IN MADAGASCAR, UNICEF PROVIDES HEALTH SERVICES TO CYCLONE-HIT AREAS

IN MADAGASCAR, UNICEF PROVIDES HEALTH SERVICES TO CYCLONE-HIT AREAS New York, Jul 18 2008 6:00PM The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the European Commission's humanitarian wing are working together in Madagascar to provide medicines and other vital health services to a series of villages, five months after they were devastated by Cyclone Ivan in February.

UNICEF has delivered medicines to 36 health centres and conducted outreach activities in 20 remote villages, according to a press release issued yesterday by the agency.

At least 93 people were killed and more than 190,000 others were left homeless by Cyclone Ivan after it struck the island country in mid-February. Local authorities said it was the worst storm of its kind to strike Madagascar since the 1980s.

As part of its ongoing relief efforts UNICEF has helped give vaccinations to children and worked to treat the emergence of malaria, diarrhoea and acute respiratory diseases.
2008-07-18 00:00:00.000

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CONCERTED GLOBAL ACTION NEEDED FOR FOOD AND ENERGY CRISES - ASSEMBLY PRESIDENT

CONCERTED GLOBAL ACTION NEEDED FOR FOOD AND ENERGY CRISES – ASSEMBLY PRESIDENT New York, Jul 18 2008 1:00PM Urgent changes in global agricultural policies are needed to meet the threats of soaring food and energy prices, the United Nations General Assembly President said today.

Reducing subsidies, lifting tariffs and other trade barriers would stimulate food production and offer a route to development for 180 million small farmers in Africa, Srgjan Kerim told Member States as the Assembly met to discuss the two global crises.

The President added that an urgent and mandatory step at the global level was to ensure a successful outcome to the Doha Round of international trade talks.

"The food crisis therefore offers a win-win opportunity for the international community to collectively agree to policies that promote trade efficiency while also boosting agricultural production and reducing the vulnerability of the poorest around the world," Mr. Kerim stressed.

The rise in food and oil prices could severely weaken the economies of up to 75 developing countries, Mr. Kerim said, quoting research by the International Monetary Fund (IMF). He added that the World Bank estimated that rising costs could reduce the gross domestic product (GDP) of up to 50 countries by 3 to 10 per cent, pushing at least 100 million people into poverty.

Mr. Kerim called on the 192-member Assembly to adopt a resolution on the current economic threats, saying they require "an immediate, coherent and coordinated response with the UN system playing a central role."

Also addressing the Assembly today, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon warned that "the double jeopardy of high food and fuel prices threatens to undermine much of the progress made in achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

To meet the MDGs – a set of anti-poverty targets to be achieved worldwide by 2015 – Mr. Ban called for a Global Partnership for Food, bringing together governments, donors, UN agencies, international financial institutions, business, academic communities and civil society.

The Secretary-General also said that between $25 and $40 billion would be needed annually to boost agricultural production and to assist farmers around the world.

He welcomed today's proposal by the European Commission for a special funding facility to provide more than $1.5 billion for a rapid response to the global food crisis.

"If we do not seek lasting solutions now, more children will die each day, more families will go to bed hungry. The threats left to the next generation will be even greater," he said.
2008-07-18 00:00:00.000

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UN EXPERT PRAISES RIGHTS PROGRESS IN LIBERIA, RAISES CONCERN AT CRIME LEVELS

UN EXPERT PRAISES RIGHTS PROGRESS IN LIBERIA, RAISES CONCERN AT CRIME LEVELS New York, Jul 18 2008 12:00PM Five years after the peace agreement that ended its civil war, Liberia has made accelerated progress on several human rights issues, but there are still serious concerns about the rule of law, according to a United Nations expert who has just completed a two-week visit to the country.

"The installations of a new democratically elected government which took office in January 2006 has witnessed the acceleration of progress on a number of human rights and development issues including economic and social rights," Charlotte Abaka, the UN Independent Expert on the Situation of Human Rights, Technical Cooperation and Advisory Services in Liberia, said in a <a href-"http://www.un.org/apps/pressreleases/">statement released today.

Ms. Abaka cited the rehabilitation of schools, hospitals and courts as well as the launching of a poverty reduction strategy document, as signs of progress.

Other positive developments were the near completion of the public hearings of the country's Truth and Reconciliation Commission and the launching of a judicial training centre.

The rights expert also praised draft legislation that would pave the way for a Law Reform Commission and an Independent National Commission on Human Rights and welcomed a new UN and Government-backed programme to prevent gender-based violence as well as the opening of safe houses for its victims.

However, Ms. Abaka stressed that rape and sexual violence continued to be the most frequently committed serious crimes in Liberia, saying that the very high rate of girls dropping out of school because of pregnancy was very worrisome. Twenty-four girls from Guthrie elementary and senior high schools had dropped out because of pregnancy in June this year, she noted.

"Serious concerns remain with regard to the rule of law," Ms. Abaka added. "The continued increase in armed robberies and rape cases is a security issue. Therefore there is an urgent need for far-reaching reforms in policing, judiciary and correction sectors."

Mr. Abaka called for action to ensure that protective and punitive measures were enforced to combat the ongoing scourge of sexual violence.

"The challenges in relation to the promotion and protection of human rights which face the Government and Liberian society as a whole remain enormous," Ms. Abaka concluded, adding that the "need for responsive and accountable policing, an effective judiciary which applies the rule of law and a strengthened corrections sector is yet to be adequately addressed."
2008-07-18 00:00:00.000

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INSECURITY AND DROUGHT LEAVE MILLIONS OF SOMALIS IN DIRE NEED OF AID - UN

INSECURITY AND DROUGHT LEAVE MILLIONS OF SOMALIS IN DIRE NEED OF AID – UN New York, Jul 18 2008 10:00AM Attacks on aid workers and threats to ships delivering food aid to Somalia, coupled with the effects of drought and poor harvest, have left millions in the strife-torn nation in need of urgent aid, the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) said today.

Some 2.6 million people – representing 35 per cent of the population – are believed to be in need of food aid in the country, which has not had a functioning government since 1991. That number is expected to rise to 3.5 million by December.

WFP says that insecurity, drought and successive poor harvests are only worsening the suffering of millions, and pushing thousands more into poverty. Price rises in basic commodities and the weakness of the Somali shilling have only added to the misery.

"Somalia is at a dire crossroads," Peter Goossens, WFP's Country Director for Somalia <"http://appablog.wordpress.com/2008/07/18/somalia-united-nations-world-food-programme-somalia-faces-dire-crossroads-as-insecurity-and-drought-combine/">told a news conference today in London. "If sufficient food and other humanitarian assistance cannot be scaled up in the coming months, parts of the country could well be in the grips of disaster similar to the 1992-1993 famine, when hundreds of thousands of people perished."

Mr. Goossens warned that deteriorating security was hindering land and sea deliveries of food. Some 90 per cent of the food aid distributed to Somalis arrives by sea.

WFP has appealed to countries to provide naval escorts to protect WFP food ships against piracy. France, Denmark and the Netherlands had done so over the last eight months but the agency has received no commitments for further escorts beyond June.

The humanitarian aid operation is also being hindered by a spate of killings or kidnappings of staff from UN agencies and non-governmental organizations (NGOs).

WFP has to double the amount of people it feeds from more than one million per month, to 2.4 million by December. CARE International and the International Committee of the Red Cross are to assist the remaining 1.1 million.
2008-07-18 00:00:00.000

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BAN CALLS PROTECTING CHILDREN IN ARMED CONFLICT A 'MORAL CALL'

BAN CALLS PROTECTING CHILDREN IN ARMED CONFLICT A 'MORAL CALL' New York, Jul 17 2008 4:00PM Protecting children in armed conflict is a moral issue, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon stressed today, calling for increased action to safeguard young people caught up in violence.

"The protection of children in armed conflict is a litmus test for the United Nations and the Organization's Member States," Mr. Ban <"http://www.un.org/apps/sg/sgstats.asp?nid=3301">said told the Security Council in an open debate. "It is a moral call, and deserves to be placed above politics. It requires innovative, fearless engagement by all stakeholders."

He noted that in the 12 years since the release of the landmark study on the impact of armed conflict on children by Graça Machel, international legal standards on the issue have been established.

The Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC) classifies recruiting children into fighting forces as both a war crime and a crime against humanity, while the UN International Labour Organization (ILO) has a convention calling child soldiering one of the worst forms of child labour.

The Secretary-General lauded the work of the Security Council to protect children, with resolutions having been adopted on six grave violations: abduction; sexual violence; child soldiers; killing and maiming; attacks on schools and hospitals; and denial of humanitarian access.

"Yet we have only begun to scratch the surface," he said, voicing hope that the 15-member body would take further measures to address the problem.

In her address to the debate, which heard from dozens of speakers, Radhika Coomaraswamy, the Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict, said that her recent visits to Iraq and Afghanistan have convinced her of the changing nature of warfare.

"The time has come for us to re-double our efforts in these regions, to renew our commitment to ensure that children will not be recruited or used as suicide bombers, that they will not be detained in military detention without due process which protects their vulnerability as minors, that their schools will not be attacked, that they or their families will not be collateral damage and that girl children will not be the targets of sexual violence or denied access to schools," she said.

Over the past year, Ms. Coomaraswamy said, Member States have expressed their opinions that her Office should more closely assess the root causes of serious offenses against children, in particular the problem of children associated with armed groups.

Although in agreement with the need to understand the basis of conflict, she underlined that the Council should not be steered "away from its task of ensuring accountability for and fighting impunity of persistent and grave violators of children's rights in situations of armed conflict, a task in which it has a supreme advantage over other organs of the United Nations, including the possibility of imposing targeted measures," she said.

Also speaking at today's debate was Assistant Secretary-General Edmond Mulet, who briefed the Council on measures that the Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO) has taken on child protection.

Currently, the Department hosts more than 60 Child Protection Officers in seven missions around the world, with the provision of training on children's rights being a top priority.

"We must strive to ensure an environment in which children's rights are fully respected and their welfare is protected: a peaceful and just environment in which they can flourish and meaningfully contribute to their communities," Mr. Mulet said.

"DPKO is contributing to these efforts through the very nature of its operations, which is to help societies begin to rise from the ashes of conflict and instability."
2008-07-17 00:00:00.000

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CHINESE ENGINEERS ARRIVE TO SUPPORT JOINT UN-AFRICAN UNION MISSION IN DARFUR

CHINESE ENGINEERS ARRIVE TO SUPPORT JOINT UN-AFRICAN UNION MISSION IN DARFUR New York, Jul 17 2008 4:00PM A company of 172 Chinese engineers arrived today in Nyala in South Darfur to join the joint United Nations-African Union peacekeeping mission (UNAMID) in Sudan's troubled western region.

The Chinese contingent will work primarily on the completion of a camp in Nyala and will expand other UNAMID camps in Darfur, providing the infrastructure and facilities that will allow more peacekeepers to deploy. They bring the total number of Chinese engineers in Darfur to 315 and the total number of UNAMID forces to 8,000.

UNAMID's Joint Special Representative Rodolphe Adada said that deployment was the priority for the mission. "We are accelerating our deployment. We are building the strength of the mission so we can protect more personnel and more Darfurians and continue to implement our mandate," he said.

UNAMID Force Commander General Martin Luther Agwai had previously emphasised the lack of engineering capacity as one of the principal constraints delaying deployment of more peacekeepers to the currently under-manned mission.

"Every commander wants the resources to fulfill his assignment," he said. "For me it's a very special day because what we need most is the engineering capacity to build and expand our camps to allow us to increase the numbers of our deployed forces."

The Chinese company of engineers includes bridge and road-building detachments, construction and installation units, maintenance and support teams, and well-drilling specialists. Apart from their work on the camp in Nyala and other UNAMID bases, the engineers will also assist local communities in Darfur with Quick Impact Projects, such as well-drilling.

The UN is aiming to deploy 80 per cent of a total contingent of 26,000 troops and police officers by the end of the year.

UNAMID also reports that in the past 24 hours, peacekeepers conducted 21 security and confidence-building patrols in the region and humanitarian activities are ongoing as well.

In addition, the mission says the investigation is still ongoing into yesterday's shooting death of a UNAMID peacekeeper. The killing comes just one week after seven blue helmets with the mission were slain in an attack in North Darfur.

Meanwhile, from Khartoum, the UN Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) reports that the withdrawal of the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) and Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA) forces from Abyei continues, with UNMIS monitoring.

This is in line with the joint plan unveiled by the Sudanese Government of National Unity's main parties to resolve their dispute over the situation in the oil-rich area around Abyei, which lies close to the boundary between the north and south of the country.

Both parties agreed at yesterday's Area Joint Military Committee to complete withdrawal by 30 July.
2008-07-17 00:00:00.000

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AFGHANISTAN: CHEMICALS USED FOR HEROIN PRODUCTION SEIZED IN UN-BACKED OPERATION

AFGHANISTAN: CHEMICALS USED FOR HEROIN PRODUCTION SEIZED IN UN-BACKED OPERATION New York, Jul 17 2008 1:00PM More than three tons of precursor chemicals used to produce heroin were recently seized in Afghanistan in an operation supported by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).

Nearly 3,200 kilos of the chemicals, including 2,229 kilos of ammonium chloride and 736 kilos of sodium carbonate, were hidden in sacks of fertilizer and rice and smuggled across the Pakistani border by truck.

The shipment was intercepted in Kabul by the Counter Narcotics Police in Afghanistan (CNPA), as part of the UNODC-supported "Operation Tarcet," which targets the smuggling of precursor chemicals into the strife-torn nation, which supplies more than 90 per cent of the world's heroin.

Working with UNODC and regional governments, the CNPA has stepped up its efforts to intercept consignments of smuggled precursors through its participation in Operation Tarcet, which began in Afghanistan and now covers the region.

Operation Tarcet has also led to the recent seizure of five tons of acetic anhydride, a chemical needed to produce heroin, in the southern Iranian city of Bandar Abbas, and a 14-ton seizure of the same precursor in Karachi, Pakistan.

"This seizure shows that regional and targeted collaboration works," says Jean-Luc Lemahieu, Chief of UNODC's Europe and Asia Section. "Dealing with the drug issue is a shared responsibility. Translating this shared responsibility into action is the art."

Operation Tarcet aims to educate law enforcement officials on identifying and intercepting smuggled chemical shipments, and to intercept consignments using modern methodologies.

It is part of UNODC's broader "Rainbow Strategy" to counter Afghan opium production, trafficking and consumption, through cross-border cooperation, intelligence, precursor control, money flows and drug demand reduction.
2008-07-17 00:00:00.000

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MYANMAR: UN AGENCY CALLS FOR FUNDS TO ASSIST CYCLONE-AFFECTED FARMERS

MYANMAR: UN AGENCY CALLS FOR FUNDS TO ASSIST CYCLONE-AFFECTED FARMERS New York, Jul 17 2008 1:00PM With Myanmar's main planting season drawing to a close next month, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said today that urgent aid is needed to help small farmers in the country's rice bowl, which was devastated by Cyclone Nargis.

Three-quarters of farmers in the South-East Asian nation's main food-producing area do not have the seed needed, and FAO is <"http://www.fao.org/newsroom/en/news/2008/1000893/index.html">appealing for $33.5 million – revised upwards from its original call for $10 million – to help households rebuild their livelihoods and boost food production.

"With a reduced rice harvest unlikely to meet the needs of the affected population, food security will depend on providing support to farming households in alternative crop strategies and rapidly restoring livestock-, fisheries-, aquaculture- and forestry-based livelihoods," said Ann M. Bauer, Director of FAO's Emergency Operations and Rehabilitation Division.

Last week, the UN issued a call for an additional $303 million in funding for responding to Cyclone Nargis, with $51 million earmarked for farming, fisheries, aquaculture and forestries.

More than 780,000 hectares of rice paddy fields – nearly two-thirds of paddy land in affected areas – were flooded and nearly 90 per cent of seed stocks were destroyed by Nargis, according to FAO and Government-led assessments. Production is expected to plummet by nearly one-third, FAO warned.

Additionally, over 100,000 people in the fishing industry have been affected.

FAO set up an Emergency and Rehabilitation Coordination Unit in Myanmar shortly after the storm struck, and such key supplies as high-yielding paddy rice seed, fertilizers, draught animals and livestock vaccines have either already been delivered or are en route to 41,000 households in the hardest-hit townships of Yangon and Ayeyarwady.
2008-07-17 00:00:00.000

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INTERNATIONAL STAFF WITH UN HEALTH AGENCY RETURN TO BAGHDAD ON PERMANENT BASIS

INTERNATIONAL STAFF WITH UN HEALTH AGENCY RETURN TO BAGHDAD ON PERMANENT BASIS New York, Jul 17 2008 11:00AM The United Nations World Health Organization (WHO) said today that it has restored a permanent international staff presence in Baghdad for the first time since a suicide bomb attack on the world body's Iraq headquarters in 2003 left 22 dead and 150 wounded.

The agency said that the recently improved security situation in the country, as well as the UN's support of Iraq's International Compact initiative for reconstruction and development, led to the move.

"WHO is here to serve Iraq," <"http://www.who.int/hac/crises/irq/sitreps/who_presence_in_iraq/en/">said the agency's Country Representative, Dr. Naeema Al-Gasseer. "Our day-to-day dealings with the Government and other health partners will be vastly improved by having a permanent international presence here."

Since the 2003 withdrawal, WHO says that Iraqi personnel have kept working throughout the country, helping national and local authorities deliver vital public health programmes.
These included immunization and disease monitoring, prevention and control. Key public health institutions have been rehabilitated and thousands of Ministry of Health staff trained.

Meanwhile, international teams continued conducting missions into Iraq, using the WHO Country Office in neighbouring Jordan as a hub. They responded to public health emergencies, such as controlling avian influenza and cholera outbreaks, and advising on technical issues and health system reform.

WHO says the basing of its international experts in Iraq will accelerate health sector reform.

"WHO will intensify its recovery and relief assistance to Iraq and help its people obtain the healthcare they deserve," said Dr. Eric Laroche, Assistant Director-General for WHO's Health Action in Crises Cluster. "This will be done in close collaboration with the Iraqi public, private and civil society stakeholders."

In a separate development today, the UN Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) condemned the killing of Abbas Kadhim, a member of the Political Bureau of the Democratic Shabak Assemly, on 12 July in Bartallah.

UNAMI urged the Government of Iraq and the Kurdistan Regional Government to initiate a prompt and thorough investigation.
2008-07-17 00:00:00.000

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EU NEEDS TO REMAIN ACCESSIBLE FOR ASYLUM SEEKERS, UN REFUGEE CHIEF SAYS

EU NEEDS TO REMAIN ACCESSIBLE FOR ASYLUM SEEKERS, UN REFUGEE CHIEF SAYS New York, Jul 17 2008 10:00AM While welcoming efforts to build a unified asylum procedure, the top United Nations refugee official has urged the European Union to ensure the rights of those seeking international protection in its member countries.

The 27-member bloc is currently considering a draft European Pact on Immigration and Asylum, presented earlier this month by the French EU Presidency.

"We are concerned that the very strong focus on controlling the EU's external border is making it ever more difficult for people seeking asylum to reach Europe's territory and asylum procedures," UN High Commissioner for Refugees António Guterres <"http://www.unhcr.org/news/NEWS/487e1b4b2.html">said during a visit with top EU officials in Brussels on Wednesday.

"Practical measures need to be taken to make sure that protection remains accessible for those who need it," he stressed, voicing the hope that the draft European Pact would support the construction of a "Europe of Asylum."

While in Brussels, Mr. Guterres met with European Commission (EC) President José Manuel Barroso, to whom he expressed UNHCR's appreciation for the continued financial and political support provided by the Commission.

He also met with EC Vice-President Jacques Barrot, who is responsible for justice, freedom and security. The two discussed asylum issues in the EU and beyond, and Mr. Guterres highlighted the cooperation between UNHCR and the EC on the ambitious project of building a Common European Asylum System.

The High Commissioner and Mr. Barrot also discussed ways of expanding refugee resettlement in the EU, with Mr. Guterres highlighting the need for the Union to show its support for non-EU countries, which host the majority of the world's refugees.

"Resettling refugees is a way to show solidarity with countries such as Syria, which currently hosts around a million refugees from Iraq," he said. "We urge the Commission to continue its efforts to increase resettlement in the EU."

Mr. Guterres also met Peter Zangl, the new head of ECHO, the humanitarian aid wing of the EC and a very important UNHCR partner.
2008-07-17 00:00:00.000

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ISRAEL JOINS UN CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITY PACT

ISRAEL JOINS UN CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITY PACT New York, Jul 16 2008 5:00PM The United Nations Global Compact, a voluntary initiative for social responsibility in private enterprise, was officially launched in Israel today, in a ceremony hosted by Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni.

The Compact pledges participating businesses – now numbering some 3,600 in over 100 countries – to observe principles regarding human rights, labour rights, environmental sustainability and the fight against corruption.

Today's event set the stage for the future establishment of a Global Compact country network in Israel.

Leading Israeli businesses are expected to join the initiative in the weeks ahead.
2008-07-16 00:00:00.000

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IN IRAQ, UN WELCOMES EFFORTS TO INCLUDE WOMEN IN ELECTION PARTY LISTS

IN IRAQ, UN WELCOMES EFFORTS TO INCLUDE WOMEN IN ELECTION PARTY LISTS New York, Jul 16 2008 5:00PM The United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (<"http://www.uniraq.org/newsroom/getarticle.asp?ArticleID=731">UNAMI) today said it was encouraged by steps taken to include protections in a draft election law ensuring that women have the opportunity to serve on governorate councils.

"These efforts by the Council of Representatives are in compliance with international best practice, having Iraqi women on governorate councils will contribute to the development of a more peaceful and stable Iraq," said Staffan de Mistura, the Secretary-General's Special Representative.

UNAMI said it intended to offer its support to the Council of Representatives, which plans to meets next week on the governorate council election law.

The mission called on parliamentarians to reach agreement on the remaining disputed sections so that elections can be carried out this December.

UNAMI, which is headed by Mr. de Mistura, yesterday congratulated the Independent High Election Commission (IHEC) for successfully opening 563 voter registration update locations across the war-torn nation.

"The centres provide an opportunity for all Iraqis to verify and update their details so that they are registered to vote in elections," it said in a press release issued in Baghdad, commending the IHEC, a nine-member independent electoral authority.
2008-07-16 00:00:00.000

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DR CONGO: UN MISSION COMPLETES CONSTRUCTION OF CAMPS FOR GOVERNMENT TROOPS

DR CONGO: UN MISSION COMPLETES CONSTRUCTION OF CAMPS FOR GOVERNMENT TROOPS New York, Jul 16 2008 5:00PM The United Nations mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has completed construction on three training camps for Government forces, known as the FARDC, as well as roads, bridges and airfields in North and South Kivu provinces in the east of the country.

The building projects are part of a stabilization plan for the country being carried out by the mission, which is known as MONUC, with the aim of boosting economic activity and improving security in the country's troubled eastern areas.

The three training camps can accommodate a total of 5,000 trainees, and also house ammunition dumps, firing ranges and sports grounds.

In addition, MONUC recently rehabilitated nine roads in the two provinces as well as rebuilding three bridges and two airfields in Bunia and Mavivi.

The construction work was carried out by MONUC's Chinese, Indonesian and Uruguayan engineering companies.

MONUC <"http://www.monuc.org/News.aspx?newsID=17769">said today that these construction projects were essential to the freedom of movement of people and the economic development of the country.

There are plans to rebuild a further 14 roads as well as an airfield and two bridges, which will later be handed over to the State.
2008-07-16 00:00:00.000

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DIALOGUE AMONG WORLD RELIGIONS NEEDED TO PROMOTE MUTUAL UNDERSTANDING -- BAN

DIALOGUE AMONG WORLD RELIGIONS NEEDED TO PROMOTE MUTUAL UNDERSTANDING -- BAN New York, Jul 16 2008 12:00PM Faith communities have a crucial role to play in fostering mutual understanding and in promoting consensus on common values and aspirations, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said today in a message addressed to the World Conference on Dialogue in Madrid.
"There have been few periods in history when the need for dialogue among world religions has been greater," Mr. Ban said in the message to mark the three-day event in the Spanish capital, which is bringing together more than 200 religious leaders, politicians, academics and others from around the world.
While many conflicts appear to be rooted in religion, Mr. Ban said, they often have their origins in political rivalries, territorial ambitions or competition for natural resources.
"This unique gathering of religious leaders can help debunk the dangerous myth that religion, even when properly understood, inspires violence," he said.
The Secretary-General called for action in three areas.
"First, we should reach out to young people, particularly those who feel alienated and powerless, and who, having lost faith in the future, are often vulnerable to extremist ideologies," he said.
Secondly, Mr. Ban said that the role of religious leaders as peacebuilders had to be reinforced.
"From Indonesia to Sierra Leone, from Nigeria to El Salvador, from Kosovo to Sudan, religious leaders have played and continue to play a prominent role in helping to initiate dialogue between warring parties, in providing emotional and spiritual support to communities affected by conflict, and in facilitating the process of reconciliation," he stressed.
Finally, he called for the creation of platforms for engaging religious leaders at the international level, citing the example of the Alliance of Civilizations initiative, which, with several UN agencies, is promoting partnership and frank discussion of cross-cultural concerns.

2008-07-16 00:00:00.000

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DR CONGO: UN SAYS FOOD SUPPLIES STRETCHED TO LIMIT AS THOUSANDS FLEE FIGHTING

DR CONGO: UN SAYS FOOD SUPPLIES STRETCHED TO LIMIT AS THOUSANDS FLEE FIGHTING New York, Jul 16 2008 11:00AM Violence and intimidation in North Kivu province in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has forced at least 100,000 people to flee their homes in recent months, raising the number of displaced to more than half a million, and leaving the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) struggling to meet their needs.

WFP has already cut rations in half to some displaced people, particularly those camped close to the provincial capital Goma, in an effort to reach those in most desperate need at the heart of the current conflict zone in the mountainous hinterland.

"Thousands more people have run for their lives in recent months and are now in urgent need of help," said WFP Country Director Charles Vincent. "There are enormous and growing needs across North Kivu in particular, and we urge the international community to step forward and help us get a very difficult job done."

In July last year, WFP planned to distribute 800 tons of food per month, but the new displacements have forced the agency to scale up its planned deliveries to 10,000 tons per month.

Despite a peace agreement signed in January this year, WFP says that North Kivu province remains "a tinderbox of intimidation and violence." New camps for displaced people have sprung up almost overnight, many of them lacking the most basic facilities, including clean water and proper shelter.

Malnutrition is now running at alarming levels, threatening the lives of thousands of young children, according to the UN agency. Across Masisi and Rutshuru, surveys indicate rates for acute malnutrition of over 17 per cent – above the rate considered to constitute an emergency. WFP says it is working with specialised non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to establish a large number of new feeding centres in an effort to stem the rising tide of malnutrition.

Aggravating the situation is the fact that many families have now been displaced several times as they continue to suffer violence and harassment. WFP staff who have visited the worst affected areas in the Birambizo area of Rutshuru have heard terrifying testimony from people who have fled attacks and looting by armed groups.

In many cases, household food supplies have been looted and farming equipment destroyed or stolen. Women in particular face the constant threat of violence when they try to cultivate their fields. Many of the displaced have now missed three successive planting seasons, reinforcing their reliance on outside assistance.

Much of the displacement has taken place in the heart of the region's breadbasket, causing food prices to spike sharply in urban areas such as Goma that rely on the hinterland for much of their supply.

WFP says it requires $142 million to cover its operations in eastern DRC over the next 12 months.
2008-07-16 00:00:00.000

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UN EMBARKS ON WORLDWIDE SURVEY TO ASSESS DEFORESTATION

UN EMBARKS ON WORLDWIDE SURVEY TO ASSESS DEFORESTATION New York, Jul 16 2008 11:00AM As part of efforts to gain a comprehensive understanding of the world's forests, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (<" http://www.fao.org/newsroom/en/news/2008/1000884/index.html">FAO) and its partners will be carrying out a global remote sensing survey of these vital ecosystems.

Global concern has been growing in recent years over deforestation, loss of carbon stored in forests and the role of forests in climate change, giving rise to increased interest in monitoring to protect forests and to track emissions from deforestation.

FAO and its partners have set out to jointly prepare the next Global Forest Resources Assessment (FRA), a comprehensive data collection on the state of the world's forests – to be released in 2010 – that will strengthen the capacity of all countries to monitor their own forests.

"The need to improve national forest monitoring is overwhelming as the demand for information has never been greater," noted Jan Heino, FAO Assistant Director-General for Forestry. "National policy processes are striving to address cross-cutting issues such as poverty alleviation and food security related to forests."

As part of this effort, they will be undertaking a global remote sensing survey of forests that will greatly enhance knowledge on land use change, including deforestation, reforestation and natural expansion of forests.

The assessment will cover the whole land surface of the Earth with about 9,000 samples.

"Deforestation continues at an alarming rate of about 13 million hectares annually at the global level," noted Mr. Heino.

"By combining remote sensing technology with field data collection, we improve the quality of both methods. This provides more accurate information on forest trends and new information on the drivers of deforestation and forest degradation," he stated.

FAO has been supporting countries to monitor their forests through initiatives such as the agency's national forest monitoring and assessment (NFMA) programme, which involves a global network of forest monitoring specialists in 176 countries who share information and experiences, as well as national experts who lead the assessments.
2008-07-16 00:00:00.000

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SOMALIA: UN ENVOY HAILS PROGRESS ON LAST MONTH'S PEACE ACCORD

SOMALIA: UN ENVOY HAILS PROGRESS ON LAST MONTH'S PEACE ACCORD New York, Jul 16 2008 10:00AM The top United Nations official for Somalia has praised the strife-torn nation's parties for working quickly to advance the peace deal reached last month in neighbouring Djibouti.

"The progress made so far has been encouraging," said Special Representative Ahmedou Ould-Abdallah, who led the 10 days of talks that resulted in the Djibouti Agreement of 9 June. "A month ago, Somali leaders from different backgrounds made a courageous step forward to restoring the dignity of their wounded country."

Under the Agreement, the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) and the opposition Alliance for the Re-Liberation of Somalia agreed to end their conflict and called on the UN to deploy an international stabilization force to the troubled Horn of Africa country, which has not had a functioning government since 1991.

Mr. Ould-Abdallah noted that the support of Somalia's regional and international partners, including the European Union, Norway and the United States which had already mobilized significant resources for carrying out the peace deal, had been crucial in the progress made so far.

He pointed out that the Security Council would be discussing Somalia soon, and voiced the hope that a joint Somali delegation would undertake a mission to New York.

"After 18 years of armed confrontation that has evolved from a political struggle to a conflict between and among tribes, there is now hope that we will see the dawning of a new era," he stated. "The path towards Somalia regaining its dignity and sovereignty is irreversible."

He also condemned the "senseless killing" of innocent Somalis, including the head of the UN Development Programme office in Mogadishu and numerous aid convoy drivers employed by the UN World Food Programme, calling such acts "unacceptable."

The violence has hindered aid efforts in the country, which is facing a humanitarian crisis caused by conflict, drought, and price rises in basic commodities. Some 2.6 million Somalis – representing 35 per cent of the population – are believed to be in need of humanitarian aid.

Stressing that "today is a critical moment in Somalia's history," the Special Representative appealed to all Somalis to unite for peace in their homeland.
2008-07-16 00:00:00.000

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BAN HOPES TRUTH PANEL'S REPORT WILL FOSTER JUSTICE, RECONCILIATION IN TIMOR-LESTE

BAN HOPES TRUTH PANEL'S REPORT WILL FOSTER JUSTICE, RECONCILIATION IN TIMOR-LESTE New York, Jul 15 2008 5:00PM Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has welcomed the commitment made by the Presidents of Indonesia and Timor-Leste to follow up on the final report of the panel set up to look into the violence that accompanied the latter's bloody struggle for independence in 1999.

"The Secretary-General has taken note of the submission of the final report of the Commission of Truth and Friendship (CTF) to the Presidents of Indonesia and Timor-Leste and the subsequent joint statement issued by the two Governments," according to a statement issued by his spokesperson.

"He looks forward to the early public release of the report and hopes that this process will be the first step towards achieving justice and reconciliation."

Mr. Ban encouraged both Governments to take concrete steps to ensure full accountability, to end impunity and to provide reparations to victims, adding that the UN stands ready to extend its technical assistance in that regard.

In the popular consultation held in August 1999, virtually the entire electorate voted overwhelmingly for a transition towards independence.

Following the announcement of the result, pro-integration militias, at times with the support of elements of the Indonesian security forces, launched a campaign of violence, looting and arson throughout the entire territory.

Despite their obligations, the Indonesian authorities did not effectively respond, and many East Timorese were killed – including nine local UN personnel – and up to half a million displaced from their homes.

The UN did not participate in the Commission, set up by the two countries in 2005, since the body's terms of reference into the 1999 violence did not preclude it from recommending amnesty for gross abuses.
2008-07-15 00:00:00.000

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INNOVATIVE UN AWARENESS-RAISING CAMPAIGN EARNS PRESTIGIOUS CANNES AWARD

INNOVATIVE UN AWARENESS-RAISING CAMPAIGN EARNS PRESTIGIOUS CANNES AWARD New York, Jul 15 2008 5:00PM A groundbreaking United Nations campaign that uses the latest technology to give a voice to those who normally go unheard has been recognized by one of the world's leading international advertising festivals.

< ahref="http://iseek.un.org/webpgdept1466_5.asp">"United Nations Voices," which was designed pro bono for the UN Information Centre in Canberra by Saatchi & Saatchi, Australia, was awarded a Bronze Lion in the 2008 Cannes Lions International Advertising Festival, held in France last month.

The campaign makes it possible for the public, for the first time, to listen to an outdoor poster and press advertisement via mobile phone technology.

Seven different posters were set up around various sites in Sydney featuring Loula, a domestic violence survivor; Foday, a refugee from Western Africa; Shannon, aboriginal youth worker and activist; Nathan, a 13-year-old born with HIV; Tony, a homeless man; Nada, a Muslim Australian; and Uncle Max, an aboriginal elder.

To hear one of the stories, people simply take a mobile phone photo of the mouth of the featured person and send it to a number on the poster as a text message. Then the sender receives a phone call with a pre-recorded message from the person they had photographed, including information on how they live and some of the issues they face.

The message also directs people to a UN website where visitors can leave their own comments and thoughts, turning the original seven voices into thousands.

When the campaign was unveiled in March of this year, UNIC Australia's Director Abdullah Saleh Mbamba noted that "the introduction of such innovative technology by Saatchi and Saatchi enters into a new dimension of awareness-raising that will result in the increased support for the United Nations."
2008-07-15 00:00:00.000

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IRAQ: UN WELCOMES SUCCESSFUL LAUNCH OF OVER 500 VOTER REGISTRATION UPDATE CENTRES

IRAQ: UN WELCOMES SUCCESSFUL LAUNCH OF OVER 500 VOTER REGISTRATION UPDATE CENTRES New York, Jul 15 2008 1:00PM The United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) congratulated the Independent High Election Commission (IHEC) for today's successful opening of 563 voter registration update locations across the war-torn nation.

"The centres provide an opportunity for all Iraqis to verify and update their details so that they are registered to vote in elections," the mission said in a press released issued in Baghdad, commending the IHEC, a nine-member independent electoral authority.

UNAMI noted that all internally displaced persons (IDPs) and Iraqis are encouraged to take part in the polls by visiting their local centre.

Non-governmental organizations (NGOs), political parties and members of civil society have been registered as observers for the voter registration update, as the mission "believes this is the best way to ensure transparency and credibility in this important democratic process."

In a related development, Staffan de Mistura, who heads UNAMI, has wrapped up a five-day visit to the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), during which he held talks on the Disputed Internal Boundaries in Iraq.

Mr. de Mistura, who also serves as the Secretary-General's Special Representative, characterized his trip as "successful," stressing that UNAMI will continue to confer with the Iraqi Government and others both before and after the UN concludes its analysis of districts, including options for Kirkuk's future.

Last month, UNAMI presented its first analysis to the Government regarding potential processes to resolve disputes over internal boundaries.

"I want to stress that the Government of Iraq alone has the sovereign responsibility to decide on the process and methodology used to address disputed internal boundaries," Mr. de Mistura said.
2008-07-15 00:00:00.000

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SOMALIA: UN VOICES GRAVE CONCERN AFTER MORE AID WORKERS ARE KILLED

SOMALIA: UN VOICES GRAVE CONCERN AFTER MORE AID WORKERS ARE KILLED New York, Jul 15 2008 12:00PM The United Nations Humanitarian Coordinator for Somalia today expressed grave concern at the rapidly deteriorating security situation in the country after two Somali aid workers were killed on Friday, while the UN World Food Programme (WFP) reported that one of its transport agents was shot dead on Sunday.

"It is intolerable and incomprehensible that humanitarian workers striving to save lives and alleviate human suffering in one of the most difficult environments in the world are being targeted and killed," Mark Bowden said in a statement.

The two aid workers who died on Friday worked for Somali non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in the capital Mogadishu.

"It is also very worrying that the general level of violence in large parts of Somalia has been constantly rising this year and has reached unacceptable levels of civilian casualties," Mr. Bowden said.

In Sunday's incident, militiamen opened fire in the southern town of Buale, killing the WFP transport agent in a local dispute. WFP says that payments are demanded by militiamen for trucks carrying humanitarian assistance to pass the hundreds of checkpoints in South and Central Somalia.

So far this year, a total of four WFP-contracted drivers have been killed in Somalia.

"We condemn these shootings, and are very concerned that growing insecurity threatens to sabotage the humanitarian response in Somalia," WFP Country Director Peter Goossens said, adding that violence was rising when more than two million people needed assistance because of drought and high food prices.

WFP said today that a plague of kidnappings and attacks on aid workers and members of civil society had broken out in recent weeks. Mr. Goossens warned that all sides to the conflict had to recognize that they would be responsible for the further suffering of innocent people should aid deliveries become impossible.

The UN agency said it needed to double the amount of food assistance in Somalia over the rest of the year to feed an average of 2.4 million people per month. WFP says that delivery of food aid by sea is critical and has appealed for naval escorts to ships from piracy.
2008-07-15 00:00:00.000

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PANAMA'S RURAL POOR TO BENEFIT FROM UN-BACKED DEVELOPMENT PROJECT

PANAMA'S RURAL POOR TO BENEFIT FROM UN-BACKED DEVELOPMENT PROJECT New York, Jul 15 2008 11:00AM A new project backed by the United Nations International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) aims to improve the lives of some 10,000 men and women in rural Panama – the majority of them small farmers, landless labourers, unemployed youth and female heads of household.

IFAD is providing a $4.2 million loan towards the six-year, $12.3 million project, under an agreement signed today in Rome by the agency's President Lennart Båge and the Ambassador of Panama to IFAD, Eudoro Jaén Esquivel.

The project targets the five poorest districts of Veraguas Province in central Panama and those whose annual income is less than $953. It will focus on promoting new income-generating activities and identifying new national and international markets to sell produce.

To help the region's farmers, the project will provide basic inputs and technical assistance to increase productivity, as well as programmes to enhance access to micro-credit and to improve their business skills.

The project will feature an innovative "territorial development council," consisting of local government representatives, producers and community groups who will make up the main decision-making body.

IFAD has now financed eight rural development and poverty eradication projects in Panama, committing over $80 million.
2008-07-15 00:00:00.000

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DISCRIMINATION AGAINST ROMA IN ITALY WORRIES UN RIGHTS EXPERTS

DISCRIMINATION AGAINST ROMA IN ITALY WORRIES UN RIGHTS EXPERTS New York, Jul 15 2008 10:00AM A trio of independent United Nations human rights experts have voiced concern about recent actions and proposed measures targeting the Roma community and migrants in Italy which they deem as discriminatory.

The Special Rapporteur on racism, Doudou Diene, the Independent Expert on minority issues, Gay J. McDougall, and the Special Rapporteur on the Human rights of Migrants, Jorge Bustamante, said they were extremely concerned about the proposal made by the Ministry of Interior to fingerprint all Roma individuals, including children, in order to identify those undocumented persons living in Italy.

"By exclusively targeting the Roma minority, this proposal can be unambiguously classified as discriminatory," they said in a statement issued today in Geneva.

They are also shocked at the "aggressive and discriminatory rhetoric" used by political leaders, including Cabinet members, when referring to the Roma community.

"By explicitly associating the Roma to criminality, and by calling for the immediate dismantling of Roma camps in the country, these officials have created an overall environment of hostility, antagonism and stigmatization of the Roma community among the general public," they stated.

"This climate of anti-Roma sentiment has served to mobilize extremist groups, which have recently launched a series of attacks against Roma camps and individuals," they added.

The three experts urged the Italian Government to abide by its obligations under international human rights law, particularly under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination and the Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities.
2008-07-15 00:00:00.000

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SOLAR ENERGY VIABLE OPTION FOR TIMOR-LESTE, SAYS UN

SOLAR ENERGY VIABLE OPTION FOR TIMOR-LESTE, SAYS UN New York, Jul 15 2008 10:00AM A just concluded three-year pilot project has shown that solar power can be an affordable and sustainable alternative energy source for the people of Timor-Leste, according to a senior United Nations official heading up the programme.

The solar project, just one of many initiatives carried out by the UN Department of Economic and Social Affair (UNDESA) in the tiny South East Asian nation, aimed to help rural communities harness the potential of this alternative energy source.

Under the pilot programme, carried out in communities on Atauro Island and in Aleiu District, community members agreed to pay $1.80 per month for the use of solar lanterns.

It is estimated that communities on Atauro using the lanterns have saved over $1,800, and now other communities have also expressed interest in using the lanterns.

"This pilot project has shown that solar can become a real energy option for rural communities. With proper support, communities have the potential to manage their energy needs in an affordable and sustainable way," said UNDESA Chief Sarina Kilham. "However, the key is ongoing support."

UNDESA's Renewable Energy Officer Paulo de Silva agreed, noting that finding solutions to the country's energy needs is critical to development.

"The way in which Timor-Leste attempts to meet the energy needs of its growing population will determine how quickly and sustainably the country can develop," he stated. "It is critical that the Government continue to support alternative energy supplies. We have already seen that with the proper support, solar power does work."

In addition to the solar project, UNDESA has also been working to help the Government strengthen management of water and renewable energy services at the community level.

The community water management project involves working with communities to establish and support sustainable water supply systems, including providing infrastructure in some areas.

Oscar de Silva, UNDESA's Community Development Officer, stressed the importance of community participation in water management projects.

"Water management will not work without full community ownership of the water facilities. But communities also need adequate support to implement, maintain and manage them," he noted.
2008-07-15 00:00:00.000

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CÔTE D'IVOIRE: BAN LAUDS PARTIES FOR COMMITTING TO PEACE PACT

CÔTE D'IVOIRE: BAN LAUDS PARTIES FOR COMMITTING TO PEACE PACT New York, Jul 14 2008 7:00PM Côte d'Ivoire's political leaders are to be commended for their commitment to a peace agreement reached last year, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said today, calling on the sides to continue their efforts to cement the pact.

In a new <"http://www.un.org/Docs/journal/asp/ws.asp?m=S/2008/451">report on the West African nation made public today, Mr. Ban welcomed the 30 November date for the presidential election, along with the Government's adoption of decrees relating to the polls.

"These important developments mark the beginning of the electoral process in earnest," he wrote, urging the internationally community to provide the support needed to carry out the polls.

Côte d'Ivoire became divided in 2002 between the Government-controlled south and the rebel Forces Nouvelles-held north, but last year's Ouagadougou Agreement paved the way for an end to the conflict and included a provision calling for free and fair elections to be held. Presidential polls were to be organized as far back as 2005, but have been delayed several times since then.

Despite progress in consolidating peace, the Secretary-General warned that the country still faces "significant challenges."

He called for the electoral process to be transparent and credible, with the parties doing their utmost to firm up the current "positive political and security climate."

"I am therefore deeply concerned about the funding challenges facing the cantonment process, as well as the very low number of serviceable weapons surrendered to date by cantoned combatants," the report said.

Mr. Ban also expressed concern over the ongoing lack of progress in disarming and dismantling militias.

He urged the participation of demobilized combatants in the upcoming elections, and commended the efforts of the UN country team – in collaboration with the Government – in peacebuilding.

The report also recommended that the mandate of the UN mission in Côte d'Ivoire, known as UNOCI, be extended until January 2009.

Last month, the Secretary-General announced that the country is eligible to receive funds from the UN Peacebuilding Fund, which was created two years ago to help countries emerging from conflict consolidate their gains and avoid slipping back into war.
2008-07-14 00:00:00.000

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UN AWAITING CLARIFICATION ON FUTURE SUPPORT TO NEPALESE PEACE PROCESS

UN AWAITING CLARIFICATION ON FUTURE SUPPORT TO NEPALESE PEACE PROCESS New York, Jul 14 2008 7:00PM While Nepal's interim Government has requested that the United Nations continue its presence there – albeit in a smaller form – to help the South Asian nation consolidate its hard-won peace, the world body is seeking clarification on the scope of any future support, according to a new <"http://www.un.org/Docs/journal/asp/ws.asp?m=S/2008/454">report made public today.

The UN Mission in Nepal (UNMIN) was established in January 2007 to assist the country, which emerged from a decade-long civil war that claimed an estimated 13,000 lives until the Government and the Maoists signed a peace accord in 2006.

It is also responsible for monitoring the management of arms and armed personnel of the Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist (CPN-M) and the Nepal Army, and assist in monitoring ceasefire arrangements.

In his latest report to the Security Council on Nepal's request for UN assistance in support of its peace process, Mr. Ban writes that the convening of the democratically-elected Constituent Assembly on 28 May was a "milestone" in Nepal's peace process.

The Assembly is tasked with drafting a new constitution within the next two years and will also act as the legislature during this transitional period.

The Secretary-General notes that there is a "broad consensus" among the country's political parties and civil society that a continuing UN political presence and monitoring of arms and armed personnel "remain important to the completion of the peace process, and in particular to a successful transition regarding the integration and rehabilitation of Maoist army personnel."

He has received a formal request from the interim Government for the continuation of UNMIN – whose current mandate expires on 23 July – "at a smaller scale" for an additional six months.

While UNMIN is well placed to assist in the management of arms and army personnel, Mr. Ban says he does not believe that current monitoring arrangements should be necessary for much longer.

"The key requirement now is not the continuation of monitoring arrangements so much as the transition to a durable and permanent solution. The United Nations' monitoring role must thus be understood in the context of immediate efforts to reach decisions on the underlying issues, which the United Nations will assist as requested," he writes.

"However, the letter I have received from the interim Government lacks the clarity that is required for me to recommend a continuing United Nations presence in the form of a special political mission."

The Secretary-General has asked his Special Representative for Nepal Ian Martin to seek further clarification from the Government about the scope of support it would like to receive from UNMIN before submitting his formal recommendation to the Security Council on the Mission's future.

If the matter remains unresolved by the time the Council considers the current report, Mr. Ban recommends a one-month extension for the Mission to give the Government time to respond to his request.

However, if the clarification is received and a six-month extension of the political mission is mandated, he intends to submit a report to the Council after three months on the progress and further possible downsizing of the Mission.

Meanwhile, UNMIN has drawn up a contingency plan for a "radically downsized mission," which would result in a reduction of at least 70 per cent in the substantive staffing of the Mission.

The Arms Monitoring Office would be maintained, initially at the strength of 90 arms monitors, which is less than half the previous authorized strength but could sustain monitoring obligations under the Agreement on Monitoring the Management of Arms and Armies for a limited period.

The Electoral Assistance Office has already been closed, and the plan also entails, among other things, closing the Office of Civil Affairs and all regional offices at the end of the current mandate.
2008-07-14 00:00:00.000

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BAN APPLAUDS PROGRESS ON CONTROL OF SMALL ARMS TRADE, BUT SEES CHALLENGES AHEAD

BAN APPLAUDS PROGRESS ON CONTROL OF SMALL ARMS TRADE, BUT SEES CHALLENGES AHEAD New York, Jul 14 2008 7:00PM United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said today that states have made considerable progress in combating the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons, but cautioned that many challenges still remain.

"Weapons collection and destruction activities have continued, with thousands of weapons and millions of rounds of ammunition destroyed; national coordination bodies have been established and existing ones strengthened; and States are increasingly focusing their attention on implementing the new International Tracing Instrument," Mr. Ban told a meeting in New York on the global implementation of the Programme on Illicit Trade in Small Arms.

The Secretary-General noted that by holding the meeting, Member States had reaffirmed their confidence in efforts to curb the illegal small arms trade despite the inconclusive outcome of the 2006 Review Conference on the issue.

Commenting on the work of the Expert Group on illicit brokering, Mr. Ban said he was particularly encouraged by its recommendations. "If fully implemented, these actions can go a long way towards achieving our collective goal of preventing illicit brokering in small arms," he added, in the <"http://www.un.org/apps/sg/sgstats.asp?nid=3295">statement delivered by Sergio de Queiroz Duart, High Representative for Disarmament Affairs.

The Secretary-General stressed that the illicit arms trade is one of the UN's top disarmament priorities.

"There are more small arms in circulation now than there were in 2001; because of both conflict and crime, innocent civilians continue to fall victim to those weapons in high numbers; and Security Council arms embargoes continue to be violated," he said.

He called on all sectors of society to join the campaign on small arms, from governments and parliamentarians to civil society organizations and local communities.
2008-07-14 00:00:00.000

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MADAGASCAR: UN AGENCIES WORK TO COMBAT DEADLY RIFT VALLEY FEVER OUTBREAK

MADAGASCAR: UN AGENCIES WORK TO COMBAT DEADLY RIFT VALLEY FEVER OUTBREAK New York, Jul 14 2008 7:00PM After an outbreak of Rift Valley Fever (RVF) in Madagascar that has already caused 20 human deaths as well as affecting livestock, two United Nations agencies have stepped in to help treat and control the disease.

Since January RVF has been reported in both animals and humans in more than 20 out of the 119 districts of Madagascar, primarily in the north, south and central highlands.

By the end of June Madagascar's Ministry of Health had reported a total of 520 human-suspected cases related to RVF, including 20 deaths. Laboratory tests have confirmed 84 human cases so far.

The UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the UN World Health Organization (WHO) have helped Malagasy authorities develop an Emergency Response Plan, which includes providing disease management for affected livestock herds and human populations at risk, reinforcing livestock disease surveillance and improving reporting systems and laboratory diagnostics.

Transmitted by mosquitoes, RVF is a dangerous disease that affects both livestock – including sheep, goats, cattle and camels – and humans, but is usually well-established in animal populations by the time the first human cases are observed.

Humans become infected through mosquito bites or direct contact with infected material and liquids such as animal blood during slaughtering, while the uncooked milk of infected animals can also pose a risk. No cases of human-to-human transmission have ever been reported.

While some infected people experience no detectable symptoms, others develop flu-like fever, muscle pain, headaches, joint pain, vomiting, loss of appetite and sensitivity to light. In more severe cases patients can also experience lesions in their eyes, neurological problems, liver impairment and haemorrhagic fever symptoms including widespread bleeding.

FAO and WHO have received a total of $376,000 from the UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) to support the emergency plan, but the two agencies are appealing to international donors to help extend the programme to areas not yet covered, aiming to cover all populations at risk.
2008-07-14 00:00:00.000

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CLIMATE CHANGE EXPERT NAMED GOODWILL AMBASSADOR FOR UN INDUSTRIAL AGENCY

CLIMATE CHANGE EXPERT NAMED GOODWILL AMBASSADOR FOR UN INDUSTRIAL AGENCY New York, Jul 14 2008 6:00PM The United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) has named Rajendra K. Pachauri, the head of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), as one of its Goodwill Ambassadors.

In a ceremony in Vienna today, UNIDO recognized Dr. Pachauri, who also serves as the Director General of the Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), for his efforts in the field of energy and the environment, one of its three main priorities. Its other two are trade capacity building and poverty reduction through productive activities.

Along with former United States Vice-President Al Gore, the IPCC was a Nobel Peace Prize co-laureate last year. Dr. Pachauri has also been recognized by the French President in 2006 as an Officier de la Légion d'Honneur and received the Padma Vibhushan, the second highest civilian award in India, in 2001.

He joins fellow UNIDO Goodwill Ambassadors Mansour Cama of Senegal, Reinosuke Hara of Japan, Frederick T. Sumaye of Tanzania and Peter Denis Sutherland of Ireland.
2008-07-14 00:00:00.000

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TAYLOR TRIAL AT UN-BACKED COURT A MODEL FOR INTERNATIONAL JUSTICE, SAYS PROSECUTOR

TAYLOR TRIAL AT UN-BACKED COURT A MODEL FOR INTERNATIONAL JUSTICE, SAYS PROSECUTOR New York, Jul 14 2008 4:00PM The Chief Prosecutor of the United Nations-backed Special Court for Sierra Leone (SCSL), which is trying former Liberian President Charles Taylor for war crimes and crimes against humanity, says many commentators refer to the court as a model for international justice.

"It shows that the trial of a former chief of State can be conducted openly and fairly and we're very proud to date of the progress that's been made," Stephen Rapp told reporters in New York today.

Mr. Taylor is facing 11 counts of war crimes, crimes against humanity and other serious violations of international humanitarian law – including mass murder, mutilations, rape, sexual slavery and the use of child soldiers – for his role in the decade-long civil war that engulfed Sierra Leone, which borders Liberia. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges against him.

Mr. Rapp said the prosecution's case is that Mr. Taylor aided and abetted two rebel groups, the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council (AFRC) and the Revolutionary United Front (RUF), which committed numerous atrocities during the civil war.

He noted 59 insiders, people who were at one time very close to the former Liberian President, are providing evidence as witnesses to support his case that Mr. Taylor "was behind the planning of this campaign of terror and atrocity, that he did various steps to order and instigate those crimes and, at a bare minimum at least, he aided and abetted these crimes by providing crucial arms and materiel in return for diamonds, at a time when all the world knew that these rebels were committing horrendous offenses against human beings."

Currently the SCSL is hearing its 35th prosecution witness, Mr. Rapp said, adding that he expected that the trial would wrap up within a year after the defence has also made its case.

In 2006, the Security Council authorized the staging of Mr. Taylor's trial at The Hague, Netherlands, citing reasons of security.

The Court, established in January 2002 by an agreement between the Sierra Leonean Government and the UN, is mandated to try "those who bear greatest responsibility" for war crimes and crimes against community committed in the country after 30 November 1996.

Last year, it reached an agreement with the British Government whereby Mr. Taylor will serve out his sentence in the United Kingdom if he is convicted.

Mr. Rapp also noted today that the Security Council is holding a debate on children and armed conflict this week, and stressed that the SCSL had obtained the first convictions in history for the crime of the enlistment or use of children under the age of 15 in hostilities.

In February the Court upheld convictions against Alex Tamba Brima and Santigie Borbor Kanu, who are both serving 50-year prison terms, and Brima Bazzy Kamara, who is serving 45 years, after all three were found guilty of 11 charges, including committing acts of terrorism, murder, rape and enslavement and conscripting children under the age of 15 into armed groups.
2008-07-14 00:00:00.000

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TACKLING HEIGHTENED RISK OF FOREST FIRES EXAMINED IN UN-BACKED MEETING

TACKLING HEIGHTENED RISK OF FOREST FIRES EXAMINED IN UN-BACKED MEETING New York, Jul 14 2008 1:00PM Dozens of meteorologists, fire scientists and others from 25 countries have gathered at a United Nations-backed meeting in Canada to examine how to address the intensified threat of forest fires posed by climate change.

Participants at the three-day meeting, which began today in Edmonton, will focus on boosting current weather systems, including indices of fire danger and smoke forecasting and monitoring.

"Our target is to produce operational guidelines for fire weather agrometeorolgy by 2009," <"http://www.wmo.int/pages/mediacentre/press_releases/index_en.html">said Michel Jarraud, the Secretary-General of the UN World Meteorological Organization (WMO), which helped to organize the event.

The development of forest fires depends largely on meteorological and climate factors. Lengthy periods of little rainfall, low humidity and high temperatures can lead to increased flammability of plants.

In the first seven months of 2008 alone, 118 per cent of the 10-year average area has been burned in the United States, while 83 per cent of the 10-year average has been burned in neighbouring Canada.
2008-07-14 00:00:00.000

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UN DEPLORES BOMBING AT MARKET IN SOUTHERN AFGHANISTAN

UN DEPLORES BOMBING AT MARKET IN SOUTHERN AFGHANISTAN New York, Jul 14 2008 1:00PM The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) has strongly condemned the suicide bomb attack that struck a marketplace in the southern province of Uruzgan, resulting in the deaths of a number of civilians and police officers.

"To target civilians who were shopping for food shows a total disregard for the sanctity of life by the perpetrators of this attack," UNAMA's Nilab Mobarez told reporters in the capital, Kabul.

Yesterday's bombing comes nearly one week after the suicide attack outside the Indian Embassy in Kabul on 7 July, which claimed the lives of over 40 people and injured more than 100. It also follows the recent murder of a member of Parliament from the southern Kandahar province.
2008-07-14 00:00:00.000

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INTERNATIONAL WILDLIFE TRADE TO BE REVIEWED WITH UN HELP

INTERNATIONAL WILDLIFE TRADE TO BE REVIEWED WITH UN HELP New York, Jul 14 2008 12:00PM The trade in elephants, rhinos, tigers and mahogany will all be the focus of this week's meeting of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) in Geneva, whose secretariat is administered by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).

"Innovative and courageous solutions are required to correct the spiral of species decline," said CITES Secretary-General Willem Wijnstekers in a statement today at the start of the conference.

"This has been recognized this week by the leaders of the G-8 group of countries, who expressed their commitment to promote a co-benefits approach that will lead to conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity, while reducing illicit trade in wildlife, and to improve the interface between research activities and the public and policy makers," he added.

Among other issues, 300 representatives from the 173 member States of CITES will discuss the quantities of raw ivory stockpiled in four southern African countries which have been approved for export.

Under an agreement reached last year, Botswana, Namibia, South Africa and Zimbabwe were authorized to make a single sale of all government-owned stocks of ivory that were registered by the end of 2007.

The agreement stipulates that after these shipments have been completed no further sales are to be considered by CITES for a period of nine years.

The convention will also focus on the controversial subject of tiger farming in Asia. CITES has decided that captive populations of tigers should be restricted to numbers that would support wild tiger conservation and that tigers should not be bred for trade in their parts. This week, it will hear about efforts to combat the continuing illegal trade in tiger skins and bones, as well as in those of other big cats such as leopards.

The levels of exports of mahogany from the Amazon basin will also be discussed. CITES says the current timber verification system is insufficient and notes that new systems are under development to ensure that the harvest is sustainable and the trade is legal.

CITES is also seeking to set up a multi-national task force to deal with the problem of the illegal trade in rhinoceros horn. Rhino populations in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), India, Mozambique, Nepal, South Africa and Zimbabwe are suffering from poaching. In DRC scientists fear that the rhino population has been wiped out.
2008-07-14 00:00:00.000

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BAN HAILS POTENTIAL OF NEW MEDITERRANEAN UNION AT PARIS SUMMIT

BAN HAILS POTENTIAL OF NEW MEDITERRANEAN UNION AT PARIS SUMMIT New York, Jul 14 2008 11:00AM Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has welcomed the Union for the Mediterranean, a new initiative aimed at boosting ties across the region which was launched at a high-level summit in Paris over the weekend.

Addressing the launch, Mr. Ban noted that the Union is "well timed" to help the countries of the region shoulder their collective responsibilities with regard to peace and security issues. But the initiative also has the potential to deliver on a much wider agenda, he added.

"I believe this far-reaching multilateral initiative can work to address the complex trans-border issues the region faces, and provide a framework for the pooling of resources and the development of collective action," said the Secretary-General.

"And I hope the Union will become a vibrant partner of the entire United Nations family, across the range of the Union's areas of focus – from energy and environment to security cooperation, education and science," he stated.

In a separate statement to the summit, Mr. Ban noted that today's global challenges, including the food crisis, climate change and development, are "too big and too complex for any one country or government to address on its own.

"Instead, they require concerted and collective effort of the kind envisioned by the new Union for the Mediterranean," he said. "Your initiative brings together a diversity of cultures, experiences and world views that is, I believe, fundamental to any effort to understand and address today's transnational problems."

While in Paris, Mr. Ban joined French President Nicolas Sarkozy and other world leaders at today's Bastille Day military parade, which was led for the first time this year by two units of UN peacekeepers.
2008-07-14 00:00:00.000

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BURKINA FASO: UN AGENCY HELPS POOR FARMERS TACKLE FOOD CRISIS

BURKINA FASO: UN AGENCY HELPS POOR FARMERS TACKLE FOOD CRISIS New York, Jul 14 2008 10:00AM Poor farmers in Burkina Faso who have been hit by soaring food prices and severe weather conditions have been boosted by supplies of crop seeds from the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).

In all, FAO has supplied about 600 tons of seeds, including millet, sorghum, maize, cowpea and peanut seeds, as well as 432 tons of fertilizers, to 33,000 farmers in the country's eastern and central zones in time for the current planting season.

"In the 15 provinces where FAO is distributing seed, under these circumstances less than 10 per cent of the food needed will be produced to feed people. We hope to boost that considerably now," Jean-Pierre Renson, FAO Emergency Coordinator in Burkina Faso, said.

Food prices across the region have been increasing steadily over the past two years mirroring outside pressures from international markets. In the capital, Ouagadougou, rice was 87 per cent higher at the beginning of June compared with a year before.

FAO is working on a plan to assist farmers to reap profits by producing more rice, partly through developing water control methods for low-land rice farming around rivers and floodplains.

"In theory, Burkina Faso can be self-sufficient in producing enough traditional grains to cover its food needs, but severe weather has been ruinous for the past few years," FAO economist Benoist Veillerette said.

In the country as a whole 23 per cent of children suffer from acute malnutrition. More than 80 per cent of the population makes a living on subsistence agriculture, and 45 per cent of people live below the poverty line.
2008-07-14 00:00:00.000

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ICC PROSECUTOR SEEKS CHARGES AGAINST SUDANESE PRESIDENT FOR DARFUR CRIMES

ICC PROSECUTOR SEEKS CHARGES AGAINST SUDANESE PRESIDENT FOR DARFUR CRIMES New York, Jul 14 2008 10:00AM Three years after the United Nations Security Council requested him to investigate atrocities committed in Darfur, the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court today presented evidence against Sudan's President for alleged war crimes in the strife-torn region, including genocide.

ICC Prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo is seeking an arrest warrant for President Omar Al-Bashir, who he believes "bears criminal responsibility in relation to 10 counts of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes," according to a news release issued by the Court.

An estimated 300,000 people have died in Darfur, either through direct combat or because of disease, malnutrition or reduced life expectancy, over the past five years in Darfur, where rebels have been fighting Government forces and allied Arab militiamen, known as the Janjaweed, since 2003.

"His motives were largely political. His alibi was a 'counterinsurgency.' His intent was genocide," Mr. Moreno-Ocampo said.

The evidence presented today at the ICC, which is based in The Hague, shows that Mr. Al-Bashir masterminded and implemented a plan to destroy in substantial part the Fur, Masalit and Zaghawa groups, on account of their ethnicity.

Mr. Moreno-Ocampo says that for over five years, armed forces and the Janjaweed attacked and destroyed villages on Mr. Al-Bashir's orders. They also uprooted millions of civilians from their lands, killed the men and raped the women. "I don't have the luxury to look away. I have evidence," the Prosecutor said.

The President's intent to commit genocide became clear, according to the Prosecutor, with well coordinated attacks on the nearly 2.5 million internally displaced persons (IDPs) living in camps.

Instead of helping the people of Darfur, Mr. Al-Bashir "mobilised the entire State apparatus, including the armed forces, the intelligence services, the diplomatic and public information bureaucracies, and the justice system," in carrying out his campaign of violence.

"They all report to him, they all obey him. His control is absolute," the Prosecutor added.

The Court's Pre-Trial Chamber will now review the evidence presented and decide whether to issue an arrest warrant for Mr. Al-Bashir. If indicted, the Sudanese President would become the first sitting Head of State to be charged by the ICC.

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has emphasized that the Court is an independent institution and that he does not have any influence on the ICC Prosecutor, a point he reiterated to Mr. Al-Bashir in a telephone conversation with the Sudanese President on Saturday.

In a statement issued today, the UN said its peacekeeping operations in Sudan will continue to carry out their functions in an impartial manner, "cooperating in good faith with all partners so as to further the goal of peace and stability in the country." The world body will also continue its vital humanitarian and development work there.

"The Secretary-General expects that the Government of Sudan will continue to cooperate fully with the United Nations in Sudan, while fulfilling its obligation to ensure the safety and security of all United Nations personnel and property," the statement added.

In addition to the UN Mission in Sudan (UNMIS), a joint UN-African Union force – known as UNAMID – has been in place since the beginning of this year to try to end the violence in Darfur, which has uprooted some 2.7 million people, many of whom are living across the border in eastern Chad.
2008-07-14 00:00:00.000

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UN HAS NO INFLUENCE ON ICC, BAN TELLS SUDAN'S PRESIDENT

UN HAS NO INFLUENCE ON ICC, BAN TELLS SUDAN'S PRESIDENT New York, Jul 13 2008 8:00PM Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has emphasized to Sudanese President Omar Al-Bashir the independence of the International Criminal Court, amid reports that ICC Prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo is preparing to seek an indictment against the African Head of State.

During a telephone conversation yesterday with Mr. Al-Bashir, Mr. Ban stressed that the UN Secretary-General does not have any influence on the ICC Prosecutor.

He also indicated to the President that he was concerned by a declaration made by the Permanent Representative of Sudan which linked the initiative of the ICC Prosecutor with the two UN peacekeeping operations deployed to Sudan.

Mr. Ban told a news conference last Thursday that he was not in a position to mention anything about the impending indictment until there was an official announcement by the ICC.

"In principle, I believe that peace and justice should go hand in hand. Justice can be a part of the peace process, but peace without justice cannot be sustainable," he added. "But I will have to assess the whole situation when there is an announcement by the ICC."

During their conversation, the Secretary-General also voiced his grave concern about the scale and brutality of the deadly 8 July attack on a joint patrol of the joint UN-African Union force in Darfur, known as UNAMID.

He asked the President to investigate the circumstances of the attack, which left seven peacekeepers dead and 19 wounded.

2008-07-13 00:00:00.000

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UN REFUTES CLAIMS THAT BAN IS BIASED ON ZIMBABWE

UN REFUTES CLAIMS THAT BAN IS BIASED ON ZIMBABWE New York, Jul 13 2008 11:00AM Comments by the Permanent Representative of Zimbabwe questioning Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's impartiality toward events in the Southern African nation are "highly inappropriate and unacceptable," the spokesperson for the United Nations chief has stated.

"There is nothing one-sided about defending the right of the people of Zimbabwe to choose a legitimate government in a free and fair election," according to a statement issued yesterday by Mr. Ban's spokesperson.

In recent weeks, Mr. Ban has criticized the outcome of the 27 June run-off presidential election in Zimbabwe -- which went ahead despite international appeals for a postponement given the violence and intimidation that preceded it -- as illegitimate.

"The outcome did not reflect the true and genuine will of the Zimbabwean people or produce a legitimate result," his spokesperson said in a statement issued following the polls. "The Secretary-General has said repeatedly that conditions were not in place for a free and fair election and observers have confirmed this from the deeply flawed process."

President Robert Mugabe was sworn in on 29 June for another term after being declared the winner of the run-off, in which he was the sole candidate after violence and intimidation directed towards the opposition forces led to the withdrawal of Morgan Tsvangirai of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC).

"The Secretary-General will continue to support efforts to promote talks between both sides in Zimbabwe that can lead to a democratic transition and economic recovery for the people of that country," yesterday's statement added.

On Friday, Security Council permanent members China and Russia vetoed a draft resolution -- along with South Africa, Libya and Viet Nam -- that would have imposed sanctions on Zimbabwe, including a travel ban and assets freeze on President Robert Mugabe and 12 other individuals.

2008-07-13 00:00:00.000

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