LIBERIA: UN MISSION BUILDS SAFE HOUSE FOR VICTIMS OF SEXUAL VIOLENCE

LIBERIA: UN MISSION BUILDS SAFE HOUSE FOR VICTIMS OF SEXUAL VIOLENCE New York, Jun 14 2008 6:00PM The United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) has built a new safe house for survivors of sexual violence in the capital, Monrovia, and helped refurbish a former jail to ease overcrowding in the West African country's prison system.

The safe house, which has been handed over to a local non-governmental organization (NGO) to operate, was built as part of a $24,000 project that was also supported by the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF).

The head of UNMIL and the Secretary-General's Special Representative in Liberia, Ellen Margrethe Løj, handed over the keys to the safe house in a ceremony yesterday in Monrovia. She stressed that sexual and other forms of gender-based violence must be stopped if the country is to fully advance after years of civil war and misrule.

"Any woman or girl who falls victim to this sort of violence, especially rape, is really having her possibilities for contributing to society greatly diminished," Ms. Løj said.

At the safe house, the survivors and victims receive psychosocial support, basic literacy and numeric skills development, vocational training and other life skills, such as information about reproductive health and HIV/AIDS awareness.

In Zwedru, the capital of Grand Gedeh county in eastern Liberia, UNMIL has helped re-open the rehabilitated National Palace of Corrections, which will become the country's largest prison facility.

Henrietta Mensa-Bonsu, the Deputy UN Envoy in Liberia, said she hoped the changes made to the centre will greatly improve both the living conditions for prisoners and the working conditions for correctional staff.

"We must look to this facility to provide not only immediate security to society by housing those committed by the courts, but also to provide those persons with a fresh start in life and an opportunity for a brighter and more purposeful future when they eventually rejoin society upon release," she said.

First opened in 1979, the National Palace of Corrections -- which has room for 294 prisoners -- operated for a decade until the civil war prompted its closure.

UNMIL staff have given Liberian corrections officers training in human rights, fair treatment and helping inmates learn skills to be useful members of society.

2008-06-14 00:00:00.000

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ON WORLD BLOOD DONOR DAY, UN AGENCY STRESSES VALUE OF VOLUNTARY DONATIONS

ON WORLD BLOOD DONOR DAY, UN AGENCY STRESSES VALUE OF VOLUNTARY DONATIONS New York, Jun 14 2008 6:00PM China and the United Arab Emirates are both close to reaching 100 per cent voluntary donations for their national blood supplies, the United Nations health agency has announced, calling on other countries to use them as models to increase their own stocks of safe blood supplies.

The World Health Organization (WHO) is using this year's World Blood Donor Day, which is being observed today, to highlight the benefits of blood donations that are voluntary -- rather than involving payment or family interest.

"Access to safe blood is a key component of effective health care and voluntary donors are the cornerstone of a safe blood supply," Carissa Etienne, Assistant Director-General for Health Systems at WHO, said yesterday in a press statement. "Available, safe blood is particularly crucial to the health of women and children."

Voluntary donors are regarded as the safest source of blood. By donating of their free will, without coercion or payment, they are less likely to hide information about their health status or behaviour that could make them ineligible to donate blood. Regular voluntary donations also ensure a more sustainable blood supply.

But only 54 countries have so far achieved 100 per cent voluntary donation, according to WHO, with Thailand, Turkey and Uganda the most recent States to join the list.

Less than 45 per cent of the global blood supply is collected in developing or transitional countries, which are home to about four-fifths of the global population. These countries also have the greatest need of stocks of blood and blood products as they bear a disproportionate burden of many diseases.

WHO said China and the UAE both deserve credit for making such rapid progress towards an entirely voluntary donation system. In 1990, no donations in the UAE were voluntary, but by 2006 they had reached 97.6 per cent, while China's rate has risen from 20 per cent to 98.5 per cent in the decade since 1998.

The theme of this year's Day is "Giving Blood Regularly," an initiative to encourage volunteer donors to return on a regular basis over the long-term.

2008-06-14 00:00:00.000

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COMMITMENTS ON HIV/AIDS MUST BE MATCHED BY ACTIONS - ASSEMBLY PRESIDENT

COMMITMENTS ON HIV/AIDS MUST BE MATCHED BY ACTIONS – ASSEMBLY PRESIDENT New York, Jun 13 2008 6:00PM The world's renewed momentum to tackle the HIV/AIDS pandemic must be matched by accelerated efforts to implement commitments to obtain universal access to prevention, treatment and care by 2010, General Assembly President Srgjan Kerim says after wrapping up a high-level meeting on the issue.

In his closing <"http://www.un.org/ga/president/62/statements/closinghivaids120608.shtml">remarks last night to the three-day <"http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs//2008/ga10723.doc.htm">meeting, held at UN Headquarters in New York, Mr. Kerim stressed the need for leadership and political accountability, saying Member States need to sustain and scale up the progress they have made so far.

"We must not lose the momentum of our global response," he said. "For every two people that begin HIV treatment, there are five new HIV/AIDS infections."

More than 160 Member States and observers took part in this week's debate, which reviewed the progress towards the internationally agreed goal to achieve universal access to care, prevention and treatment by 2010.

Mr. Kerim said it was vital to remember that HIV/AIDS was a public health issue as well as a development issue, and that the disease is among the biggest threats to sustained economic developments in some countries, especially in sub-Saharan Africa.

"An effective response to the pandemic must therefore become a central feature of all our development efforts. This means that strengthening public health systems, including by stemming the brain drain, must go hand in hand with an effective national strategy to combat HIV/AIDS."

Human rights and gender equality must be at the core of an effective response to the pandemic, he added.

"The rights of people living with AIDS, and other vulnerable groups, must be protected, including women's rights to make informed decisions about their sexual health."

The Assembly President also called for much better access to prevention, treatment and support services, especially for at-risk populations such as sex workers, men who have sex with men, injecting drug users and transgender people.

Peter Piot, Executive Director of the Joint UN Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), said the meeting highlighted the collective consensus "that there is still so much to do.

"We must capitalize on the commitment to urgently scale up services," Dr. Piot said. "UNAIDS will continue to support countries in maintaining an exceptional, long-term response to the epidemic."
2008-06-13 00:00:00.000

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HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS ZIMBABWEAN CHILDREN AT RISK AFTER AID BAN - UNICEF

HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS ZIMBABWEAN CHILDREN AT RISK AFTER AID BAN – UNICEF New York, Jun 13 2008 5:00PM The health of hundreds of thousands of Zimbabwean children is in jeopardy because of last week's decision by the country's authorities to ban non-governmental organizations (NGOs) from distributing aid, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) warned today.

"The situation in the last week has certainly got a lot worse for Zimbabwe's children because so many hundreds of thousands of them are dependent on aid," <"http://www.unicef.org/media/media_44449.html">UNICEF spokesperson James Elder said.

UNICEF had been providing support to more than 185,000 orphans in the impoverished Southern African country but it has suspended its programmes in the wake of the Government decision on 5 June to ban aid distribution.

Many Zimbabweans were already suffering from food shortages and rampant inflation and the situation has been exacerbated by the violence plaguing the country ahead of the presidential run-off election between incumbent Robert Mugabe and opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai, which is scheduled for 27 June.

"Many of those children are now seeing horrendous levels of violence that are sweeping through rural areas," Mr. Elder said. "This is something that UNICEF has repeatedly made its objection to.

"We've got several weeks now of great uncertainty. It's winter – it's a time that children can ill-afford to be held hostage to any type of politicking."

UNICEF's warning echoes that of UN Emergency Relief Coordinator John Holmes, who briefed the Security Council yesterday "on what is a very worrying and very serious and deteriorating humanitarian in Zimbabwe."

Estimating that up to 4 million people – or about a third of the national population – are now in need of aid, Mr. Holmes urged Zimbabwe to rescind its decision to suspend the NGO aid distribution.

"I hope it will prove to be temporary," he told reporters after the briefing. "There are some indications from the Government of Zimbabwe that it will be temporary and that they might even relax it in some ways, but we need to see that translated into practice. If it went on longer than the immediate pre-electoral run-off period, the consequences could be very serious indeed."

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, <"http://www.un.org/apps/sg/offthecuff.asp?nid=1175">speaking to journalists in London after a meeting there with British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, stressed the need to end the violence engulfing Zimbabwe.

"When I had a meeting with President [Robert] Mugabe last week in Rome, I emphasized the importance of ensuring that there would be no further violence, and that this forthcoming presidential run-off election should be held in a most transparent and fair and convincing and credible way, and I urged him to take all necessary measures to ensure that," Mr. Ban said.
2008-06-13 00:00:00.000

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UN FOOD AGENCY LAUNCHES FOUR-YEAR PLAN FOR GLOBAL FOOD CRISIS

UN FOOD AGENCY LAUNCHES FOUR-YEAR PLAN FOR GLOBAL FOOD CRISIS New York, Jun 13 2008 5:00PM The United Nations World Food Programme (<"http://www.wfp.org/english/?n=31">WFP) has announced a new four-year strategic plan to tackle soaring levels of hunger caused by the global food crisis.

"This strategic plan marks a revolution in food aid that supports local markets in breaking the cycle of hunger," Josette Sheeran, WFP's Executive Director said today.

"I call this our 80-80-80 solution," she told WFP's Board members gathered in Rome this week. "80 per cent of our cash for food is spent in the developing world, 80 per cent of our ground transport is procured in the developing world, and 80 per cent of our staff is hired locally in the developing world."

WFP spends more than $2 billion a year on food, transport and staff in the developing world.

The new strategic plan emphasizes life-saving emergency aid, such as for 3 million vulnerable people in Darfur, but it also focuses on prevention, local purchase of food, and using targeted cash and voucher programs when food is available locally but not accessible for the hungry.

The announcement of WFP's four-year strategic plan follows last week's High-Level Conference on World Food Security in Rome, where world leaders gathered to discuss hunger and agriculture development issues against the backdrop of high global food and fuel prices.

The tools laid out in the plan include early warning systems and vulnerability analysis, as well as preparedness and disaster reduction and mitigation, and effective emergency response in life-saving situations.

The plan also includes spending to strengthen smallholder farming, local transport and communication networks, as well as school meals and support for mother-and-child health and nutrition programmes.

Last year, WFP used its cash resources to purchase $612 million worth of food in 69 developing countries.
2008-06-13 00:00:00.000

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BAN URGES PLANNING NOW AHEAD OF SEPTEMBER'S INTERNATIONAL DAY OF PEACE

BAN URGES PLANNING NOW AHEAD OF SEPTEMBER'S INTERNATIONAL DAY OF PEACE New York, Jun 13 2008 5:00PM Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has called on governments, communities and individuals to start preparations to celebrate the International Day of Peace, which is observed annually on 21 September.

In a video <"http://www.un.org/apps/sg/sgstats.asp?nid=3230">message marking 100 days until the Day, Mr. Ban urged people around the world to "take this Day of ceasefire and non-violence very seriously. We need to start planning for it now."

The International Day was established in 1981 by the General Assembly, which called for people around the world to use the Day as an opportunity to promote the resolution of conflict and to observe a cessation of hostilities during it.

Mr. Ban noted that there are places where peace has been restored, adding that "much of this has happened with the help of the United Nations."

For example, the people of Sierra Leone and Nepal have voted in democratic elections following years of conflict, and societies are rebuilding in Burundi, Liberia and Timor-Leste.

"These experiences show us that real peace is possible, if we work collectively to make it happen," said Mr. Ban, who urged everyone around the world to begin preparing concrete activities for the Day and beyond.

"On 21 September, let us send a real signal of our universal desire for peace," he stated.
2008-06-13 00:00:00.000

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SOUTH-EAST EUROPEAN STATES AGREE AT UN SUMMIT TO USE WATERWAYS TO PROMOTE PEACE

SOUTH-EAST EUROPEAN STATES AGREE AT UN SUMMIT TO USE WATERWAYS TO PROMOTE PEACE New York, Jun 13 2008 4:00PM The leaders or representatives of nine South-East European countries have pledged today at a United Nations-organized meeting to use the region's waterways to encourage greater cultural understanding.

The Athens Declaration, adopted by seven Heads of State and two high-level representatives, emphasizes the importance of rivers, lakes and maritime routes in contributing to regional cooperation.

"No civilization and no culture is monolithic as both are the result of millennia of contacts and exchanges," according to the declaration, which was reached at a summit in the Greek capital co-organized by the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Greece, Montenegro, Romania, Serbia and Turkey committed themselves to developing a pool of joint projects involving the waterways to contribute to regional peace and stability.
2008-06-13 00:00:00.000

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UN OFFICIAL SAYS FINANCIAL CONTROLS ON IRAQI OIL PROCEEDS 'DEFICIENT'

UN OFFICIAL SAYS FINANCIAL CONTROLS ON IRAQI OIL PROCEEDS 'DEFICIENT' New York, Jun 13 2008 4:00PM The United Nations representative on the international body monitoring the handling of more than $100 billion in proceeds from sales of Iraqi oil says financial controls are "deficient" although progress has been made in some areas.

Warren Sach, the Secretary-General's representative on the International Advisory and Monitoring Board (IAMB) for Iraq, reported to the Security Council today on independent audits that were carried out on the Development Fund for Iraq (DFI) in 2007.

Under Security Council Resolution 1483, $106 billion was deposited with DFI from petroleum sales between 2003 and 2007. A further $10.4 billion from the balance of the UN oil-for-food programme was deposited with DFI as well as $1.5 billion from Iraq's frozen assets.

"The results of the audits in 2007 indicate that, while many efforts are being made, sometimes at great personal sacrifice, the overall financial system of controls in place in the [Iraqi] spending ministries, the US agencies handling of outstanding commitments using DFI resources and the Iraqi administration of DFI resources remain deficient and financial management reforms need to be pursued further," Mr. Sach said in his report.

Mr. Sach said that the IAMB aims to ensure that the IDF is used in a transparent manner for the benefit of the Iraqi people and that export sales of petroleum were consistent with international market best practices.

He said that audit reports on DFI have highlighted weaknesses in internal financial controls, including incomplete record keeping at the Iraqi Ministry of Finance, lack of a comprehensive oil metering system, sale of oil and oil products outside of the DFI, incomplete contract information associated with US agencies' contracts and bartering.

The UN comptroller also reported that fewer than 15 per cent of previous recommendations to Iraqi spending ministries had been implemented. While noting that some progress had been made, "further measures to strengthen the internal control framework are necessary," Mr. Sach added.

On oil metering, Mr. Sach said it was a key factor to achieve financial transparency and accountability and was in accordance with standard oil industry practices, but he noted that while some metering had been installed at oil terminals, there continued to be no metering in oil fields.

"The IAMB continues to view this matter as urgent, especially in light of the auditor's report that showed unreconciled differences related to production, export sales and internal consumption," he said.

Mr. Sach added that the Iraqi State Oil Marketing Organization continued to use barter transactions, which made it difficult to establish whether fair value had been received for the country's oil exports, although a barter arrangement with a neighbouring country ceased as of 31 December 2007.

In a related development, the Security Council released a press statement noting "continued political, security and humanitarian challenges facing Iraq," but also recognizing "the important efforts made by the Iraqi Government to improve security, national reconciliation, budget execution, reconstruction, and economic progress, as well as combat terrorism and sectarian violence across Iraq."

Also today, the UN Special Adviser on Iraq, Ibrahim Gambari, in a briefing to the Council, said "there is indeed new hope that the people and Government of Iraq have started to overcome daunting challenges and to work together at rebuilding their country."

Mr. Gambari noted that there had been security improvements in many parts of the country and that there had been steady progress in improving the capacity of Iraqi security forces, as well as the curbing of militias and other armed groups.

"The situation still remains fragile," Mr. Gambari reported. "Ordinary Iraqis continue to face the threat of violence in the form of terrorist attacks, sectarianism or criminal acts and violations of human rights continue to occur."

However, the Special Adviser said that there had been indications of progress on political dialogue in the country. He cited reports that talks on the return of the leading Sunni bloc, Tawafuq, to the Government were apparently progressing well, and added that Turkoman representatives had ended their 18-month boycott of the Kirkuk Provincial Council.
2008-06-13 00:00:00.000

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HEAD OF IRAN SANCTIONS MONITORING GROUP REPORTS TO SECURITY COUNCIL

HEAD OF IRAN SANCTIONS MONITORING GROUP REPORTS TO SECURITY COUNCIL New York, Jun 13 2008 4:00PM The chairman of the Security Council committee monitoring sanctions imposed against Iran today updated the 15-member body on the number of countries which have reported on their implementation of these measures, and the work carried out by the panel during the past three months.

Ambassador Jan Grauls of Belgium told an open <"http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs//2008/sc9355.doc.htm">meeting of the Council that "to date, the reporting figures are: 89 reports under resolution 1737, 76 reports under resolution 1747, and 51 reports under resolution 1803."

Resolution 1737 of December 2006 banned trade with Iran in all items, materials, equipment, goods and technology which could contribute to the country's enrichment-related, reprocessing or heavy water-related activities, or to the development of nuclear-weapon delivery systems.

In March 2007 the Council adopted resolution 1747, further tightening the sanctions by imposing a ban on arms sales and expanding the freeze on assets.

The 15-member body imposed further sanctions against Iran in resolution 1803, adopted in March of this year. These included the inspection of cargo suspected of carrying prohibited goods, the tighter monitoring of financial institutions and the extension of travel bans and asset freezes, over its nuclear programme.

Mr. Grauls also reported that the committee now had revised guidelines for its work that incorporated the relevant provisions of the three separate resolutions. In addition, the group consolidated the annexes to the three texts – containing the names of individuals and entities subject to the travel ban, travel notification or assets freeze – into a single list.

By resolution 1737 the committee is also tasked with seeking information from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on actions it has taken to implement measures imposed by the resolution, defining the scope of the technical cooperation provided to Iran.

In this regard, Mr. Grauls said that the IAEA had informed the committee that no projects had been added to its technical cooperation programme with Iran since the Agency's February 2007 report, which was updated the following August.

Iran's nuclear programme – which its officials have stated is for peaceful purposes, but some other countries contend is driven by military ambitions – has been a matter of international concern since the discovery in 2003 that the country had concealed its nuclear activities for 18 years in breach of its obligations under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).
2008-06-13 00:00:00.000

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SECURITY COUNCIL EXTENDS MANDATE OF UN PEACEKEEPING FORCE IN CYPRUS

SECURITY COUNCIL EXTENDS MANDATE OF UN PEACEKEEPING FORCE IN CYPRUS New York, Jun 13 2008 3:00PM The Security Council agreed today to extend the mandate of the United Nations peacekeeping mission in Cyprus (UNFICYP) by another six months and the top UN political official announced plans to visit the Mediterranean island next week as discussions continue on possible reunification.

Council members voted unanimously to keep <"http://www.un.org/Depts/dpko/missions/unficyp/index.html">UNFICYP, which has operated since 1964 after the eruption of violence between the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot communities, in place through 15 December this year.

They also welcomed the agreements between the leaders of the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot communities that have emerged during their tête-à-tête discussions this year, particularly their commitment "to a bicommunal, bizonal federation with political equality" and to such confidence-building measures as the re-opening of the Ledra Street crossing in Nicosia.

The resolution urges both sides "to build on the present momentum and continue their efforts to identify, to the greatest possible extent, areas of convergence and disagreement, while preparing options where feasible on the more sensitive elements, and to work to ensure that fully-fledged negotiations can begin expeditiously and smoothly."

Meanwhile, a UN spokesperson told reporters that Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs B. Lynn Pascoe will visit Cyprus on Tuesday for consultations about the ongoing political process.

He is expected to hold talks with Greek Cypriot leader Demetrios Christofias and Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat.
2008-06-13 00:00:00.000

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UN TOURISM CHIEF UNVEILS PLAN TO STEP DOWN EARLY

UN TOURISM CHIEF UNVEILS PLAN TO STEP DOWN EARLY New York, Jun 13 2008 2:00PM The head of the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) announced today that he is stepping down at the start of next year to ensure a smooth transition before the scheduled end of his final term in office.

Francesco Frangialli, Secretary-General of the Madrid-based agency, told its Executive Council that membership of <"http://www.unwto.org/media/news/en/press_det.php?id=2381&idioma=E">UNWTO had expanded to 153 States during his leadership, and more States are expected to join soon.

He said his main achievements as Secretary-General included the creation of a universally accepted system to measure the impact on tourism on national economies, and the adoption of the Global Code of Ethics for Tourism to encourage responsible and sustainable tourism.

Last year the number of international tourists worldwide climbed to 898 million arrivals, a 6 per cent jump on the previous year's totals. Every major region experienced an above-average increase.
2008-06-13 00:00:00.000

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SPANISH HUSBAND-AND-WIFE TEAM BECOME UNESCO ARTISTS FOR PEACE

SPANISH HUSBAND-AND-WIFE TEAM BECOME UNESCO ARTISTS FOR PEACE New York, Jun 13 2008 2:00PM Two renowned Spanish performers, the soprano Montserrat Figueras and the composer, conductor and viola de gambist Jordi Savall, are set to become the newest Artists for Peace with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

Ms. Figueras and Mr. Savall – who are married to each other – will receive the designation "for their outstanding musical commitment to intercultural dialogue and their contribution to furthering the Organization's ideals," <"http://portal.unesco.org/en/ev.php-URL_ID=42677&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html">UNESCO said in a statement released today.

The two performers will be honoured in a ceremony at UNESCO headquarters in Paris on Tuesday, after which they will stage a concert.

Born in 1941, Mr. Savall has created three major ensembles that have performed in early music festivals around the world over the past 30 years. He has also conducted many orchestras and written scores for films.

Ms. Figueras, born in 1948, is renowned for her personal and distinctive interpretation of early vocal music and founded the Hesperion XXI ensemble with Mr. Savall.

Other UNESCO Artists for Peace include the Brazilian singer Gilberto Gil, the Canadian singer Céline Dion, the Mozambican painter Malangatana, the Chinese actress Gong Li and the Spanish flamenco dancer Joaquín Cortés.
2008-06-13 00:00:00.000

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UN DISTRIBUTES SEEDS IN MAURITANIA AS PART OF INITIATIVE ON GLOBAL FOOD CRISIS

UN DISTRIBUTES SEEDS IN MAURITANIA AS PART OF INITIATIVE ON GLOBAL FOOD CRISIS New York, Jun 13 2008 2:00PM Trucks loaded with more than 500 tons of seed left the Mauritanian capital Nouakchott today for six regional capitals, marking the beginning of emergency measures under an initiative by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (<"http://www.fao.org/newsroom/en/news/2008/1000865/index.html">FAO) introduced to deal with the global food crisis.

About 20 trucks full of sorghum, millet, maize and cowpea seeds, are on their way to the country's south and south east through the FAO's <"http://www.fao.org/worldfoodsituation/isfp/en/">Initiative on Soaring Food Prices.

Distribution in other regions will be managed by the Mauritanian Government. Most of the crops need to be planted immediately to coincide with the rainy season, which normally arrives in June.

"Due to dry spells and then floods last year, what farmers would have produced was largely wiped out in the flood-affected areas," Luca Fornasari, the FAO emergency coordinator in Mauritania, said. "In addition, imported food is skyrocketing and farmers had to sell their seed stocks to be able to buy food, or had to use them as food. Seed delivery will help farmers get back on their feet now," he added.

In December, the price of millet was 50 per cent higher than a year before, sorghum had doubled, and maize was up 60 per cent. Prices have continued to increase steadily since then. Imported wheat and rice have seen even sharper increases, pricing out large swathes of the country's poorest people.

The FAO says Mauritanians are reportedly coping by eating less or eating one meal per day. Others are selling their livestock. Already high levels of malnutrition are on the rise.

Currently Mauritania does not produce enough food to meet 30 per cent of its food needs, even in a best-case scenario, although the Government aims to double agricultural output to cover 60 per cent of its food needs with the next harvests. Agriculture is still the source of income for over 70 per cent of the country's poorest people.

The FAO Initiative is also active in Senegal, Burkina Faso and Haiti this season, and activities will soon begin in Timor-Leste and Mozambique. FAO is currently providing the funding for the Initiative, drawing US$17 million from its own resources to kick-start activities in the countries most affected by the crisis while planting is still possible.

More than 70 countries are seeking FAO assistance in the upcoming planting seasons in October and November as well as for next spring.

FAO Director-General Jacques Diouf has said that $US1.7 billion will be needed to fully support the Initiative.
2008-06-13 00:00:00.000

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TIMOR-LESTE TO REVIEW SECURITY SECTOR WITH UN HELP

TIMOR-LESTE TO REVIEW SECURITY SECTOR WITH UN HELP New York, Jun 13 2008 2:00PM The United Nations will assist the Timorese Government in carrying out a review of its security sector, a priority for the young nation which has already faced major security-related challenges since the world body helped it gain independence in 2002.

"The overall aim of the review is to strengthen the nation's ability to protect itself, both internally and externally," the UN Integrated Mission in Timor-Leste (<"http://www.unmit.org/unmisetwebsite.nsf/MainFrame-EN.htm?OpenFrameset">UNMIT) said in a statement.

Security reform has been an important issue for the tiny South-East Asian country, which witnessed violent clashes that erupted in 2006 and, in February of this year, attacks on the Timorese President and Prime Minister.

"The review, reform and development of the security sector are vital to strengthening institutions that can weather future crisis without external assistance and that will help Timor-Leste establish itself as a strong democracy, upholding the rule of law and promoting human rights," said Atul Khare, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General and head of UNMIT.

An agreement signed today between the Government and the UN Development Programme outlines the technical assistance and advice that the UN will provide for the review, which will be carried out by national institutions.

The review, which will be finalized by early to mid-2009, will identify threats and make recommendations on how security bodies can address, as well as examine, related areas such as foreign affairs, customs, intelligence services, justice, fisheries protection, border control, natural disasters, finance, maritime protection, health and the police and army.

"A reform of the security sector is based on the fact that the stability of a nation and its development go hand-in-hand," said Deputy Special Representative and UNDP Resident Representative Finn Reske-Nielsen. "Without stability based on democratic principles and firmly anchored in a respect for human rights, sustainable human development can not be achieved."

In a related development, UNMIT reports that some 3,000 Timorese police officers have now completed a refresher course to consolidate the training already provided by the UN Police (UNPol), since the programme began in 2006.

The five-day Provisional Certification Course (PCC) addresses issues such as community policing, police ethics, use of force, human rights, conflict de-escalation and negotiation, and post traumatic stress disorder.
2008-06-13 00:00:00.000

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SECURITY COUNCIL URGES CEASEFIRE AFTER DEADLY CLASHES BETWEEN ERITREA, DJIBOUTI

SECURITY COUNCIL URGES CEASEFIRE AFTER DEADLY CLASHES BETWEEN ERITREA, DJIBOUTI New York, Jun 13 2008 1:00PM The Security Council has called on Djibouti and Eritrea to agree to a ceasefire after several days of fighting along their joint border that has led to several deaths and dozens of wounded.

Voicing "strong concern about the serious incidents that occurred on 10 June," the Council condemned Eritrean military action against Djibouti in Ras Doumeira and Doumeira Island, according to a <"http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs//2008/sc9353.doc.htm">statement read out last night by Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad of the United States, which holds the rotating Council presidency this month.

"The Security Council calls upon the parties to commit to a ceasefire and urges both parties, in particular Eritrea, to show maximum restraint and withdraw forces to the status-quo ante.

"The Security Council urges both parties, in particular Eritrea, to cooperate and engage in diplomatic efforts to resolve the matter peacefully and in a manner consistent with international law."

The 15-member panel welcomed the efforts of the African Union, the Arab League and individual States to end the crisis and encouraged Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to use his good offices and reach out to both countries "to determine arrangements for decreasing the military presence along the border and to develop confidence-building measures to resolve the border situation."
2008-06-13 00:00:00.000

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MYANMAR URGENTLY NEEDS ONE MILLION GALLONS OF FUEL TO AID FARMERS - UN OFFICIAL

MYANMAR URGENTLY NEEDS ONE MILLION GALLONS OF FUEL TO AID FARMERS – UN OFFICIAL New York, Jun 13 2008 11:00AM A senior United Nations official says Myanmar needs one million gallons of diesel fuel to operate 5,000 tillers – farm implements used to break up the surface of soil – to help farmers plant rice in the cyclone-affected Ayeyarwady Delta area.

The tillers were donated by Thailand, China and other countries to help farmers through the current growing season, following the devastation caused by Cyclone Nargis.

"The window of opportunity is very short, and the need is of the utmost urgency," Noeleen Heyzer, Executive Secretary of the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), said today in a statement. "The planting season in the Delta is June to July after which it will be too late, with disastrous consequences for food security in Myanmar and the region."

In a meeting with Major General Htay Oo, Minister of Agriculture of Myanmar, in Yangon earlier this week, Ms. Heyzer was told that the country is short of diesel fuel for the tillers. One agricultural tiller will cover 100 acres over 50 working days and requires two gallons of diesel per acre.

More than 134,000 people are dead or missing as a result of Cyclone Nargis and the subsequent tidal wave, which struck Myanmar on 2-3 May. As many as 2.4 million people were affected and need humanitarian assistance. The cyclone also destroyed livestock and buffaloes, which are the traditional animals used for plowing the fields, especially in the Ayeyarwady Delta, the rice-bowl of the country.

Ms. Heyzer stressed that the emergency response and early recovery efforts need to pay special attention to women and children, especially orphans. Women also need to be involved in recovery and reconstruction efforts, including in areas such as the design of shelters, the rebuilding of communities, basic services and livelihoods.

The Executive Secretary visited Myanmar from 9 to 11 June to discuss recovery and reconstruction efforts as well as the country's longer-term economic and social development.
2008-06-13 00:00:00.000

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LATEST UN CLIMATE CHANGE TALKS END WITH CALLS FOR SPEEDIER NEGOTIATIONS

LATEST UN CLIMATE CHANGE TALKS END WITH CALLS FOR SPEEDIER NEGOTIATIONS New York, Jun 13 2008 10:00AM The latest round of United Nations-sponsored global climate change talks ended today in Bonn, Germany, with calls to step up the pace of negotiations in the run up to next year's crucial summit in Copenhagen.

"We now have a clearer understanding among governments on what countries would ultimately like to see written into a long-term agreement to address climate change," said Yvo de Boer, Executive Secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). "But with a little more than a year to go to Copenhagen, the challenge to come to that agreement remains daunting," he added.

The talks, which brought together participants from 170 countries, led, among other things, to an agreement that practical technology transfer efforts would be scaled up – in particular for Africa, small island developing States and least developed countries.

"What is ultimately required is a clever financial architecture to generate the money developing countries will need to green their economies and adapt to the inevitable effects of climate change," Mr. de Boer said.

Two further rounds of UN-sponsored negotiations will take place this year in Ghana and Poland.

A further series of major UNFCCC negotiating sessions are planned for 2009, culminating at the UN Climate Change Conference to be held in Copenhagen in December 2009.

The aim of the negotiations is to create a successor pact to the Kyoto Protocol, which expires in 2012, on greenhouse gas emissions reduction.
2008-06-13 00:00:00.000

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UN AGENCY DEPLORES KILLING OF FOOD CONVOY DRIVER IN SOUTHERN SOMALIA

UN AGENCY DEPLORES KILLING OF FOOD CONVOY DRIVER IN SOUTHERN SOMALIA New York, Jun 13 2008 10:00AM The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has condemned the murder of one of its truck drivers who was gunned down yesterday in southern Somalia while delivering food aid, the third incident of its kind this year.

Hassan Abdi, who was part of a convoy of WFP-contracted trucks carrying 328 metric tons of food from Mogadishu to Bay and Bakool regions, was killed by gunmen shortly after dawn near the village of Leego.

"We strongly condemn this attack on personnel and trucks delivering life-saving food," said WFP's Deputy Country Director Denise Brown. "Our condolences go to the family of Hassan Abdi."

Ms. Brown noted that Somalia is one of the most difficult places for humanitarian agencies to operate, and it appears to be getting more dangerous.

"We urge all parties to ensure the safe passage of humanitarian staff and cargo across the country, especially at a time when we are trying to feed more people and need to double food deliveries," she added.

The humanitarian situation in the country – which has not had a functioning government since 1991 – has been getting worse in recent months due to rising insecurity, soaring food prices and a worsening drought. It is estimated that up to 3.5 million people – almost half the population – may require food aid during the course of this year.
2008-06-13 00:00:00.000

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PLAN TO RECONFIGURE UN PRESENCE IN KOSOVO 'LEAST OBJECTIONABLE' OPTION - BAN

PLAN TO RECONFIGURE UN PRESENCE IN KOSOVO 'LEAST OBJECTIONABLE' OPTION – BAN New York, Jun 13 2008 10:00AM Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said today that while his proposal to reconfigure the world body's presence in Kosovo, so as to give the European Union an enhanced role, may not please everyone, it was the "least objectionable" option.

"I am well aware that this package may not fully satisfy all sides," Mr. Ban told reporters in London after his meeting with Prime Minister Gordon Brown.

"Yet it is my honest belief, after considerable time discussing this issue with all concerned parties, that what I have proposed will prove to be the least objectionable course to all, and can offer us a way forward," he added.

In the wake of Kosovo's decision earlier this year to declare its independence from Serbia, Mr. Ban has submitted to the Security Council plans to adjust the mandate of the UN Interim Administration in Kosovo (UNMIK).

Under his proposal, the European Union would play an enhanced operational role in the rule of law area under a UN "umbrella" headed by his Special Representative, in line with the original 1999 resolution that established the mission.

The Secretary-General has written to both President Boris Tadic in Belgrade and Fatmir Sejdiu in Pristina to inform them of the plans.

Mr. Ban said he discussed the proposals with Prime Minister Brown today, as well as with other key stakeholders yesterday while in Paris for the International Conference in Support of Afghanistan.

"My aim has been to pursue a modus Vivendi that is acceptable to the parties and would be supported by the key international stakeholders; I sincerely believe that this package achieves that goal," the Secretary-General stated.
2008-06-13 00:00:00.000

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UN AGENCIES DRASTICALLY REVISE APPEAL AS ETHIOPIAN DROUGHT INTENSIFIES

UN AGENCIES DRASTICALLY REVISE APPEAL AS ETHIOPIAN DROUGHT INTENSIFIES New York, Jun 12 2008 8:00PM United Nations relief agencies and the Ethiopian Government have drastically increased their appeal for funding to help people caught up in the country's drought and the resulting widespread crop failures as the number of Ethiopians affected by the crisis continues to soar.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (<"http://ochaonline.un.org/">OCHA) said today that more than $325 million is now needed to meet aid demands – nearly five times the $68 million that authorities and aid officials estimated was required just two months ago.

Emergency food supplies, water, sanitation, agricultural assistance and health-care are all priority items in the appeal, which is aimed at assisting 4.6 million people, a leap from the estimated figure of 2.2 million a few months ago.

Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs John Holmes warned that some 75,000 children, already suffering acute malnutrition and illness, will deteriorate further unless there the world responds "quickly and seriously" to the crisis.

"The urgency of this launch cannot be overstated," said Mr. Holmes, who is also UN Emergency Relief Coordinator. "Humanitarian agencies are already on the ground helping the Government of Ethiopia respond to the emergency, but limited resources are hampering the efforts of both the Government and its humanitarian partners to help those in need."

Southern and south-eastern Ethiopia are among the hardest-hit areas, with humanitarian assistance most needed in three administrative states: Oromia, Somali Region and Southern Nations, Nationalities and People's Region (SNNPR).

Seasonal rains have either failed completely or been extremely poor in many parts of the Horn of Africa country, hurting crop production, the availability of pastures and the raising of livestock. Rising food prices are also exacerbating the situation.

Mr. Holmes added that he was confident that Ethiopian authorities would facilitate the increased presence of UN agencies and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to deal with the crisis.
2008-06-12 00:00:00.000

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UN PEACEBUILDING COMMISSION ADDS CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC TO ITS AGENDA

UN PEACEBUILDING COMMISSION ADDS CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC TO ITS AGENDA New York, Jun 12 2008 7:00PM The Central African Republic (CAR) today became the fourth country to be <"http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs//2008/pbc34.doc.htm">placed on the agenda of the United Nations Peacebuilding Commission, which was set up to help countries emerging from conflict avoid the slide back into war or chaos.

The 31-member body, meeting at UN Headquarters in New York, agreed to the CAR move after a request earlier this year from the Government of the impoverished country, which has also been beset by armed attacks, widespread banditry and massive internal displacement in recent months.

CAR joins Burundi, Guinea-Bissau and Sierra Leone on the agenda of the Peacebuilding Commission, which was established by the UN at the end of 2005. It is tasked with marshalling resources from around the world and providing strategic advice to post-conflict States.

President François Bozizé told today's meeting that the CAR is emerging from a long cycle of recurring socio-economic and political crises and that his Government is working to rebuild State institutions, particularly the judiciary.
2008-06-12 00:00:00.000

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LEBANESE FARMERS RECEIVE GOATS AND COWS AS PART OF UN ASSISTANCE PROJECT

LEBANESE FARMERS RECEIVE GOATS AND COWS AS PART OF UN ASSISTANCE PROJECT New York, Jun 12 2008 6:00PM The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has handed out the first batch of 1,600 goats and 200 cows to farmers in southern Lebanon as part as its programme to assist them recover from livestock losses accrued during the war in mid-2006.

About 450 families living in 40 villages south of the Litani river are expected to eventually benefit from the $1.9 million programme, <"http://www.fao.org/">FAO announced today, adding that it will also include animal feed and training.

The batch of goats and cows will allow farmers to resume their production activities, including milk production and processing into local yoghurt and cheese.

An assessment by FAO found that southern Lebanese farmers lost more than 20,000 goats and 1,600 high-yielding milking cows as a result of the war between the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) and Hizbollah in 2006.

Nacif Rihani, an animal production expert with FAO, said animals and feed meeting international standards of productivity and health were found for the programme, despite rapidly rising market prices.

Aside from the livestock programme, the agency is also helping more than 600 horticulture farmers by distributing high-quality vegetable seeds and fertilizer and establishing greenhouses with improved design to maximize crop production.
2008-06-12 00:00:00.000

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BAN PAYS TRIBUTE TO 50 YEARS OF NEPALESE CONTRIBUTIONS TO UN PEACEKEEPING

BAN PAYS TRIBUTE TO 50 YEARS OF NEPALESE CONTRIBUTIONS TO UN PEACEKEEPING New York, Jun 12 2008 6:00PM Fifty years after Nepal first sent peacekeepers to serve in United Nations operations, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today thanked the small Asian country for its continuous contribution since then to UN missions around the world.

Nepal has contributed 60,000 peacekeepers to 40 different missions in the past five decades, Mr. Ban said in a message released to mark the 50th anniversary, noting that the country is one of the five biggest providers of troops or police officers to UN missions.

"Today, Nepal and four other nations of the South together contribute nearly half of the UN's peacekeepers around the world," he said, adding that more than 60 Nepalese peacekeepers have died in service.

Currently more than 110,000 men and women are deployed in conflict zones for the UN, monitoring agreements, maintaining the peace and providing stability, whether in uniform or as civilian staff.

"They train police, disarm ex-combatants, support elections and help build State institutions. They build bridges, repair schools, assist flood victims and protect women from sexual violence," Mr. Ban said.

"They uphold human rights and promote gender equality. Thanks to their efforts, life-saving humanitarian assistance can be delivered and economic development can begin."
2008-06-12 00:00:00.000

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UGANDA: UN INDUSTRIAL AGENCY SUPPORTS NEW COMPUTER REFURBISHMENT BUSINESS

UGANDA: UN INDUSTRIAL AGENCY SUPPORTS NEW COMPUTER REFURBISHMENT BUSINESS New York, Jun 12 2008 6:00PM A new computer refurbishment centre was opened today in the Ugandan capital Kampala with the support of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (<"http://www.unido.org/">UNIDO).

The centre, to be run by Uganda Green Computers Company, aims to supply affordable personal computers to small businesses in Uganda.

"Fostering entrepreneurship is critical to economic growth in Africa. No economy can thrive and be competitive without dynamic small and medium-sized enterprises," Kandeh K. Yumkella, Director-General of UNIDO, said in a statement. "We are enthused by this project because PC refurbishment centres provide one of the missing links for many micro and informal businesses in the country."

The centre's goal is to refurbish 10,000 quality-brand PCs a year and to resell them at a retail price estimated to start at $175, one third of the price of a new business PC.

For its distributor network, the Uganda Green Computers Co. relies on District Business Information Centres, which UNIDO has established throughout the country to support small enterprises.

The new centre will re-use working components, such as memory, resell high-value material, including copper and circuit boards, and locally recycle simple materials such as steel and plastic. The centre will work with regional or global recyclers for the proper disposal of toxic substances such as lead glass.

The initiative is part of a partnership between UNIDO and Microsoft to support opportunities for small businesses in Uganda. The partners, working with governments and non-governmental organizations (NGOs), aim to reach one billion people who don't have access to computers, by 2015.
2008-06-12 00:00:00.000

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UN ENVOY FOR GREECE, FYR OF MACEDONIA TALKS ON NAME ISSUE TO VISIT REGION

UN ENVOY FOR GREECE, FYR OF MACEDONIA TALKS ON NAME ISSUE TO VISIT REGION New York, Jun 12 2008 5:00PM The United Nations mediator in talks between Greece and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia said today that he will soon head to the region for further discussions in an effort to produce a breakthrough in the long-running dispute over the name of the latter country.

Matthew Nimetz, the Secretary-General's Personal Envoy for the talks between Greece and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, held a meeting today at UN Headquarters in New York with ambassadors representing the two countries.

He told journalists later that both Athens and Skopje "expressed resolve to get back to work and see whether we can have a breakthrough on this issue."

Mr. Nimetz said he planned to visit the region soon for further talks, although he added that no new proposals are currently on the agenda.

"I wouldn't say the gap is closer [or that] the gap has been narrowed, but I say that the area of discussion is more focused."

Mr. Nimetz has frequently held talks with the two sides in recent months to try to reach a deal, but he said in March that there has been no progress on the issue, despite an acknowledgement by both sides that a solution was in their best interests.

The Interim Accord of 13 September 1995, which was brokered by the UN, details the difference between Athens and Skopje on the name issue. It obliges the two sides to continue negotiations under the Secretary-General's auspices in a bid to reach agreement.
2008-06-12 00:00:00.000

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TO SUPPORT TIMORESE ECONOMY, UN MISSION AIMS TO INCREASE LOCAL PURCHASING

TO SUPPORT TIMORESE ECONOMY, UN MISSION AIMS TO INCREASE LOCAL PURCHASING New York, Jun 12 2008 4:00PM The United Nations Integrated Mission in Timor-Leste (UNMIT) is aiming to increase its support for long-term economic recovery in the fledgling nation by increasing purchasing of goods and services available in the country.

The Mission is supporting the Buy Local: Build Timor-Leste campaign by encouraging its staff members to spend their money locally in support of businesses in their communities.

The campaign is an initiative of the Peace Dividend Trust, following a study by the Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO) in 2005 that found that increasing peacekeeping and partners' expenditure in post-conflict States has a positive effect on local economies by creating employment and building the private sector capacity.

The Mission itself is also purchasing locally where possible and is working to assist local businesses meet the standards and procedures required to bid for UNMIT contracts.

Atul Khare, the Secretary-General's Special Representative in Timor-Leste and head of UNMIT, urged everyone at the Mission to buy locally and increase support to local businesses.

"The stimulation of the private sector is essential for the socio-economic growth of Timor-Leste and we support the initiatives of the Peace Dividend Trust," he said.

The Peace Dividend Trust is now working in two countries – Timor-Leste and Afghanistan – and is looking to increase its presence in other countries where there are UN peacekeeping operations.
2008-06-12 00:00:00.000

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IRAQI REFUGEES IN IRAN HELD UP BY RED TAPE AND BORDER CLOSURES, UN SAYS

IRAQI REFUGEES IN IRAN HELD UP BY RED TAPE AND BORDER CLOSURES, UN SAYS New York, Jun 12 2008 4:00PM The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (<"http://www.unhcr.org/news/NEWS/485122922.html">UNHCR) says that some 300 ethnic Arab Iraqi refugees in Jahrom camp in southern Iran have been waiting since last year for security clearance from the Iraqi authorities before they can return, while another 200 refugees in the camp have also expressed interest in returning to their home country.

Complicated clearance procedures have delayed repatriation for some refugees – until recently applications were sent via Amman, Jordan, to Baghdad for processing. In addition, there have been sporadic closures of the borders at Shalamcheh and Mehran since April for security reasons.

"I used to work in a cement factory for shelter construction," 50-year-old Iraqi Abdul Karim told the UN refugee agency. "After I registered for repatriation, I sold all my equipment, thinking it would take one to two months. Now we're hearing that security clearance has not come. How long should we wait? My children and I have no jobs. We didn't know it would take this long," he added.

Mr. Karim is among hundreds of thousands of mostly Shia Muslims who fled persecution under the late President Saddam Hussein's regime and sought refuge in Iran between the 1970s and the early 1990s. Many returned home in the second half of the 1990s.

The fall of the Baathist regime in 2003 led to another wave of returns from Iran, most of them ethnic Arabs.

"Unlike the gradual nature of the influx, repatriation took place overnight," said Shokrollah Kazemifar, the director-general of Iran's Bureau of Aliens and Foreign Immigrant Affairs in Ahwaz, south-western Iran, near the Iraqi border. "Once they decided to go, they demolished their homes and took everything."

Gaitrie Ammersing, UNHCR's protection officer in Ahwaz, noted several reasons for this: "Some refugees say the security situation and job opportunities are gradually improving in southern Iraq. They also tell us it is now much easier to obtain Iraqi documents upon return."

Others say it is getting harder to survive in Iran. "Life is hard here. I work nearby but it's not always easy to find jobs," said Attaye Heidari, who has lived in south-western Iran's Bani Najjar camp for the last 16 years. "I'm hard pressed and thinking about return. I believe life will be better in Basra."

More than 18,000 Iraqi refugees in Iran have been assisted home since November 2003, mostly to areas such as Baghdad and the southern governorates. Numbers peaked in 2004, with over 12,500 returns. Some 230 have repatriated from Iran to the north and south of Iraq so far this year.

The UN refugee agency does not encourage returns to Iraq at the moment, due to the fragile security situation. But it provides some assistance to those who insist on going. This includes interviewing them to make sure return is voluntary and providing a cash grant to help them with transport and initial reintegration costs. And recent developments may help speed their return.

"A new Iraqi consul has been set up in Ahwaz, which should expedite the process instead of going through Amman and Baghdad," explained Carlos Zaccagnini, UNHCR's representative in Iran, during a recent visit to the camp. "It will cost US$25 for each family to apply for security clearance there."

There are an estimated 54,000 registered Iraqi refugees living in Iran today, the large majority of them living outside camps, in urban areas.
2008-06-12 00:00:00.000

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UN CONFIRMS SECURITY ARRANGEMENTS FOR UPCOMING IVORIAN PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION

UN CONFIRMS SECURITY ARRANGEMENTS FOR UPCOMING IVORIAN PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION New York, Jun 12 2008 4:00PM The United Nations mission in Côte d'Ivoire (UNOCI) has confirmed that coordinated security arrangements will be in place with the aim of providing conditions for a successful presidential election in Côte d'Ivoire which is scheduled for November.

<"http://www.un.org/Depts/dpko/missions/unoci/index.html">UNOCI announced to reporters yesterday that the initiative will involve the Ivorian army, the former rebel Forces Nouvelles, UN peacekeepers in Liberia (<"http://unmil.org/">UNMIL) and Cote d'Ivoire, and the Security Council-mandated French force Licorne. They will secure Ivorian borders and provide security inside the country during the voting period.

"We are absolutely committed to the free movement of Ivorian voters," UNOCI Force Commander General Fernand Marcel Amoussou said.

The Force Commander of UNMIL General Chikadibia Obiakor said that the security arrangements will be in place from 19 June on the border between Côte d'Ivoire and Liberia.

Earlier this week a Security Council delegation met with officials in the country's capital, Abidjan, where they discussed the ongoing peace process in the West African nation and the presidential election.
2008-06-12 00:00:00.000

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UN HUMAN RIGHTS CHIEF WELCOMES UNITED STATES COURT RULING ON GUANTÁNAMO BAY

UN HUMAN RIGHTS CHIEF WELCOMES UNITED STATES COURT RULING ON GUANTÁNAMO BAY New York, Jun 12 2008 3:00PM The United Nations human rights chief has welcomed today's decision by the United States Supreme Court that the country's constitution extends to foreigners being held in Guantánamo Bay and that they have the right to challenge their detention in the civilian court system.

Louise Arbour, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, said in a <"http://www.unhchr.ch/huricane/huricane.nsf/view01/0C5153E06DB3765AC1257466005D6BDB?opendocument">statement that the detainees – some of whom have been detained for up to six years – have the right to a "prompt review" of the reasons for their detention.

"The Supreme Court has sent a vitally important message that the protections afforded by fundamental human rights guarantees extend to these individuals and that effective remedies must be available to them," she said after the announcement of a ruling in the case, known as <i>Boumediene v. Bush</i>.

Ms. Arbour added that she welcomed the recognition by the court "that security and liberty are not trade-offs, but can be reconciled through the framework of the law, and that it is the courts that apply that law. This has long been the hallmark of American constitutionalism."

The High Commissioner had submitted an amicus curiae – or "friend of the court" – brief to the Supreme Court as part of the case, arguing as a matter of constitutional law for the same conclusion that the court reached today.

After the ruling she said she hoped that, "now that these legal issues have been clearly and definitively settled, the civilian courts will be able to move promptly to assess the situation of individual detainees."
2008-06-12 00:00:00.000

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UN DRUGS CHIEF PRAISES WORLD'S LARGEST CANNABIS BUST IN AFGHANISTAN

UN DRUGS CHIEF PRAISES WORLD'S LARGEST CANNABIS BUST IN AFGHANISTAN New York, Jun 12 2008 2:00PM The head of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (<"http://www.unodc.org/unodc/index.html">UNODC) today congratulated the Afghan authorities for finding and destroying what is believed to be the world's largest seizure of drugs, with the support of NATO troops.

Antonio Maria Costa, Executive Director of UNODC, today congratulated the Minister of the Interior of Afghanistan, Zarar Ahmad Moqbel, for the seizure of 236.8 tons of hashish with a potential wholesale value of $400 million, according to the NATO operation in Afghanistan.

"This is a massive seizure, and a major success for counter-narcotics in Afghanistan," Mr. Costa said.

"Notorious for being the world's biggest producer of opium, Afghanistan has also become a major source of cannabis resin," Mr. Costa added.

UNODC estimates that some 70,000 hectares of cannabis were grown in 2007, up from 50,000 in 2006 and 30,000 in 2005. Afghanistan appears to be overtaking the world's top cannabis grower, Morocco, where the multi-billion dollar cannabis harvest halved from 2003 to 2006.

"The international community needs to provide more support to curb Afghanistan's drug problem", the UN drugs chief stressed as an international conference in support of Afghanistan got under way in Paris.

Mr. Costa praised the recent decision by the Security Council to adopt a resolution calling on all UN Member States to tighten international and regional controls on the manufacture and trade of chemical precursors, which are needed to make heroin, and prevent their diversion to illicit markets.

"This should make heroin production a riskier business," Mr. Costa said.

The head of UNODC also urged Member States to take action against individuals and entities that finance terrorism from drugs, by listing them, freezing their assets, and banning their travel.

"Drugs are financing terrorism and insurgency in Afghanistan. The Security Council has created a list, but there are still no names on it. I urge governments to come forward with the names and evidence needed to bring the most wanted drug traffickers to justice," Mr. Costa added.
2008-06-12 00:00:00.000

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UNESCO DEPLORES LATEST KILLING OF AFGHAN JOURNALIST

UNESCO DEPLORES LATEST KILLING OF AFGHAN JOURNALIST New York, Jun 12 2008 2:00PM The United Nations agency tasked with defending press freedom today condemned the recent assassination of an Afghan journalist working in the south of the strife-torn country.

Abdul Samad Rohani, a Pashto service reporter for the BBC World Service in Helmand province, was reportedly abducted last Saturday, a day before his body was discovered in the provincial capital, Lashkar Gah.

He is the fourth journalist to have been murdered in Afghanistan in the past year, according to the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ).

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 that improving the safety of journalists working in Afghanistan remains a priority for the agency.

"Using violence to muzzle journalists is an unacceptable breach of the basic human right of freedom of expression and of the right of members of the public to make informed decisions about their lives and their future," he said, adding that "freedom of expression is essential for building sustainable democracy."

His statement echoes similar remarks from the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (<"http://www.unama-afg.org/">UNAMA), which voiced its sadness at the killing of Mr. Rohani on Monday.

Mr. Matsuura has also written to the BBC – which lost another reporter last weekend, Nasteh Dahir Farah, who was killed in Kismayo, Somalia – expressing his support for their work.
2008-06-12 00:00:00.000

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UN HELPS CHINESE AUTHORITIES SEARCH FOR RADIOACTIVITY AFTER QUAKE

UN HELPS CHINESE AUTHORITIES SEARCH FOR RADIOACTIVITY AFTER QUAKE New York, Jun 12 2008 1:00PM Training and equipment supplied by the United Nations International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has helped emergency workers search for sources of radioactivity during rescue work following the massive earthquake that hit China's Sichuan province last month.

In the two weeks immediately following the earthquake, a team of radioactive source search and recovery experts fanned out across all disaster-stricken areas. The teams used radiation detection equipment to pinpoint the location of 50 sources and safely recover all of them, according to China's National Nuclear Safety Administration. Most of the sources were used in industry.

Under an IAEA Technical Cooperation Project launched in early 2007, staff from Chinese national authorities were trained in how to search for radioactive sources, and to then control and dispose of them safely.

A series of week-long national training workshops on recovery was attended by some 100 Chinese search team members from each of the country's 31 provinces.

"At the time of the training workshops, we had no clue that the training and equipment would be used in such a disaster," explained Nabil Lutfi, the IAEA Programme Management Officer responsible for organizing the workshops.

In addition to the training that Chinese authorities received, the IAEA made an in-kind contribution of radiation detection and search equipment.

The 7.9-magnitude earthquake of 12 May devastated China's mountainous Sichuan province, killing an estimated 69,000 people and causing extensive property damage.
2008-06-12 00:00:00.000

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UNESCO CHIEF WELCOMES LITERACY WORK OF US FIRST LADY LAURA BUSH

UNESCO CHIEF WELCOMES LITERACY WORK OF US FIRST LADY LAURA BUSH New York, Jun 12 2008 12:00PM The head of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has welcomed the announcement by United States First Lady Laura Bush that she will host a second international literacy meeting in New York in her capacity as Honorary Ambassador for the UN Literacy Decade.

Mr. Koïchiro Matsuura said in a statement that Mrs. Bush's "hard work and dedication have encouraged other First Ladies across the globe to speak out in support of literacy, and have propelled national governments and other key partners to step up their commitments in this area."

Mrs. Bush will host a symposium on literacy in New York in September which will draw together the conclusions of six regional UNESCO conferences in the last two years and identify next steps. The first White House Conference in Support of Global Literacy was convened by Mrs. Bush in 2006.

This year represents both the mid-term of the UN Literacy Decade and the halfway point towards the 2015 target date for achieving Education for All and the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

"Unless efforts are redoubled to reach the over 774 million adults in the world who still cannot read or write, then these development objectives will not be met," Mr. Matsuura said. "The need to tackle female illiteracy is of particular urgency. Women account for two-thirds of all adult illiterates. Yet, we know that female literacy – with its proven benefits for health, nutrition, education and household income – is important for reaching every one of the MDGs."
2008-06-12 00:00:00.000

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BUILDING BLOCKS IN PLACE FOR AFGHANISTAN'S DEVELOPMENT, BAN TELLS PARIS SUMMIT

BUILDING BLOCKS IN PLACE FOR AFGHANISTAN'S DEVELOPMENT, BAN TELLS PARIS SUMMIT New York, Jun 12 2008 12:00PM With the launch of Afghanistan's own blueprint for development, fresh pledges from donors, the commitment of the Government and a strengthened United Nations mandate, the key elements for the rebuilding of the strife-torn nation are in place, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon told world leaders gathered in Paris.

"These are the building blocks of our new partnership and of a new deal for Afghanistan," Mr. Ban <"http://www.un.org/apps/sg/sgstats.asp">told the gathering, which he co-hosted with French President Nicolas Sarkozy.

The one-day conference witnessed the launch of the Afghan National Development Strategy, the Government's five-year plan to reduce poverty and promote economic and social development.

Mr. Ban stressed the need for the international community to channel its funds more and more through Afghan structures, and for the Government to be able to account for the use of these funds with transparency and deliver results.

"We are here in Paris today because we recognize that the cost of development in Afghanistan far exceed its resources," the Secretary-General stated. "We also recognize that promoting a stable, secure and prosperous Afghanistan benefits not only Afghans, but the entire global community."

More to follow…
2008-06-12 00:00:00.000

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CORRUPTION HITS ASIA-PACIFIC'S POOR THE HARDEST, UN SAYS IN NEW REPORT

CORRUPTION HITS ASIA-PACIFIC'S POOR THE HARDEST, UN SAYS IN NEW REPORT New York, Jun 12 2008 11:00AM Pervasive corruption is a stranglehold on the lives of the Asia-Pacific region's poor, limiting their access to education and health services, according to a new United Nations report released today, which also highlights innovative ways in which communities are striving to fight the problem.

Launched today in Jakarta, the UN Development Programme (<"http://content.undp.org/go/newsroom/2008/june/undp-report-examines-priority-areas-for-tackling-corruption-in-asia-pacific.en;jsessionid=ae0JNY79s1N7">UNDP) report, "Tackling Corruption, Transforming Lives," notes that anti-corruption efforts usually focus on exposing the 'big fish.'

But it is 'small fry' corruption – from the salaries of fictitious teachers to doctors demanding cash payments from poor, pregnant women to deliver their babies – that impacts people's day-to-day lives and threatens the achievement of the global targets aimed at halving poverty by 2015, known as the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

"Hauling the rich and powerful before the courts may grab the headlines, but the poor will benefit more from efforts to eliminate the corruption that plagues their everyday lives," says Anuradha Rajivan, Head of the UNDP Regional Human Development Report Unit.

"Petty corruption is a misnomer," she adds. "Dollar amounts may be relatively small but the demands are incessant, the number of people affected is enormous and the share of poor people's income diverted to corruption is high."

Combating corruption makes more political sense now than ever before, especially in sectors like water and electricity, health and education, as it "not only confers credibility to the government, it also greatly promotes everyday citizen satisfaction," stresses the report.

In the Asia-Pacific region, politicians are seen as the most corrupt group in government followed by the police, with the judiciary running a close third, according to the report. Nearly one in five people claim to have paid a bribe to police during the previous year.

In addition, giving bribes for admission to a hospital – or for new mothers even to see their babies in a maternity ward – is common in South Asia. "One survey of Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka found that health workers often demanded bribes for admission to hospital, to provide a bed, or to give subsidized medications," says the report.

The report also shows that higher levels of corruption are correlated with fewer children attending schools and higher dropout and illiteracy rates. An extreme type of education corruption is found in 'ghost teachers' who may be on a payroll but never set foot in a classroom, and even 'ghost schools' exist.

At the same time, the report highlights how some communities are fighting the scourge. For example, in the rural, one-teacher schools of Rajasthan, India, where teacher absentee rates have topped 40 per cent, a local non-governmental organization came up with a novel solution that required teachers to take a photo of themselves with the students at the beginning and end of each day using cameras with tamper-proof date and time functions in order to get their maximum salary. As a result, the number of days that children were actually taught each month increased by one third.

Enacting, and enforcing, the right anti-corruption legislation has also made a difference in countries. In China a law was introduced in 2006 stipulating that staff members of schools and hospitals would face criminal penalties for seeking bribes or receiving kickbacks. The former Commissioner of the State Food and Drug Administration was subsequently convicted on charges of accepting more than $850,000 in bribes.

The report suggests a number of ways to tackle the problem of corruption, including raising salaries for doctors, teachers and other civil servants so they do not have to rely on bribes to make a living, and using information technology and e-governance to make administration more transparent.
2008-06-12 00:00:00.000

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GREATER ACCESS TO EDUCATION KEY TO COMBATING CHILD LABOUR - UN

GREATER ACCESS TO EDUCATION KEY TO COMBATING CHILD LABOUR – UN New York, Jun 12 2008 10:00AM The United Nations is urging improved access to education as the right response to address the plight of the estimated 165 million children between the ages of 5 and 14 worldwide who are involved in child labour.

"Despite global progress in many areas, it is unacceptable that so many children must still work for their survival and that of their families," Juan Somavia, Director-General of the UN International Labour Organization (ILO), said today on the occasion of the World Day Against Child Labour.

The ILO's International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour (IPEC) says that of some 218 million child labourers around the world, millions are either denied educational opportunities that would give them a better future or must balance work with education.

"For too many children, particularly children of poor families across the world, the right to education remains an abstract concept, far from the reality of daily life," Mr. Somavia stated.

He noted that more than 70 million primary school-aged children are not enrolled in school. Many of these and other out-of-school children start working at an early age, often well below the minimum age of employment. And when a family has to make a choice between sending either a boy or girl to school, it is often the girl who loses out.

"Our challenge is to offer hope to the child labourers of the world by making their right a reality, ensuring that they have quality education and training which can lead them towards a future of decent work," he said.

"This is essential to break the cycle of child labour and poverty. And it is a sound investment for individuals and society."

To tackle child labour, ILO is urging governments to provide education for all children at least to the minimum age of employment, as well as education policies that reach out to child labourers and other excluded groups.

In addition, the agency is calling for properly resourced quality education and skills training, and education for all children and decent work for adults.

The annual World Day is being marked in some 60 countries with events ranging from awareness-raising campaigns and artistic performances to competitions and photo exhibitions on child labour.
2008-06-12 00:00:00.000

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UN RIGHTS GROUP DEPLORES RECENT WAVE OF DISAPPEARANCES IN SRI LANKA

UN RIGHTS GROUP DEPLORES RECENT WAVE OF DISAPPEARANCES IN SRI LANKA New York, Jun 11 2008 11:00AM The Government of Sri Lanka needs to stamp out a recent wave of disappearances in which women and humanitarian aid workers are among those who have gone missing, a group of United Nations human rights experts <" http://www.unhchr.ch/huricane/huricane.nsf/view01/D564F9EDD64E959FC12574650049042C?opendocument">said today.

The UN <" http://www2.ohchr.org/english/issues/disappear/index.htm">Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances said it has formally communicated its concerns to the Sri Lankan authorities that over the last two months 22 people have disappeared, 18 of them in May.

"The Working Group is also concerned that both women and humanitarian aid workers are being targeted," the experts said in a statement.

According to the Group, many more disappearances may be occurring in Sri Lanka but are not being reported because of fear of reprisals.

The experts said that little progress has been made, "despite the supposed willingness of the Government to address the issue of enforced disappearances."

In the statement, the Working Group calls on the Sri Lankan authorities to take effective measures to prevent and terminate acts of enforced disappearances, to carry out thorough investigations and to bring the perpetrators to justice.

The Working Group, whose mandate is to help families determine the fate and whereabouts of disappeared relatives, "regrets that it has not been able to visit Sri Lanka, and reiterates its request to the Government to extend an invitation to visit the country without delay."
2008-06-11 00:00:00.000

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SELECTION PROCESS FOR NEXT UN HUMAN RIGHTS CHIEF IS CLEAR AND RIGOROUS, BAN SAYS

SELECTION PROCESS FOR NEXT UN HUMAN RIGHTS CHIEF IS CLEAR AND RIGOROUS, BAN SAYS New York, Jun 10 2008 8:00PM The selection process for the next United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights is clear and thorough and has already involved broad consultation with Member States, human rights groups and non-governmental organizations (NGOs), Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said today.

In a <"http://www.un.org/apps/sg/sgstats.asp?nid=3224">statement issued by his spokesperson in response to media questioning about the transparency of the process to choose a successor to Louise Arbour, who steps down as High Commissioner at the end of this month, Mr. Ban said "the idea – circulated by some – that the process represents some sort of insider deal is absurd."

He said the standard procedures for senior appointments made by the Secretary-General have been followed at all times.

"Our goal from the outset has been to establish clear and rigorous selection standards and timelines and make out a list of candidates from the widest possible pool," the statement noted.

"This has been done by soliciting nominations from Member States, complemented by nominations addressed to the Secretary-General by a range of sources, including Member States and international non-governmental organizations, as well as human rights organizations."

Deputy Secretary-General Asha-Rose Migiro and Chef de Cabinet Vijay Nambiar met with members of the human rights community in New York recently to discuss the appointment and similar meetings are being held on an ongoing basis with Member States, Mr. Ban added.

A shortlist of candidates has been drawn up "after a thorough review process" and interviewed by a panel of senior officials, and they will soon be interviewed by Mr. Ban before he decides on a nomination to send to the General Assembly.

The names of the shortlisted candidates have not been publicly released to protect their privacy, the statement said, adding that it is not true that previous UN administrations had made it a practice to publicize shortlists of candidates for senior posts.

"This was not done in the case of Louise Arbour. The lists of candidates were disclosed in some selected cases involving the selection of the heads of some agencies, funds and programmes."

Ms. Arbour, a Canadian Supreme Court justice and ex-prosecutor of UN war crimes tribunals for Rwanda and the former Yugoslavia, assumed the post of High Commissioner in 2004 after her predecessor, Sergio Vieira de Mello, was killed in a terrorist attack in Baghdad the previous August.
2008-06-10 00:00:00.000

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UN STUDYING REPORT SUBMITTED BY STAFF SECURITY REVIEW PANEL

UN STUDYING REPORT SUBMITTED BY STAFF SECURITY REVIEW PANEL New York, Jun 10 2008 4:02PM Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has received the report of the independent panel tasked with assessing the safety and security of United Nations staff worldwide and said it will be "studied in detail before considering appropriate follow-up action," his spokesperson said today.

The report was handed over to Mr. Ban yesterday by veteran diplomat Lakhdar Brahimi, Chairman of the Independent Panel on Safety and Security of UN Personnel and Premises Worldwide.

The seven-member Panel, which includes international experts from outside the UN system, was set up by the Secretary-General in February, in the wake of the December 2007 Algiers bombing which claimed the lives of 17 UN staff.

It was tasked with providing recommendations on strategic issues vital to the delivery and enhancement of the security of UN personnel and premises and the changing threats and risks faced by it.

"Careful internal deliberations are under way with a view to ensuring the transparency of the process and the efficiency and integrity of any follow-up measures, taking into account the due process rights of individuals," UN spokesperson Marie Okabe told reporters.
2008-06-10 00:00:00.000

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PARIS MEETING SHOULD BOOST AFGHAN-INTERNATIONAL PARTNERSHIP, SAYS UN ENVOY

PARIS MEETING SHOULD BOOST AFGHAN-INTERNATIONAL PARTNERSHIP, SAYS UN ENVOY New York, Jun 10 2008 2:00PM A major summit in support of Afghanistan to be held in Paris later this week should result in an enhanced partnership between the fledgling democracy and its international partners, the top United Nations envoy to the country said today.

"The Paris conference is more than just a pledging conference for donors. We will seek to forge a 'new deal' between the Government of Afghanistan and the international community," said the Secretary-General's Special Representative, Kai Eide.

He will join Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, Afghan President Hamid Karzai and delegates from over 80 countries and organizations on Thursday at the International Conference on Afghanistan – part of global efforts to help with reconstruction and development in the strife-torn nation.

Mr. Eide heads the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), which is tasked with promoting peace and stability by leading efforts of the international community, in conjunction with the Afghan Government, to rebuild the country and strengthen the foundations of peace and constitutional democracy.

"On our part, the international community must bring much greater coherence in the assistance being provided, we must channel more resources and effort towards building basic state institutions able to protect and serve the Afghan people," said Mr. Eide.

He added that the Afghan Government must play its part by deepening and broadening its economic and political reform process, demonstrating greater accountability and intensifying anti-corruption efforts.

In addition to assessing the progress made since the last international donors' meeting in London over two years ago, the meeting will also witness the launch of the Afghanistan National Development Strategy, the Government's five-year blueprint for the country's reconstruction.

"With the Afghanistan National Development Strategy we now have an Afghan-led and owned blueprint for all our support efforts. The imperative will be on the Government to show increased accountability for the support received and on the international community to get behind Afghanistan's own priorities," Mr. Eide stated.
2008-06-10 00:00:00.000

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VITAL PROGRESS MADE TOWARDS UNIVERSAL ACCESS TO HIV PREVENTION, TREATMENT - BAN

VITAL PROGRESS MADE TOWARDS UNIVERSAL ACCESS TO HIV PREVENTION, TREATMENT – BAN New York, Jun 10 2008 1:00PM The world has made "important achievements" in its quest to obtain universal access to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support by 2010, demonstrating what can be done where there is sufficient political will, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon told the General Assembly today.

Women and children are benefiting especially, he said in an <"http://www.un.org/apps/news/infocus/sgspeeches/statments_full.asp?statID=260">address to the start of the Assembly's high-level meeting on HIV/AIDS, where he presented his latest report on the progress made towards the goal of universal access since it was set two years ago.

More mothers now have access to interventions that prevent transmission to their infants and more HIV-infected children are receiving treatment and care programmes. At least 3 million people now have access to anti-retroviral treatment in poor or middle-income countries.

But Mr. Ban warned that too many people are becoming newly infected, dying from the disease or not receiving anti-retroviral treatment despite being in urgent need.

Last year, for example, "there were twice as many people in need of anti-retroviral treatment and going without, as there were receiving it," he said. "This situation is unacceptable." <font color="#CC0000" size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, sans-serif"><b>MORE TO FOLLOW</b></font>
2008-06-10 00:00:00.000

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UK COUNTER-TERRORISM BILL NEEDS TO BE RE-EXAMINED, SAYS UN HUMAN RIGHTS EXPERT

UK COUNTER-TERRORISM BILL NEEDS TO BE RE-EXAMINED, SAYS UN HUMAN RIGHTS EXPERT New York, Jun 10 2008 11:00AM An independent United Nations human rights expert has asked the United Kingdom to withdraw or postpone action on a bill that would lower key standards regarding detention in the context of fighting terrorism.

Martin Scheinin, the <" http://www2.ohchr.org/english/issues/terrorism/rapporteur/srchr.htm">Special Rapporteur on human rights and counter-terrorism, has expressed his concern that the bill, scheduled to be voted on tomorrow in the House of Commons, could set a negative precedent for upholding human rights as it contains a key provision to extend pre-charge detention of terrorist suspects to 42 days.

"The United Kingdom has a long standing history of effective human rights protection, however I am concerned that this counter-terrorism bill, if adopted, could prompt other States to copy the provision into their own counter-terrorism legislation, without reflecting on the importance of effective judicial review," Mr. Scheinin <" http://www.unhchr.ch/huricane/huricane.nsf/view01/B29EDB9F1B38BB0DC1257464003873C6?opendocument">said in a news release.

He stressed in particular that the scope of judicial review needs to be broadened to secure the right of the accused to contest the substantive grounds of detention, and a real possibility of release.

"I welcome the ongoing dialogue between the Government and my mandate regarding the potential impact of these measures on human rights, but I appeal to the Government to withdraw the Bill or to postpone taking a definitive decision on it," said Mr. Scheinin, who reports to the Geneva-based <" http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/hrcouncil/">Human Rights Council.

Appointed in 2005, the Special Rapporteur is tasked with, among other things, identifying and promoting best practices on measures to counter terrorism that respect human rights and fundamental freedoms.
2008-06-10 00:00:00.000

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