombs.

Delegations from 111 States agreed on the text of the Convention on Cluster Munitions after two weeks of negotiations in Dublin that were also attended by representatives of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). The pact will now be signed in Oslo in December.

Manuel Jordao, UNHCR's representative in Ireland, welcomed the adoption of the convention, saying the issue was of particular concern to the agency because refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs) in conflict or post-conflict zones are often exposed to the remnants of cluster munitions.

The devices are considered especially insidious because they comprise a bomb casing containing hundreds of small sub-munitions that are scattered over a wide area when the bomb nears the ground. Many of these so-called "bomblets" fail to explode on impact and then explode months or years later, killing or maiming victims.

After speaking with cluster bomb victims attending the negotiations, Mr. Jordao said "their stories show how indiscriminate a weapon it is, how it turns lives upside down at the most unexpected times, when conflict has ended, when people are returning home, when children are playing."

He called for international efforts to focus on clearing contaminated areas so that affected communities can resume their lives and economic and social activities. UNHCR works with partners in many countries, including Afghanistan, Angola, Cambodia, Chad, Colombia and Lebanon, to clear mines, raise awareness about the threat they pose and assist victims.

One of the articles in the new convention calls on States to provide adequate assistance to all victims of cluster munitions, including their medical care, rehabilitation and psychological support.

Mr. Jordao's comments echo those of Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, who said yesterday in a statement issued by his spokesperson that he was delighted by the agreement and encouraged Member States to now ratify the text.

2008-05-31 00:00:00.000

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HAITI: UN MISSION AND LOCAL POLICE ARREST FOUR MEN AT HEART OF KIDNAPPING GANG

HAITI: UN MISSION AND LOCAL POLICE ARREST FOUR MEN AT HEART OF KIDNAPPING GANG New York, May 31 2008 7:00PM The United Nations peacekeeping mission in Haiti and the country's police force say they have dismantled an important criminal gang wanted for several recent kidnappings and murders after arresting four men yesterday morning.

Working with the Haitian National Police, officers with the mission (known as MINUSTAH) arrested the suspects in a joint raid in two districts of the capital, Port-au-Prince, according to a press statement issued yesterday.

The four men are accused of forming the heart of a gang known as Chochonet, which is being investigated for several recent kidnappings and killings.

MINUSTAH, which said the arrests were carried out without incident, thanked the local population for providing the information that led to the arrests.

The mission reiterated its call for Haitians to cooperate with its troops and with members of the national police to combat persistently high levels of crime, particularly kidnappings, across the Caribbean country.

2008-05-31 00:00:00.000

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PARTIES TO UN PACT ON PLANT, ANIMAL DIVERSITY AGREE TO STEPS TO PREVENT SPECIES LOSS

PARTIES TO UN PACT ON PLANT, ANIMAL DIVERSITY AGREE TO STEPS TO PREVENT SPECIES LOSS New York, May 30 2008 6:00PM The 191 countries to the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) agreed today on a set of measures to advance progress toward the internationally agreed target to reduce the rate of loss of the world's animal and plant species.

The parties to the Convention, meeting in Bonn, Germany, also agreed on new steps to increase the global network of protected areas and to negotiate an international set of rules on access to and sharing of the benefits of the rich genetic resources of the world.

"We are less than two years from 2010, the year that Heads of State determined to be the target for substantially reducing the rate of biodiversity loss," said Ahmed Djoghlaf, Executive Secretary to the Convention on Biological Diversity.

"With the world losing species at an unprecedented rate, this is a very difficult target to meet, but the agreements in Bonn – the Bonn Biodiversity Compact – if implemented expeditiously by all stakeholders, will go a long way to help us meet our goals."

At present, the world is losing plant and animal species at a rate between 100 and 1000 times the natural extinction rate. The loss of species diminishes the genetic resources available for medical advances, ensuring a secure food supply and making certain that the world's ecosystems can provide the necessary functions that are essential for life.

More than 6,000 people participated in the two-week Conference, including three world leaders and 87 ministers who exchanged best practices and discussed proposals for accelerating action on biodiversity.

Delegates agreed on a number of measures that support conservation measures, ways to ensure its sustainable use, and a set of rules to ensure that benefits from the use of genetic resources are shared equitably.

They also agreed on a firm process towards establishing international rules on access to genetic resources and the equitable sharing of benefits from their use. For years, countries had not been able to reach consensus on the nature of such rules and whether any elements would be legally binding. The meeting produced a plan for the negotiations that not only sets out a clear road map leading up to 2010, but also provides a shortlist of options as to which elements should be legally binding.

In addition, countries agreed to develop a global network of protected areas that would ensure the conservation of biodiversity. The move would expand the move to protect areas rich in biodiversity – already 11 per cent of Earth's land surface.
2008-05-30 00:00:00.000

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BAN WELCOMES $1.2 BILLION FROM WORLD BANK TO FIGHT FOOD CRISIS

BAN WELCOMES $1.2 BILLION FROM WORLD BANK TO FIGHT FOOD CRISIS New York, May 30 2008 6:00PM Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today welcomed $1.2 billion in funding from the World Bank to help tackle the global food crisis that has emerged in recent months.

"The Secretary-General welcomes the announcement by the <"http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/NEWS/0,,contentMDK:21783685~pagePK:64257043~piPK:437376~theSitePK:4607,00.html">World Bank of a $1.2 billion rapid financing facility as an important step in providing quick support to those most affected by the current food security crisis," a spokesperson for Mr. Ban said in a <"http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2008/sgsm11606.doc.htm">statement.

According to the UN, some 860 million people are suffering from hunger and malnourishment, a situation that has been worsened by recent severe price rises for food staples such as rice and wheat.

UN agencies also forecasted in a report issued earlier this week that food prices are likely to remain high over the next decade.

Mr. Ban said today that there is a need to provide a closely coordinated and coherent response to the global food crisis in the short, medium and long term.

In Rome, starting on Tuesday, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon will chair a three-day summit on the crisis, bringing together the heads of key UN agencies, as well as the International Monetary Fund (<"http://www.imf.org/external/index.htm">IMF) and the World Bank, along with many Heads of State and Government.
2008-05-30 00:00:00.000

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BLUE HELMETS HAVE SAVED COUNTLESS LIVES, UN PEACEKEEPING CHIEF SAYS

BLUE HELMETS HAVE SAVED COUNTLESS LIVES, UN PEACEKEEPING CHIEF SAYS New York, May 30 2008 6:00PM United Nations peacekeepers can claim credit for saving numerous lives over the past six decades by stabilizing countries that were previously engulfed by protracted war or unrest, the head of the world body's peacekeeping operations said today.

Awarding the Dag Hammarskjöld Medal to the 90 military, police and civilian personnel who died last year while serving in UN operations, Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations Jean-Marie Guéhenno said staff at UN missions "work tirelessly and courageously to resolve conflict and pave the way to a lasting peace."

The medals, received by representatives of the 42 countries from which the 90 personnel hailed, were presented at UN Headquarters in New York a day after the world body observed the International Day for UN Peacekeepers.

This year the Day coincided with the sixtieth anniversary of the establishment of the first-ever UN peacekeeping operation, the UN Truce Supervision Organization (UNTSO), to monitor an armistice between Israel and its neighbours.

"After 60 years of peacekeeping, we cannot claim victory in the pursuit of peace," Mr. Guéhenno said. "But we can take credit for stabilizing societies that were once the scenes of intractable conflict, saving countless lives in the process."

He said the blue helmet has become one of the most iconic images in the world, "worn by some of the most compassionate people, helping some of the most vulnerable people in some of the most dangerous places."

The Under-Secretary-General added that the best way to honour the sacrifice of those peacekeepers who have fallen in service is by "redoubling our efforts to ensure that the mandates given to UN peacekeeping are matched by the resources needed to help achieve its goal of helping societies to recover from the effects of war and destruction, and to establish lasting peace and stability."

Later today he also presented medals to military and police officials currently serving in the Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO).
2008-05-30 00:00:00.000

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MYANMAR: UN REFUGEE AGENCY SETS UP FIELD UNITS IN CYCLONE AREA

MYANMAR: UN REFUGEE AGENCY SETS UP FIELD UNITS IN CYCLONE AREA New York, May 30 2008 1:00PM The United Nations refugee agency has established two field units in two townships the Ayeyarwady delta to increase supplies to people affected by Cyclone Nargis, and to better assess the needs in the area.

The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (<"http://www.unhcr.org/cgi-bin/texis/vtx/news">UNHCR) has flown 405 tons of emergency supplies into Yangon, Myanmar's largest city, on nine flights, according to a spokesperson.

The supplies include plastic sheeting, mosquito nets and kitchen sets for the devastated country.

UNHCR said it had provided shelter for more than half of the 250,000 cyclone victims it is committed to assisting under the UN Flash Appeal that was launched earlier this month.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (<"http://ochaonline.un.org/">OCHA) recently reported that about 60 per cent of the $201 million appeal has been funded, but said that more support is still needed. OCHA estimates that relief efforts will likely last for at least another six months.

The UN Children's Fund (<"http://www.unicef.org/">UNICEF) is assisting the Government of Myanmar to repair schools and distribute educational materials. UNICEF estimates that more than 4,000 schools were either damaged or destroyed by the severe storms.

The UN World Food Programme (<"http://www.wfp.org/english/?n=31">WFP) continues a major operation to supply rice, beans and other foodstuffs to affected populations, while the UN World Health Organization (<"http://www.who.int/mediacentre/en/">WHO) has deployed surveillance teams to monitor for the outbreak of disease.
2008-05-30 00:00:00.000

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POLICE KILLING OF THREE PROTESTERS IN NEPAL PROMPTS UN HUMAN RIGHTS PROBE

POLICE KILLING OF THREE PROTESTERS IN NEPAL PROMPTS UN HUMAN RIGHTS PROBE New York, May 30 2008 12:00PM United Nations human rights official in Nepal announced today that it would open an investigation into the killing of three people and the wounding of seven others by Nepalese police after protesters threw rocks and stones during a demonstration in the far west of the country.

The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights-Nepal (<"http://nepal.ohchr.org/en/index.html">OHCHR-Nepal) said in a press statement that it was very concerned about the shootings, which took place in Kailali on Wednesday.

The office has confirmed that one person was fatally shot in the head, another was shot in the neck and chest and the third in the abdomen as the police tried to control a crowd that had been throwing rocks and stones at the district administration office in Kailali.

"According to international standards, law enforcement officials may only use firearms in dispersing a violent assembly to protect themselves or others against an imminent threat of death or serious injury and only when less extreme means are insufficient to achieve this objective," OHCHR said.

"Intentional lethal use of firearms is permitted only when strictly unavoidable in order to protect life," the statement added, urging the police to begin their own independent inquiry.

Wednesday's killings occurred a day after a Nepalese journalist was beaten by a group that included Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist (CPN-M) cadres, apparently because he had written an article critical of the party's activities.

The UN human rights office said it was concerned that although the beating occurred inside the compound at the district administration office and in the presence of both the chief district officer and superintendent of the police, authorities failed to arrest those responsible.

Earlier this week Nepal's Constituent Assembly, tasked with drafting a new constitution for the country, held its historic first meeting after members were elected last month as part of the peace process following the end of the civil war.

Constituent Assembly members overwhelmingly voted in favour of a motion to amend the interim constitution, proclaiming Nepal a republic and formally ending the country's 240-year-old monarchy.
2008-05-30 00:00:00.000

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BAN KI-MOON 'DELIGHTED' AT ADOPTION OF NEW CLUSTER BOMB CONVENTION

BAN KI-MOON 'DELIGHTED' AT ADOPTION OF NEW CLUSTER BOMB CONVENTION New York, May 30 2008 12:00PM United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has welcomed the adoption of the Convention on Cluster Munitions today in Dublin, and encouraged States to ratify the new agreement.

"I am delighted that the strong calls to address the humanitarian impact of cluster munitions have been answered with the adoption today of this new Convention," Mr. Ban said today in a statement. "I welcome this successful outcome of the Dublin Diplomatic Conference, and congratulate everyone who contributed to the process," he added.

Delegations from 111 States have agreed on the text of the new international convention which bans the use of cluster munitions. At the opening of the Diplomatic Conference on Cluster Munitions eleven days ago in Dublin, Mr. Ban said in a statement that the devices are "inherently inaccurate and often malfunction," and they pose "a very real danger to civilians, both at the time of use and long after conflicts have ended."
The UN Children's Fund (<"http://www.unicef.org">UNICEF) also reported that cluster munitions have been used for more than six decades, and have contaminated countries such as Laos, Viet Nam and Cambodia for over 30 years, while more recently they have been used in Kosovo, Afghanistan, Iraq and in southern Lebanon.
Some 40 per cent of victims of these weapons are children who are injured or killed long after direct hostilities have drawn to a close, the agency added.
The Secretary-General said today that, "A broad-based coalition of States, international organizations and civil society has brought about a new international standard that will enhance the protection of civilians, strengthen human rights and improve prospects for development."

"The entire United Nations system stands ready to support and assist States in implementing their treaty obligations," he added. "I therefore encourage States to sign and ratify this important agreement without delay, and I look forward to its rapid entry into force."
2008-05-30 00:00:00.000

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UN RIGHTS EXPERT 'DISMAYED' AT XENOPHOBIC VIOLENCE IN SOUTH AFRICA

UN RIGHTS EXPERT 'DISMAYED' AT XENOPHOBIC VIOLENCE IN SOUTH AFRICA New York, May 30 2008 12:00PM A United Nations human rights expert today said he was distressed at the current spate of xenophobic attacks on foreigners and ethnic minorities in South Africa, which has claimed the lives of 56 people.
"I express my distress at the recent xenophobic violence targeting refugees, migrants and South African ethnic minorities in Johannesburg and surrounding townships," Doudou Diène, the UN's <"http://www2.ohchr.org/english/issues/racism/rapporteur/index.htm">Special Rapporteur on racism, said in a statement.
Mr. Diène called on the South African Government to carry out a thorough investigation of the acts of violence to bring the perpetrators to justice and to prevent the spread of atrocities.
He also urged the authorities to launch a comprehensive discussion about how to better integrate migrants in the country.
"Only a cultural and ethical approach can address the deep-rooted problems of racism and discrimination and promote long-term tolerance and living together among all communities," he said.
He said the recent violence in South Africa underlined the relevance and legitimacy of the Durban Review Conference on racism which will be held next year.
Meanwhile the UN refugee agency is releasing 2,000 tents to the South African Government to help provide much-needed shelter to the estimated 100,000 people who have been uprooted by the violence.
A spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (<" http://www.unhcr.org/news/NEWS/48400fcf6.html">UNHCR) said today that the majority of the displaced people were undocumented migrants from Mozambique, Malawi and other African countries, some of whom have since returned to their countries of origin, or to a third country.
To date, some 42,000 migrants, including refugees and asylum-seekers, are sheltered in 95 makeshift sites, mostly in Gauteng and Western Cape provinces.
Among those affected are thousands of refugees and asylum-seekers from Zimbabwe, Somalia, Ethiopia and other African countries, whose homes were destroyed and businesses looted, and burned.
There are more than 128,000 registered refugees and asylum-seekers in South Africa, coming from a wide variety of countries.
2008-05-30 00:00:00.000

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TRANSPORT SECTOR MUST LEAD IN THE CLIMATE CHANGE FIGHT, UN OFFICIAL SAYS

TRANSPORT SECTOR MUST LEAD IN THE CLIMATE CHANGE FIGHT, UN OFFICIAL SAYS New York, May 30 2008 11:00AM The transport sector is expected to contribute so much to greenhouse gas emissions in the future that it must play a key role in shaping the global climate change deal which countries have agreed to try to clinch next year, a senior United Nations environmental official <" http://unfccc.int/files/press/news_room/press_releases_and_advisories/application/pdf/20080529_press_release_leipzig_english_final.pdf">says.

Yvo de Boer, the Executive Secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (<"http://unfccc.int/2860.php">UNFCCC), told the <" http://www.internationaltransportforum.org/">International Transport Forum yesterday in Leipzig, Germany, that data indicates that emissions from the sector will rise by more than 30 per cent by 2010 when compared to 1990 levels – the highest increase of any sector.

"You have a choice," he told participants at the forum. "The question is whether you as transport stakeholders are willing to proactively shape the Copenhagen deal [scheduled for next year] or have your policies shaped by it."

Last December in Bali the world's countries agreed to launch formal negotiations to reach a long-term global agreement on climate change, including detailed measures on mitigation, adaptation, technology and finance, by the time of the international conference scheduled for Copenhagen in late 2009.

Mr. de Boer said the transport sector had been "woefully inadequate" so far in taking political action to curb greenhouse gas emissions and develop strategies to benefit the environment.

"All of the current trends in transport fly in the face of what science tells us is required. Developed countries now need to start thinking hard about what short and medium-term sectoral emission reductions they want to commit to in the transport sector, along with what interim targets they want to build in on the way."

He suggested the sector consider ambitious carbon dioxide standards for cars, more integrated transport strategies and encouraging emissions trading as potential ways to combat climate change.
2008-05-30 00:00:00.000

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UN HEALTH AGENCY CALLS FOR TOTAL BAN ON TOBACCO ADVERTISING TO PROTECT YOUNG

UN HEALTH AGENCY CALLS FOR TOTAL BAN ON TOBACCO ADVERTISING TO PROTECT YOUNG New York, May 30 2008 11:00AM The United Nations health agency today called on governments to impose a ban on all tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship to deter young people around the world from taking up smoking.

A day ahead of <"http://www.who.int/tobacco/wntd/2008/en/index.html">World No Tobacco Day, the World Health Organization (WHO) is focusing its campaign this year on the young, citing statistics that show most people start smoking before the age of 18 – and some are hooked by the time they turn 10.

"The tobacco industry employs predatory marketing strategies to get young people hooked to their addictive drug," <"http://www.who.int/mediacentre/news/releases/2008/pr17/en/index.html">said Douglas Bettcher, Director of the agency's Tobacco Free Initiative.

"But comprehensive advertising bans do work, reducing tobacco consumption by up to 16 per cent in countries that have already taken this legislative step."

Dr. Bettcher said only a total ban was acceptable because "when one form of advertising is banned, the tobacco industry simply shifts its vast resources to another channel," such as the movies, the Internet, fashion magazines or music and sports venues.

WHO Director-General Margaret Chan described this industry strategy as "a complex 'tobacco marketing net' that ensnares millions of young people worldwide, with potentially devastating health consequences."

Recent studies have indicated that the more young people are exposed to tobacco advertising, the more likely they are to take up smoking, according to WHO. A global survey found that over half of 13- to 15-yearolds reported seeing billboard advertisements for cigarettes in the past month.

Advertising is becoming more aggressive in the developing world, where bans on tobacco marketing are less likely. Around the world, girls and young women are also an increasing target of the industry.
2008-05-30 00:00:00.000

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CONSERVING PLANT AND ANIMAL SPECIES IS NOT A LUXURY, MIGIRO WARNS

CONSERVING PLANT AND ANIMAL SPECIES IS NOT A LUXURY, MIGIRO WARNS New York, May 30 2008 10:00AM Protecting the world's many species of plants and animals from extinction should not be considered a luxury option, Deputy Secretary-General Asha-Rose Migiro has told a gathering of female environment ministers, urging them to take the lead in efforts to maintain fragile ecosystems.

In a <" http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs//2008/dsgsm396.doc.htm">video message yesterday to female ministers attending the high-level segment of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) in Bonn, Germany, Ms. Migiro said they were meeting at a critical time, when many species of plants and animals were faced with extinction.

"Conserving biodiversity is not a luxury," she said. "All of us – particularly the poor – depend on the ability of the world's ecosystems to provide the full spectrum of goods and services essential to our survival. This requires us to conserve and manage biodiversity in a sustainable manner."

Ms. Migiro added that women have a special role to play in protecting biodiversity. "They possess knowledge, practices and a capacity for innovation acquired over centuries. They are at the forefront of protecting life on Earth, and the key to achieving the 2010 biodiversity target to reduce or reverse biodiversity loss."
2008-05-30 00:00:00.000

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AFRICA'S EFFORTS TO TACKLE CLIMATE CHANGE RECEIVE $92 MILLION BOOST - UN

AFRICA'S EFFORTS TO TACKLE CLIMATE CHANGE RECEIVE $92 MILLION BOOST – UN New York, May 29 2008 8:00PM The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and Japan today announced a new $92 million initiative to help Africa adapt to global warming.

"Climate change is one of the most critical issues that governments and citizens around the world need to address," said Olav Kjorven, <"http://www.undp.org/">UNDP Assistant Administrator and Director of Bureau for Development Policy.

The programme, announced today during the high-level Fourth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD), will be launched in August.

The UNDP/Japan initiative seeks to help governments revise their current anti-poverty strategies to come into line with climate change's potential effects on development.

"As a result of climate change, many African countries will experience increased water scarcity and worsened health and food security," Mr. Kjorven said, stressing that global warming threatens economic and social progress.

"Unless we act now, climate change may threaten everything we will attempt to achieve in the future," he added.

Of the $92 million, $11 million will be allocated to projects in collaboration with the UN Children's Fund (<"http://www.unicef.org/">UNICEF), the UN World Food Programme (<"http://www.wfp.org/english/">WFP) and the UN Industrial Development Organization (<"http://www.unido.org/">UNIDO).

UNDP and Japan have joined forces in the past on successful projects, in countries such as Afghanistan and Sudan and in the areas affected by the Chernobyl nuclear disaster.
2008-05-29 00:00:00.000

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UN TRIBUNAL DENIES REQUEST TO REFER FORMER MILITIA LEADER'S CASE TO RWANDA

UN TRIBUNAL DENIES REQUEST TO REFER FORMER MILITIA LEADER'S CASE TO RWANDA New York, May 29 2008 7:00PM The United Nations war crimes tribunal set up to deal with the 1994 Rwandan genocide has announced that it has turned down an application to refer the case of a former militia leader to the legal system of the small African nation.

Yussuf Munyakazi is alleged to have planned, instigated, ordered, participated in and otherwise aided and abetted the killing of Tutsi civilians who took refuge in several churches in Rwanda's Bugarame commune, where he led an Interahamwe militia between April and July 1994.

Mr. Munyakazi, who was also a prominent local businessman and farmer, was arrested in the neighbouring Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) in 2004 and brought before the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (<"http://69.94.11.53/default.htm">ICTR).

Announcing its decision yesterday to deny the prosecution application to refer the case to the Rwandan court system, the ICTR said that while the country has abolished the death penalty, its sentence of life imprisonment in isolation potentially contravenes international human rights standards.

Additionally, the tribunal expressed reservations about Mr. Munyakazi's right to a fair trial. In particular, it voiced concern regarding the independence of the judiciary.
2008-05-29 00:00:00.000

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FOOD PRICES WILL REMAIN HIGH OVER NEXT DECADE, UN REPORT SAYS

FOOD PRICES WILL REMAIN HIGH OVER NEXT DECADE, UN REPORT SAYS New York, May 29 2008 3:00PM In the next 10 years food prices will remain well above the levels of the last decade, <" http://www.fao.org/newsroom/en/news/2008/1000849/index.html">according to a report issued today by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (<"http://www.fao.org/">FAO) and the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (<" http://www.oecd.org/home/0,2987,en_2649_201185_1_1_1_1_1,00.html">OECD).

The report says that current high prices will hit the poor and hungry the hardest and calls for the urgent mobilization of humanitarian aid as well as a greater focus on boosting agricultural production in the longer term.

"Coherent action is urgently needed by the international community to deal with the impact of higher prices on the hungry and poor," Jacques Diouf, Director-General of the FAO said at a press conference launching the report in Paris.

"Today some 862 million people are suffering from hunger and malnourishment – this highlights the need to re-invest in agriculture. It should be clear now that agriculture needs to be put back onto the development agenda."

Using prices corrected for inflation, the report says that over the next decade rice and sugar prices will increase by less than 10 per cent, wheat by less than 20 per cent, butter coarse grains and oilseeds will rise 30 per cent, and vegetable oils over 50 per cent.

High oil prices, changing diets, urbanization, economic growth and expanding populations are underlying factors behind the rise in food prices, according to the report.

The FAO and OECD also cite growing demand for biofuel as another factor forcing up prices, saying that world ethanol production has tripled between 2000 and 2007 and is expected to double again in the next decade. Climate change, low stock levels and speculation could also add to price volatility.

In Rome, starting 3 June, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon will chair a three-day summit on the global food crisis, bringing together the heads of key UN agencies, as well as the International Monetary Fund (<" http://www.imf.org/external/index.htm">IMF) and the <" http://www.worldbank.org">World Bank, along with Heads of State and Government.
2008-05-29 00:00:00.000

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UN ENVOY TO VISIT SAHEL TO DRAW ATTENTION TO REGIONAL CHALLENGES

UN ENVOY TO VISIT SAHEL TO DRAW ATTENTION TO REGIONAL CHALLENGES New York, May 29 2008 3:00PM A senior United Nations envoy heads to West Africa next week for a three-country mission aimed at spotlighting the effects of climate change, the proliferation of small arms and light weapons and other challenges facing the countries of the Sahel.

Jan Egeland, a Special Adviser to the Secretary-General, will visit Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger on a six-day trip starting on Monday, the UN Department of Political Affairs (<" http://www.un.org/depts/dpa/">DPA) announced today.

Mr. Egeland, who will meet with Government officials and undertake visits to rural areas, is expected to stress the need for international assistance to help States in the Sahel region – the semi-arid belt running across Africa south of the Sahara Desert – cope with challenges and problems so they do not lead to conflicts in the longer-term.

The former Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs will be joined on the mission by staff from DPA, the UN Office for West Africa (<"http://www.un.org/unowa/ ">UNOWA), the UN Environment Programme (<"http://www.unep.org">UNEP), the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (<" http://ochaonline.un.org/Default.aspx?tabid=1080 ">OCHA) and a scientist from the Earth Institute at Columbia University.
2008-05-29 00:00:00.000

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AUSTRIAN JURIST ELECTED NEW HEAD OF UN-BACKED TRIBUNAL IN SIERRA LEONE

AUSTRIAN JURIST ELECTED NEW HEAD OF UN-BACKED TRIBUNAL IN SIERRA LEONE New York, May 29 2008 1:00PM An experienced Austrian judge has been chosen as the new President of the Special Court for Sierra Leone (<"http://www.sc-sl.org/">SCSL), the United Nations-backed war crimes tribunal set up to deal with the worst abuses during the long civil war in the West African country.

Justice Renate Winter was elected to a one-year term as the Presiding Judge of the appeals chamber, a post which automatically makes her the Court's President as well, the SCSL said today in a press statement from the capital, Freetown.

Effective tomorrow, Justice Winter – who joined the SCSL in 2002 – succeeds Justice George Gelaga-King of Sierra Leone, who has served as President since 2006. She has also previously served as an international judge of the Supreme Court of Kosovo, as part of the UN interim civilian administration there.

The new President, who currently heads the International Association of Youth and Family Court Judges, has an extensive background in family law, juvenile justice systems, women's justice issues, child labour and the role of the media in advocacy.

She has also worked for the UN on projects relating to youth and child soldiers, as well as issues of restorative justice and organized crime.
2008-05-29 00:00:00.000

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UN HONOURS 60 YEARS OF SERVICE BY PEACEKEEPERS WORLDWIDE

UN HONOURS 60 YEARS OF SERVICE BY PEACEKEEPERS WORLDWIDE New York, May 29 2008 11:00AM From solemn wreath-laying ceremonies honouring those who died in service to a peace march, concerts, sporting events and multimedia exhibitions, United Nations offices and missions around the world are today observing the <" http://www.un.org/events/peacekeeping60/index.shtml">International Day of UN Peacekeepers – 60 years to the day after the first blue helmets were authorized by the Organization.

Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations Jean-Marie Guéhenno led a wreath-laying ceremony at UN Headquarters in New York this morning, noting that 90 peacekeepers died last year, taking the total number of personnel who have died since the first operation was established in 1948 to over 2,400.

"Serving far from home in challenging and dangerous environments, these men and women represent the best the international community has to offer; we pay tribute to their sacrifice and dedication in pursuit of the noble goals of the United Nations," he said.

"But even as we mourn those we have lost, we pay tribute to the professionalism, dedication and courage of those who continue the work of their departed comrades whom we honour here today."

Nearly 130,000 military, police and civilian personnel currently serve in 20 UN peace operations around the world, and the <" http://www.un.org/Depts/dpko/dpko/index.asp">UN peacekeeping budget stands at $6.5 billion, an all-time high. <font color="#CC0000" size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, sans-serif"><b>MORE TO FOLLOW</b></font>
2008-05-29 00:00:00.000

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SERBIAN ULTRANATIONALIST AIDE FACING CONTEMPT CHARGES BEFORE UN TRIBUNAL

SERBIAN ULTRANATIONALIST AIDE FACING CONTEMPT CHARGES BEFORE UN TRIBUNAL New York, May 29 2008 10:00AM A former aide to a top Serbian ultranationalist politician is being brought before the United Nations tribunal set up to deal with the worst war crimes committed during the Balkan conflicts of the 1990s on contempt of court charges after he failed to appear as a witness in the politician's trial.

Ljubiša Petkovic was transferred yesterday from Serbia to the detention unit of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (<"http://www.un.org/icty/latest-e/index.htm">ICTY) in The Hague and is expected to make his first appearance before the judges today.

Prosecutors have charged Mr. Petkovic because of his failure to answer a confidential subpoena issued last month to appear as a witness in the ongoing trial of Vojislav Šešelj, the president of the Serbian Radical Party (SRS).

Mr. Šešelj is facing three counts of crimes against humanity and six counts of war crimes relating to his alleged role in an ethnic cleansing campaign by Serbian forces in the Vojvodina region of Serbia between August 1991 and at least September 1993. He has pleaded not guilty to those charges, which include murder, torture, imprisonment and deportation.
2008-05-29 00:00:00.000

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NEW UN OFFICIAL UNDERSCORES IMPORTANCE OF HUMAN RIGHTS IN POLICING

NEW UN OFFICIAL UNDERSCORES IMPORTANCE OF HUMAN RIGHTS IN POLICING New York, May 28 2008 9:00PM Human rights values must be paramount to all aspects of United Nations policing in peace operations worldwide, the first-ever UN Deputy Police Adviser said today.

Ann-Marie Orler, who has two decades of police experience, told the UN News Centre in an interview that "all the policing we try to deliver to other countries must be based on human rights values."

Individual officers should consider themselves to work for a police service, as opposed to a police force, she said.

The Deputy Police Adviser, who began her position last week, has previously served as the Secretary General of Amnesty International in her native Sweden, where she also was the Police Commissioner in the town of Västmanland.

Although this is her first position with the UN, Ms. Orler has international experience, having served as the Programme Manager for Police and Human Rights with the Council of Europe, where she took part in fact-finding missions and trained police officers in Turkey and Balkan nations, among others.

After getting settled into her new position, she hopes to examine the working methods of UN Police (UNPOL) to determine how they can be made more efficient in the face of challenges, including recruiting for large peacekeeping mission such as the UN-African Union peacekeeping mission in Darfur (known as UNAMID).

At present, there are over 11,000 UNPOL from 90 nations serving in peacekeeping missions worldwide. This number is set to jump to 17,000 due to new UN missions in Darfur, Chad and the Central African Republic (CAR).

Ms. Orler, who will be based at UN Headquarters in New York, pointed to the particular challenge of recruiting female police officers.

In a bid to boost their recruitment, she said that she will examine the underlying causes of why there are relatively few women in UNPOL, and then determine "what we can do as an organization to make it more attractive and more possible for women to join."
2008-05-28 00:00:00.000

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MIGIRO URGES SCALED-UP SUPPORT FOR AFRICA'S EFFORTS TO MEET DEVELOPMENT GOALS

MIGIRO URGES SCALED-UP SUPPORT FOR AFRICA'S EFFORTS TO MEET DEVELOPMENT GOALS New York, May 28 2008 8:00PM Deputy Secretary-General Asha-Rose Migiro today appealed for enhanced support for Africa as the continent endeavours to reach the internationally agreed anti-poverty targets known as the Millennium Development Goals (<"http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals/">MDGs) by their 2015 deadline.

<"http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs//2008/dsgsm395.doc.htm">Addressing the high-level Fourth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD), Ms. Migiro warned that no African nation is on track to achieve all the Goals, calling for urgent action.

"With a concerted drive by African governments and their development partners, we can accomplish these goals for a better world," she told the more than 40 African Heads of State who had gathered in Yokohama for the event, which is being hosted by Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda.

The three-day event – co-organized by the Japanese Government, the UN Office of the Special Adviser on Africa, the UN Development Programme (UNDP) and the World Bank – kicked off today with the theme, "Towards a vibrant Africa: A continent of hope and opportunity."

Participants, who also include high-level representatives from Asia and other regions, as well as heads of international agencies and non-governmental organizations (NGOs), will discuss how to ensure that Africa's robust economic growth is self-sustaining and inclusive to allow poor communities to reap benefits.

The Conference will also confer on how to boost human security to allow people to live in dignity, free from fear and want.

Launched in Tokyo in 1993, TICAD aims to promote Africa development through ownership by the continent and stresses the importance of Asia-Africa cooperation.
2008-05-28 00:00:00.000

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ARAL SEA PROBLEMS WILL ONLY BE FIXED BY REGIONAL COOPERATION, UN STRESSES

ARAL SEA PROBLEMS WILL ONLY BE FIXED BY REGIONAL COOPERATION, UN STRESSES New York, May 28 2008 8:00PM Resolving the problems caused by the drying out of the Aral Sea, which has shrunk drastically in size in recent decades because of the inefficient use of water resources and climate change, will only happen when the countries of Central Asia work together, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) says.

The problems "cannot be solved through the efforts of a single country," UNDP Regional Director for Europe and the Commonwealth of Independent States Kori Udovicki told the Aral Sea Forum Seminar, held at UN Headquarters in New York yesterday.

She called on the countries of Central Asia, as well as international donors, regional organizations and civil society, to begin a concerted collaborative effort to produce "marked improvements in mitigating the effects of the environmental and socio-economic disaster."

In 1960 the Aral Sea was the fourth-largest inland water body in the world, but the diversion of tributary rivers for irrigation projects has slashed its size to about 10 per cent of the original. It has raised the salinity of the area's soil, reducing the amount of arable land, causing irreversible losses in flora and fauna and depriving millions in neighbouring countries of critical sources of income. The region is also heavily polluted.

Ms. Udovicki said the Tashkent Conference on the issue, held in March, ended with a declaration from experts and representatives of governments and civil society that assistance to the area must be enhanced.

She stressed that the "solution to these problems is possible only through transboundary cooperation and UNDP is firmly committed to support these efforts," adding that improving the use of water resources will be key to tackling the problems.

In a separate presentation to the seminar, the UN Environment Programme (<"http://www.unep.org/">UNEP) said it was working with <"http://www.undp.org/">UNDP and many regional organizations on initiatives to encourage collaboration between the countries and to map out potential strategies for dealing with the problems.

UNEP noted that many people in the region are experiencing severe health problems because of the poor quality of the drinking water.

The seminar was organized by Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, which all lie in the basin of the Aral Sea and its tributary rivers. A photo exhibition on the subject is also being staged at UN Headquarters.
2008-05-28 00:00:00.000

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ECONOMIC INTEGRATION CAN SPUR DEVELOPMENT IN WESTERN ASIA - SECRETARY-GENERAL

ECONOMIC INTEGRATION CAN SPUR DEVELOPMENT IN WESTERN ASIA – SECRETARY-GENERAL New York, May 28 2008 7:00PM Closer economic integration can help the Western Asian region overcome recent conflicts and political tensions and also spur progress towards internationally agreed anti-poverty goals, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said today.

"Growing political tensions and intense conflicts… [have] underscored the need for greater and improved regional cooperation and economic integration," Mr. Ban said in a <"http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2008/sgsm11599.doc.htm">statement to the current session of the UN Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (<"http://www.escwa.un.org/index.asp">ESCWA), being held in the Yemeni capital Sana'a.

His statement was delivered by ESCWA's Executive Secretary Bader Omar Al-Dafa.

The Secretary-General stressed that the world is now past the midpoint in the race to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), a set of targets relating to poverty, education and health that are supposed to be achieved by 2015, and said that too many countries are lagging behind.

"ESCWA's research and technical support can help regional governments focus their efforts and resources on key areas, and make up for lost time," he added.

At the opening of today's ESCWA session, Mr. Al-Dafa said there had been noticeable economic growth in the region in recent years, but cautioned that this growth, particularly in the Gulf States, is fragile because it is closely linked to the price of oil.

"We must therefore work together to make optimum use of this opportunity and diversify the economic base, develop the capacities of institutions and build effective partnerships between governments, the private sector and civil society," he said.

The two-day conference in Sana'a has brought together ministers from 13 countries in the region, as well as representatives of UN agencies, funding institutions and regional experts.
2008-05-28 00:00:00.000

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BAN KI-MOON MAKES TWO KEY APPOINTMENTS FOR PEACEKEEPING OPERATIONS

BAN KI-MOON MAKES TWO KEY APPOINTMENTS FOR PEACEKEEPING OPERATIONS New York, May 28 2008 7:00PM United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today announced he is appointing a Nigerian Lieutenant General and a Nepali Major General to two key positions in the UN's peacekeeping operations around the world.

Lieutenant General Chikadibia Obiakor of Nigeria is to take over as Military Adviser for the UN's global peacekeeping operations.

Currently serving as the Force Commander of the UN Mission in Liberia (<"http://unmil.org/">UNMIL), he began his military career with the Nigerian army in 1973. Among other offices, he has served as the Commander of the Economic Community of West African States Monitoring Group (ECOMOG) Artillery Brigade in Liberia in 1996 and 1997 and also as its chief coordinator of the country's elections.

Mr. Ban has also appointed Major General Paban Jung Thapa of Nepal as Force Commander of the UN Mission in Sudan (<"http://www.unmis.org/english/en-main.htm">UNMIS).

General Thapa was recently commander of the Infantry Division in eastern Nepal during his country's recent Constituent Assembly elections and he has also served on UN peacekeeping missions in the former Yugoslavia and in Lebanon.
2008-05-28 00:00:00.000

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SECURITY COUNCIL DELEGATION TO CONDUCT FIVE-NATION TOUR OF AFRICA

SECURITY COUNCIL DELEGATION TO CONDUCT FIVE-NATION TOUR OF AFRICA New York, May 28 2008 7:00PM A Security Council delegation will this weekend begin a five-country visit to Africa to obtain a first-hand assessment of the crises engulfing Somalia, Sudan's Darfur region and neighbouring Chad and to help with efforts to promote peace and reconciliation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Côte d'Ivoire.

The delegation will start its 10-day mission in Djibouti, where talks are being held between representatives of the Government and the opposition in neighbouring Somalia, a United Nations spokesperson told reporters today.

The Council members then head to Sudan for three days of talks with Government officials in Khartoum and a visit to El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur state and the headquarters of the hybrid UN-African Union peacekeeping force (<"http://www.un.org/depts/dpko/missions/unamid/">UNAMID) to the troubled region.

The delegation travels next to N'Djamena, the capital of Chad, for a two-day visit that will also include a trip to the far east of the country to tour camps for refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs) near the town of Goz Beida, which is close to the border with Darfur.

On 7 June the delegation is scheduled to arrive in the Congolese capital, Kinshasa, for discussions with the country's leadership and civil society and the UN peacekeeping mission (known as <"http://www.monuc.org/Home.aspx?lang=en">MONUC).

The group is expected to also visit Goma, the main town in North Kivu province in the far east of the DRC, which has experienced continued violent unrest since the official end of the civil war.

The last stop on the trip will be Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire's commercial capital, for meetings with key figures in the implementation of the Ouagadougou peace agreement, reached last year to end the protracted political stand-off in the West African country between the Government and the rebel Forces Nouvelles.
2008-05-28 00:00:00.000

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SECRETARY-GENERAL DEPARTS FOR SWEDEN TO ATTEND IRAQ COMPACT MEETING

SECRETARY-GENERAL DEPARTS FOR SWEDEN TO ATTEND IRAQ COMPACT MEETING New York, May 28 2008 7:00PM Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is heading today to Sweden to attend the annual review conference of the Iraq Compact, the five-year plan to promote peace and development in the violence-wracked nation.

Participants at tomorrow's meeting in Uppsala, to be co-chaired by Mr. Ban and Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki, are set to review the annual progress report – prepared by Iraq with United Nations assistance – which notes both the positive steps taken so far and the challenges that lay ahead.

The Secretary-General has stressed that the world body remains committed to doing its utmost to support the Iraqi Government and its people under Security Council resolution 1770.

That resolution extended the mandate of the UN Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) and covers elections, reconciliation, the resolution of disputed boundaries, human rights and humanitarian concerns, as well as UN support for reconstruction and development.

Under the Iraq Compact, the Government will work to meet basic needs, protect the rights of all citizens and ensure the optimal use of the country's resources for the common good and the country's international partners are committed to providing financial, technical and political support.

The Conference is expected to end with the adoption of the Stockholm Declaration.

On the sidelines of the event, Mr. Ban is expected to hold several bilateral meetings with the Swedish Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt, the United Kingdom's Foreign Secretary David Miliband, the United States' Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, the Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini and Amr Moussa, the Secretary-General of the League of Arab States.

During his two-day visit to Sweden, he is also scheduled to meet with the King Carl XVI Gustaf of the Scandinavian nation.
2008-05-28 00:00:00.000

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POVERTY REFLECTED IN CHILDREN'S SCHOOLS AS WELL AS IN THE HOME - UN REPORT

POVERTY REFLECTED IN CHILDREN'S SCHOOLS AS WELL AS IN THE HOME – UN REPORT New York, May 28 2008 6:00PM Social inequality has a major impact on the kind of schooling children receive and poses a significant challenge to provide all children with equal learning opportunities, according to a report released today by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (<"http://portal.unesco.org/en/ev.php-URL_ID=42590&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html">UNESCO).

"The data reveal how social inequality affects a child's opportunity to learn. And clearly, no country – rich or poor – is immune to these disparities," Hendrik van der Pol, director of UNESCO's Institute for Statistics, said.

The report, which is based on a survey of 7,600 schools in 11 countries in Latin America, Asia and North Africa, reveals a particularly glaring gap between the resources available to urban and rural schools.

In India, the report found that 27 per cent of village schools have electricity compared to 76 per cent of schools in towns or cities. Only about half of the rural schools surveyed have enough toilets for girls and fewer than 4 per cent have a telephone.

In Peru, fewer than half of village schools are equipped with electricity, a library or toilets for boys or girls. Yet, in urban areas, nearly all schools have electricity, 65 per cent have enough lavatories and 74 per cent have libraries.

In general, village schools are in greater need of repair, according to the survey results. In Brazil, half the pupils in villages sit in run-down classrooms compared to fewer than 30 per cent of pupils in urban establishments.

The survey also found wide variations in how much parents were expected to contribute financially. In Tunisia, the parents of one-third of pupils were asked to pay for textbooks. This was the case for 24 per cent of pupils in Argentina and almost 10 per cent in India. Sri Lanka was the only country to provide textbooks for free to virtually all students.

"It is disturbing to think that students get more or less resources based on where they live. But that is just part of the story," says Yanhong Zhang, one of the authors of the report. "The inequalities in school resources are linked to their socio-economic status. In effect, these children are subject to a double-jeopardy – with fewer resources at home and in school."

According to the study, teachers and principals in schools serving socially-disadvantaged children tend to report lower levels of pupil motivation and more behavioural problems. In these schools, teachers were generally dissatisfied with salary, parental support, class size and access to classroom materials.

The UNESCO survey was carried out in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, India, Malaysia, Paraguay, Peru, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Tunisia and Uruguay.
2008-05-28 00:00:00.000

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UN URGES DONORS TO FUND RELIEF EFFORTS IN MYANMAR WITHOUT DELAY

UN URGES DONORS TO FUND RELIEF EFFORTS IN MYANMAR WITHOUT DELAY New York, May 28 2008 5:00PM The United Nations is urging donors to turn pledges into contributions and to commit funds to the Myanmar relief effort without delay, now that visas for all international UN personnel have been approved.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reports today that its Flash Appeal for $201 million is now about 60 per cent funded, but said that more support is still needed.

The UN estimates that about 40 per cent of the 2.4 million people affected by Cyclone Nargis have been reached with some form of aid from local, national or international agencies. Most of those reached are in the Yangon Division in the south of Myanmar, since they are in areas that are relatively accessible. However, UN aid officials remain deeply concerned that in the rest of the Ayeyarwady delta, and in the fifteen worst-affected townships, many victims have received little or no aid.

OCHA estimates that relief efforts will likely last for at least another six months.

In a related development, the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) announced today that it will work with the Myanmar Government to open schools in cyclone-affected areas by 2 June. UNICEF said it would focus on damaged and collapsed schools which have not yet been reached by aid agencies.

More than 4,000 basic education schools affecting approximately 1.1 million children were either damaged or totally destroyed, according to UNICEF, which says it is working with the Myanmar Ministry of Education to distribute repair materials to areas badly affected by the storms. Essential school supplies, learning materials and recreational kits for primary schools have also been distributed.

"In any disaster affecting entire communities, the opening of local schools is an important step in the recovery process. Children particularly rely on their daily routines for a sense of security, including the routine of attending school," said Ramesh Shrestha, UNICEF Representative in Myanmar.

Across the cyclone-affected areas of Myanmar, UNICEF is providing 100,000 essential learning packages for affected children, text books for 150,000 children, 2,000 school kits for affected schools, and 200,000 roofing sheets and construction kits.
2008-05-28 00:00:00.000

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MIDDLE EAST: POSITIVE DEVELOPMENTS BUT SITUATION STILL FRAGILE, SAYS UN OFFICIAL

MIDDLE EAST: POSITIVE DEVELOPMENTS BUT SITUATION STILL FRAGILE, SAYS UN OFFICIAL New York, May 28 2008 5:00PM A senior United Nations official today welcomed recent political progress in Lebanon and the start of indirect talks between Israel and Syria, but cautioned that there are still serious challenges to achieve a wider peace in the Middle East.

Robert Serry, the UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process (<"http://www.unsco.org/Default.asp">UNSCO), told reporters after <"http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs//2008/sc9341.doc.htm">briefing the Security Council that the election of a president in Lebanon and the Israeli-Syrian negotiations "can change the dynamics," adding that he was very happy to be able to report some positive developments this month.

But he also struck a note of caution, noting that he "warned the Council that all these developments are still taking place in an environment which is very fragile and nowhere is that more true than on the Palestinian-Israeli track, which still remains a central issue in the Arab-Israeli conflict."

Mr. Serry welcomed a recent investment conference held in Bethlehem with Israeli support, which resulted in pledges of up to $1.4 billion for the Palestinian economy, as well as new steps announced by Tony Blair, the Representative of the Middle East diplomatic Quartet, to spur economic development.

"These various measures hold promise," he told the 15-member body in an open meeting. "But action on the ground is key."

The "complex political, security, human rights and humanitarian crisis has deepened this past month" in Gaza, the Special Coordinator said in his briefing.

He spoke out against the firing of indiscriminate rockets from Gaza into Israel, with 191 rockets and nearly 200 mortars being fired at Israeli civilian targets during the reporting period.

Mr. Serry also noted that Israel Defence Force (IDF) attacks – both by land and air – have continued. "While we acknowledge Israel's legitimate security concerns, we deplore the killing and injuring of civilians in some of these operations."

In his address to the Council, he said the UN strongly supports Egypt's efforts to curb violence in and around Gaza, adding that the reopening of crossings is crucial for humanitarian relief and commercial flows.

"A calming and easing of the situation in and around Gaza is essential for genuine progress in both the Israel-Palestinian negotiations and in reuniting the West Bank and Gaza within the framework of the legitimate Palestinian Authority," the Special Coordinator said.

He told reporters that the situation in the area "remains a very difficult, unsustainable humanitarian crisis which hasn't become any smaller." Condemning attacks on border crossing points by extremists within Gaza, he also noted that there was a continued Israeli policy on Gaza "which very much amounts to collective punishment," leaving Gaza with a prolonged lack of fuel and other commodities.

"Much more needs to be done to achieve what is so important in this process which is to achieve visible and tangible progress on the ground for the Palestinians," he said following his briefing. "That is very important if at the end of the year we may have a political agreement between the two parties on the two-state solution."

Speaking to reporters after the open meeting, Ambassador John Sawers of the United Kingdom, which holds the rotating Council presidency this month, said that many members "felt that for a change there were some positive elements to highlight over the last month and it wasn't as some previous briefings we've had on this subject."

He added that there was strong support on the Council for talks aimed at achieving an agreement on the establishment of a Palestinian state by the end of the year.
2008-05-28 00:00:00.000

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BAN KI-MOON CONGRATULATES NEPAL ON CONSTITUENT ASSEMBLY'S FIRST MEETING

BAN KI-MOON CONGRATULATES NEPAL ON CONSTITUENT ASSEMBLY'S FIRST MEETING New York, May 28 2008 4:01PM United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today congratulated the people of Nepal on the "historic" first meeting of the Asian nation's Constituent Assembly.

"The people of Nepal have clearly spoken for peace and change through the 10 April Assembly election," Mr. Ban said in a <"http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2008/sgsm11601.doc.htm">statement issued by his spokesperson.

He encouraged all parties to continue cooperating and to form a new government as soon as possible.

Yesterday, the Secretary-General's Special Representative Ian Martin said that despite last month's successful country-wide polls for the 601-member Assembly, they do "not represent the completion" of the peace process.

He told reporters in Kathmandu that Nepal still faces challenges in forming the new government and in creating a basis for stable governance and economic development.

Nearly 570 Assembly members took their oaths yesterday at a swearing-in ceremony in the country, which has emerged from a decade-long civil war that claimed an estimated 13,000 lives before the Government and Maoist rebels signed a peace accord in 2006.
2008-05-28 00:00:00.000

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BAN KI-MOON: LOSS OF BIODIVERSITY THREATENS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

BAN KI-MOON: LOSS OF BIODIVERSITY THREATENS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT New York, May 28 2008 4:00PM The loss of biodiversity affects not just the environment, but also has significant consequences for the economy and development, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said today.

"Nature's assets underpin the very lives and livelihoods of more than six billion people. They make our very existence possible in the vacuum of space," Mr. Ban said in a <"http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2008/sgsm11600.doc.htm">statement, delivered by UN Environment Programme (<"http://www.unep.org/">UNEP) Executive Director Achim Steiner, to a major conference on biological diversity which kicked off today in Bonn, Germany.

He stressed that inaction on the issue will jeopardize progress towards achieving the Millennium Development Goals (<"http://www.unep.org/">MDGs), eight anti-poverty targets with a 2015 deadline, as well as impact the entire world.

"Now the economics are coming to the fore, underlining the costs of degradation but also the abundant returns if we invest in this bottom green line," the Secretary-General observed.

In spite of progress, with more than 12 per cent of land now in protected areas, the speed of response has not kept pace with the scale of degradation, he said.

Mr. Ban pointed to the increased need to preserve natural assets to provide protection against climatic events, such as Cyclone Nargis, which devastated Myanmar earlier this month. "Half the country's mangroves – its natural sea defenses – have been cleared over the past 30 years," he said, adding that this made communities more vulnerably to the deadly storm.

Also addressing the three-day meeting – attended by the leaders of Germany, Canada and Palau, together with 87 ministers – was General Assembly President Srgjan Kerim, who noted that "the world is now facing an unprecedented loss of biodiversity."

He said that four species or sub-species are lost every hour, while 20 hectares of forests disappear every minute and forests covering an area four times the size of Belgium are lost annually.

Mr. Kerim underscored that if "we conserve biodiversity, we preserve our chances of developing sustainably and of living healthy lives even as the climate changes."

As part of the International Year for Biodiversity in 2010, he voiced his support for the convening of a one-day high-level segment of the General Assembly to allow the international community to focus global attention on the biodiversity crisis.

"We have seen in various instances that leadership at the highest level is required to move issues forward," the Assembly President pointed out.

Participants at the high-level conference are discussing measures on how to meet the globally-agreed target of substantially reducing the rate of global biodiversity loss by 2010. They are examining such issues as the expansion of expanding protected areas, developing a system for fairly accessing and sharing the world's biodiversity wealth, the sustainable use of biofuels and the protection of the world's forests and marine areas.

On the sidelines of this meeting, Mr. Kerim met with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, and the two conferred on current UN steps to combat climate change and reform the world body, including modifying the Security Council.

Biodiversity and global warming were also discussed during his meeting this morning with German Environmental Minister Sigmar Gabriel.

From Germany, the Assembly President will travel tonight to Albania's capital Tirana, where he will meet tomorrow with the South-East European nation's President, Prime Minister, Speaker of Parliament and Foreign Ministry officials.

He is also scheduled to meet with the UN country team in Albania, which is one of the eight pilot countries of the "One UN" programme, which seeks to better coordinate UN operations and accelerate progress towards the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by establishing a joint office for UN development agencies.
2008-05-28 00:00:00.000

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BOOSTED INVESTMENT IN HEALTH KEY TO HELP AFRICA'S CHILDREN, SAYS UNICEF

BOOSTED INVESTMENT IN HEALTH KEY TO HELP AFRICA'S CHILDREN, SAYS UNICEF New York, May 28 2008 2:00PM Stepped-up investment to enhance health systems in sub-Saharan Africa is essential to help the continent's children, according to a new report by the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) launched today.

"Every year, nearly 10 million children die before their fifth birthday and one half of these deaths occur in Africa," said Ann M. Veneman, the agency's Executive Director. "Where community-based integrated health systems are in place, lives can be saved."

Child mortality has been slashed by at least 45 per cent in five African countries – Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco and Tunisia – between 1990 and 2006, putting them on track to meet the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) of reducing under-five mortality by two-thirds by 2015.

Although child mortality has dropped 14 per cent in the same time period in sub-Saharan Africa, it remains the most difficult place in the world for a child to survive, with one in every six children dying before their fifth birthday.

The report entitled "The State of Africa's Children 2008" spotlights recent successes in child survival and primary health-care in sub-Saharan Africa. Measles deaths in the region have dropped 91 per cent between 2000 and 2006, while four of the world's least developed nations – Eritrea, Ethiopia, Malawi and Mozambique – have seen their under-five mortality rates fall by at least 40 per cent since 1990.

The new study urges continued care for children, from pregnancy into childhood and adolescence, and this care must span the household, community, local clinic, district hospital and beyond.

In a related development, experts in yellow fever are taking part in a UNICEF-backed meeting to discuss recent vaccination campaigns in Togo, Mali and Senegal that immunized millions against the disease which is caused by a virus transmitted by mosquitoes.

"We're finally moving from outbreak response to preventing all children in the most vulnerable countries in Africa from contracting yellow fever," said UNICEF Senior Health Adviser Edward Hoekstra.

Despite successes in campaigns in Togo, Mali and Senegal, "there's more still to do, particularly with the 9 other African countries where the risk is greatest," he said.

Data from WHO and UNICEF show that there were over 200,000 cases of yellow fever and 52,000 deaths in 2005 in the 12 highest-risk African nations. It is estimated that the disease will cause 1.5 to 2.7 million deaths in these countries between 2006 and 2050.

The 28-29 May is taking place at UNICEF's New York headquarters and includes representatives from the UN World Health Organization (WHO).
2008-05-28 00:00:00.000

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ZIMBABWE: UN RIGHTS CHIEF SPEAKS OUT AGAINST MURDERS OF OPPOSITION ACTIVISTS

ZIMBABWE: UN RIGHTS CHIEF SPEAKS OUT AGAINST MURDERS OF OPPOSITION ACTIVISTS New York, May 28 2008 1:00PM The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights today strongly <"http://www.unhchr.ch/huricane/huricane.nsf/view01/FE1CF26C13236314C1257457004BF8B7?opendocument">condemned the killings of opposition activists in Zimbabwe as well as the ongoing harassment of non-governmental organization (NGO) workers and human rights defenders, among other civil society members.

Louise Arbour expressed shock at reports that several bodies of slain activists from the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) – including Shepherd Jani, a provincial treasurer for the party – have been found in the Southern African nation.

"It is hard to get a very precise picture of the full range of the violence or the exact number of politically motivated extra-judicial killings," she said. "At one level, there appears to be an increasing pattern of people being targeted for politically motivated assassination. At another, arrests, harassment, intimidation and violence – directed not just at people with political affiliations, but also at members of civil society – are continuing on a daily basis."

The High Commissioner called on Zimbabwe's authorities to investigate and prosecute those responsible, as well as to take urgent measures to protect the country's inhabitants from more attacks, to create an atmosphere favourable to free and fair 27 June presidential elections.

Meanwhile, in neighbouring South Africa, many of those attacked in the recent xenophobic violence are from Zimbabwe, according to the UN.

"For some of the Zimbabweans being chased from their homes and jobs in South Africa, this isn't simply a serious economic issue," Ms. Arbour said. "They now face a potentially life-threatening situation in both countries. I welcome the steps the South African Government has taken recently to clamp down on the xenophobic violence, and hope that such scenes are never seen again in South Africa."
2008-05-28 00:00:00.000

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FURTHER SHARP INCREASES IN GLOBAL FOOD PRICES 'LIKELY' - UN REPORT

FURTHER SHARP INCREASES IN GLOBAL FOOD PRICES 'LIKELY' – UN REPORT New York, May 28 2008 1:00PM Further sharp price hikes and continued volatility in markets for food supplies appear to be likely for the next few seasons, <" http://www.fao.org/newsroom/en/news/2008/1000847/index.html">according to a report released today by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in the run-up to a summit on the global food crisis which is being held in Rome early next month.

FAO lists 22 countries that it says are particularly vulnerable to food price increases because of high levels of chronic hunger and because they are net importers of both food and fuel. The report cites Eritrea, Niger, Comoros, Haiti and Liberia as being especially at risk.

"We hope that world leaders coming to Rome will agree on the urgent measures that are required to boost agricultural production, especially in the most affected countries, and at the same time protect the poor from being adversely affected by high food prices," said FAO Director-General Jacques Diouf.

The report says that increases in domestic food prices, even by moderate rates of 10 to 20 per cent, can have immediate negative impacts on poor households that spend a large part of their income on food staples.

Protecting the most vulnerable in rural and urban areas will require targeted direct food distribution, food subsidies and cash transfers, as well as nutritional programmes including school feeding, FAO says.

The agency also calls for the distribution of seeds, fertilizers, animal feed to small-scale farmers through vouchers or smart subsidies.

FAO has appealed for $ 1.7 billion to provide seeds, fertilizers and other inputs to boost production in low-income and food deficit countries.

The report argues that high food prices represent an excellent opportunity for increased investments in agricultural research and infrastructure, noting that support should focus on the needs of poor farmers, many of whom farm in increasingly marginal areas.

Participants at the 3-5 June <" http://www.fao.org/newsroom/en/focus/2008/1000829/index.html">summit will discuss how agriculture can be harnessed to produce enough food to meet the demands of the world's growing population. Many Heads of State and Government , as well as Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and the heads of many UN organizations and the Bretton Woods institutions, will attend the event.

The new international task force – brings together the heads of key UN agencies, the International Monetary Fund (<" http://www.imf.org/external/index.htm">IMF), the <"http://www.worldbank.org">World Bank and other international experts – on the global food crisis, chaired by Mr. Ban, is due to present its action plan.

Meanwhile, it was announced today that Spanish football captain and FAO Goodwill Ambassador <" http://www.fao.org/WFD/ambas/amb/gonzalez_en.htm">Raúl González has been awarded the Spanish prize for solidarity in sports.

Mr. González has donated the $47,000 prize money to the FAO's Telefood Fund which provides micro-finance to poor farmers around the world.
2008-05-28 00:00:00.000

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MYANMAR: UN HUMAN RIGHTS OFFICIAL CALLS FOR RELEASE OF DAW AUNG SAN SUU KYI

MYANMAR: UN HUMAN RIGHTS OFFICIAL CALLS FOR RELEASE OF DAW AUNG SAN SUU KYI New York, May 28 2008 12:00PM The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour today <" http://www.unhchr.ch/huricane/huricane.nsf/view01/3BB348F4B4A7BC58C12574570038887F?opendocument">expressed her "profound disappointment" at the decision to extend the house arrest of pro-democracy campaigner Daw Aung San Suu Kyi in Myanmar.

Ms. Arbour called on the Government of Myanmar to unconditionally release Ms. Suu Kyi, saying in a statement that, "Her release will be critical in facilitating national reconciliation and democratic transition, to which the Myanmar leadership has committed itself."

The detention of Ms. Suu Kyi, who is the General Secretary of the National League for Democracy (NLD) in Myanmar, was extended on 27 May. She has been under house arrest for 12 of the last 18 years. Her current period of detention began in 2003.

"These continued severe restrictions on the freedom of expression and movement against Daw Aung San Suu Kyi contravene basic human rights," Ms. Arbour added. "They come at a time when the people of Myanmar are suffering hard and their suffering should not be compounded by more restrictive measures."

In addition Ms. Arbour expressed concern at the arrest on Tuesday of at least 15 members of the NLD who were marching towards Ms. Suu Kyi's house.

Yesterday, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon <" http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs//2008/sgsm11598.doc.htm">said that he 'regretted' the decision by Myanmar's Government to extend the detention of pro-democracy leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi.

"The sooner restrictions on Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and other political figures are lifted, the sooner Myanmar will be able to move towards inclusive national reconciliation, the restoration of democracy and full respect for human rights," he said in a statement.
2008-05-28 00:00:00.000

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SOUTH AFRICA'S INSTITUTE FOR JUSTICE AND RECONCILIATION WINS UNESCO AWARD

SOUTH AFRICA'S INSTITUTE FOR JUSTICE AND RECONCILIATION WINS UNESCO AWARD New York, May 28 2008 11:00AM The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) <" http://portal.unesco.org/en/ev.php-URL_ID=42594&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html">selected the Institute for Justice and Reconciliation of South Africa as this year's recipient of its <" http://portal.unesco.org/shs/en/ev.php-URL_ID=2126&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html">Prize for Peace Education.

The Cape Town-based Institute was chosen "for its outstanding efforts in building sustainable reconciliation through education and in addressing systemic injustice in Africa," according to the Prize jury led by Mohammed Arkoun, Professor of History of Islamic Thought.

Founded in 2000, it seeks to promote reconciliation in post-apartheid South Africa and encourage peace, and has helped other African countries – including Rwanda, Sudan and Burundi – take part in a similar process.

The Institute works with governments, civil society and academics in countries of transition to enhance justice, development and human security thought policy research, analysis and capacity building.

One of its key projects called "Turning Points in History" has resulted in the first comprehensive South African history textbook for secondary schools since the end of apartheid to be published. Using oral tradition to forge a "dialogue between perspectives," it includes personal stories.

The $40,000 prize, funded by the Nippon Foundation, seeks to boost public awareness of the need for peace. Previous recipients include Sri Lankan judge Christopher Gregory Weeramantry, Mother Teresa, Father Emile Shoufani, Bishop Nelson Onono-Onweng and Paulo Freire.
2008-05-28 00:00:00.000

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SENIOR UN HUMAN RIGHTS OFFICIAL VISITS CÔTE D'IVOIRE AND LIBERIA

SENIOR UN HUMAN RIGHTS OFFICIAL VISITS CÔTE D'IVOIRE AND LIBERIA New York, May 28 2008 10:00AM A top United Nations human rights official is visiting Côte d'Ivoire and Liberia this week for talks aimed at ensuring that protecting the rights of civilians will remain central to the reconciliation and reconstruction efforts in the two West African countries.

Kyung-wha Kang, the Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights, arrived late yesterday in <"http://www.un.org/Depts/dpko/missions/unmil/">Liberia, the second stage of her visit, for discussions with national authorities, civil society groups and members of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

Gender-based sexual violence and the widespread impunity for the perpetrators of such violence is likely to be a focus of the talks, according to a press release issued by the Office of the High Commissioner (<"http://www.ohchr.org/EN/Pages/WelcomePage.aspx">OHCHR) in Geneva.

On this trip Ms. Kang has already held talks with Government officials, diplomats and senior UN staff in neighbouring Côte d'Ivoire.

Meanwhile, the UN peacekeeping mission to that country (<"http://www.un.org/Depts/dpko/missions/unoci/">UNOCI) has confirmed the start of the first phase of the post-conflict re-education programme for ex-combatants from the civil war.

UNOCI officials were among the guests on Monday at a ceremony in Bouake formally inducting 250 former rebel fighters, who will receive basic professional skills in agriculture, construction and computer science to help them try to re-start their lives.
2008-05-28 00:00:00.000

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LEBANESE POLITICAL ACCORD OFFERS 'A NEW BEGINNING,' SECRETARY-GENERAL SAYS

LEBANESE POLITICAL ACCORD OFFERS 'A NEW BEGINNING,' SECRETARY-GENERAL SAYS New York, May 27 2008 9:00PM Lebanon's political leadership must not lose the momentum created by last week's agreement ending the protracted stand-off in the country, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said today, calling the accord "a new beginning" to be grasped by all sides.

<"http://www.un.org/apps/sg/offthecuff.asp?nid=1169">Responding to questions from journalists at United Nations Headquarters in New York, Mr. Ban cautioned that last week's Doha agreement does not mean all outstanding issues in Lebanon have been resolved.

He said that some "social, political and stability issues," including the armament of the group Hizbollah, still have to be worked out among the parties.

"Therefore, I think this is a new beginning, a new opportunity for the people and Government of Lebanon. They should not lose this momentum… I urge political leaders and people, all factional leaders, to engage in inclusive dialogue for reconciliation and political and social stability."

On Sunday, as part of the Doha accord, the Lebanese Parliament elected Michel Suleimane as the country's new President, ending a deadlock over the post that had lasted for six months.

In a <"http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2008/sgsm11595.doc.htm">statement issued over the weekend, Mr. Ban congratulated the Lebanese people on the election, voicing hope that the "historic event leads to the revitalization of all of Lebanon's constitutional institutions and a return to political dialogue within this framework."
2008-05-27 00:00:00.000

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CIVILIANS STILL BEAR THE BRUNT OF ARMED CONFLICTS, TOP UN OFFICIAL WARNS

CIVILIANS STILL BEAR THE BRUNT OF ARMED CONFLICTS, TOP UN OFFICIAL WARNS New York, May 27 2008 9:00PM Millions of civilians worldwide are still victims of armed conflicts – losing their lives, being forced to flee their homes and becoming victims of physical and sexual violence – despite recent progress in some countries, the top United Nations humanitarian official told the Security Council today.

In a <"http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs//2008/sc9340.doc.htm">briefing to the 15-member body, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs John Holmes cited positive steps taken in places such as Kenya, Côte d'Ivoire, Nepal, Timor-Leste to prevent war, secure peace or at least protect civilians.

Additionally, he pointed to a meeting of over 100 States currently under way in Dublin which seeks to negotiate a treaty banning deadly cluster munitions.

"Important though this progress is, the stark reality remains that in conflicts throughout the world, countless civilians continue to see their hopes shattered by violence and displacement; their lives blown apart by suicide bombers or ground down by physical and sexual violence, deprivation and neglect," Mr. Holmes said at the open meeting, which heard from over three dozen speakers.

He pointed to three particularly acute issues regarding current conflicts: the conduct of hostilities, sexual violence and humanitarian access.

Civilians comprise the majority of casualties in armed conflict, often in contravention of international humanitarian law.

The Under-Secretary-General gave the example of the Sudanese region of Darfur, where "civilians remain the principal victims of attacks by Sudanese Armed Forces and the Janjaweed militia."

Regarding sexual violence, Mr. Holmes – who also serves as UN Emergency Relief Coordinator – called for vigorous measures to both prevent and respond to it.

"Anything less risks condemning current and future generations of women and girls, and boys and men, to indescribable humiliation and cruelty followed by, for those who survive or who are born from such violence, a life defined by pain, stigma and rejection," he said.

Mr. Holmes also noted the need to boost efforts to make "zero tolerance" of sexual violence a reality by reversing the "continued failure of the police and judiciary to take sexual violence seriously." He also urged an end to ineffective investigations, minimal prosecutions, and interference by the military and other officials in the administration of justice.

"They are an affront to the rights of victims and serve only to reinforce the culture of impunity on which sexual violence has thrived for so long."

On humanitarian access, the Emergency Relief Coordinator cited examples of how aid workers have been impeded in providing assistance due to conflict, restrictions on the movement of staff and goods, checkpoints and roadblocks and bureaucratic requirements.

He appealed for the establishment of a Security Council group of experts on the protection of civilians, which would serve as an informal forum bringing together all of the Council's Member States.

Mr. Holmes told today's meeting that while the Council has made strides in addressing civilian protection, he believed the body "could go further" if it adopted a more consistent approach to integrating the issue into its work.
2008-05-27 00:00:00.000

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