HAITI: UN FUND TO STEP UP SUPPORT FOR HURRICANE SURVIVORS

HAITI: UN FUND TO STEP UP SUPPORT FOR HURRICANE SURVIVORS
New York, Oct 25 2008 9:10PM
Survivors of this season's four devastating hurricanes in Haiti will receive a boost from the United Nations fund set up to help in the wake of major disasters, the UN relief chief has announced after visiting the struggling Caribbean country.

Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs John Holmes said yesterday that he was willing to make an additional allocation from the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) to meet urgent needs.

CERF has already allocated $4.3 million to three UN aid agencies and the International Organization for Migration (IOM), but that was more than a month ago.

Haiti remains in desperate need of support after four hurricanes and tropical storms -- Fay, Gustav, Hanna and Ike -- lashed the country between mid-August and mid-September, killing nearly 800 people and affecting an estimated 1 million people.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (
OCHA) reported that only $24.8 million has been received of the $106 million requested by aid agencies to help with relief and recovery efforts.

During his two-day visit to Haiti, which ended yesterday, Mr. Holmes met with President Rene Préval, Prime Minister Michele Pierre-Louis, other senior Government officials and numerous Haitians who survived the storms.

Mr. Holmes, who is also the UN Emergency Relief Coordinator, toured the northern seaside city of Gonaïves, considered the hardest-hit city. Living conditions inside Gonaïves have been made more difficult by large volumes of stagnant water and mud.

The Under-Secretary-General stressed the need to help Haiti, the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere even before these storms, make a well-managed transition from relief to reconstruction and development.

Oct 25 2008 9:10PM
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UN AND WORLD BANK AGREE TO BOLSTER PARTNERSHIP IN RESPONDING TO CRISES

UN AND WORLD BANK AGREE TO BOLSTER PARTNERSHIP IN RESPONDING TO CRISES
New York, Oct 25 2008 9:10PM
The United Nations and the World Bank have signed an agreement to strengthen their commitment to work more closely together in countries struck by conflicts or natural disasters.

The agreement, signed yesterday in New York by Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and World Bank President Robert Zoellick, sets out common principles to guide the two institutions on how to work with national authorities and aid partners to support crisis prevention, stabilization and recovery strategies.

At the same time, the agreement acknowledges the importance of the humanitarian principles of neutrality, impartiality and independence.

The UN and the World Bank are also committing themselves to improve inter-agency communications, strengthen joint planning, increase collaboration on funding mechanisms and foster a broader culture of collaboration between the two institutions.

Oct 25 2008 9:10PM
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UN OFFICIALS STRESS NEED TO PROTECT WORLD’S POOREST AMID FINANCIAL CRISIS

UN OFFICIALS STRESS NEED TO PROTECT WORLD'S POOREST AMID FINANCIAL CRISIS
New York, Oct 24 2008 8:10PM
The poorest of the world's poor deserve immediate support to help them endure the global financial crisis, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and other top United Nations officials said today, warning that recent hard-won progress on poverty could be lost unless concerted action is taken.

At a meeting of the Chief Executives Board (CEB), which brings together the heads of various UN agencies and entities, including the <"http://www.worldbank.org/">World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (<"http://www.imf.org/external/index.htm">IMF), the officials said all countries must take greater steps to ensure that the most vulnerable are not left behind.

"The crisis we are seeing today will impact all countries, developed and developing, but its most serious repercussions will be felt most by those who are least responsible – the poor in developing countries," the officials said in a <"http://www.un.org/apps/sg/sgstats.asp?nid=3496">joint statement issued in New York tonight after a special CEB session devoted to the impact of the crisis on the UN's work.

"Immediate action is needed to protect people, jobs, shelter and livelihoods," they said, stressing that the grave nature of the financial crisis should not deflect the attention of leaders and policymakers from dealing with other challenges, such as climate change and the anti-poverty targets known as the Millennium Development Goals (<"http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals/">MDGs).

"As we look to the next seven years of the implementation of the MDGs to 2015, we must ensure that hard-won gains by countries are not reversed and must act to avert the risk of millions in poor countries sliding back into extreme poverty."

Mr. Ban and other UN officials called on all States, given the recent financial crisis, to reaffirm their commitments and pledges to grant official development assistance (ODA) to needy countries.

"In the face of the current crisis, ODA has become even more centrally important to the poor developing countries that are faced with financial constraints, declining liquidity and seriously worsening balance of payments positions."

The meeting stressed the importance of a successful conclusion to the so-called Doha round of trade liberalization talks, which have stalled, and urged countries to resist the impulses of protectionism.

On 15 November world leaders – including Mr. Ban – will gather in Washington for a summit to devise ways to respond to the crisis, and today's statement noted that "we reaffirm the need for meaningful, comprehensive and well coordinated reform of the international financial system."

During the meeting, Mr. Ban <"http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2008/sgsm11883.doc.htm">told participants that "drastic measures" will be needed to resolve the financial crisis, possibly including the IMF and the world's major central banks setting up substantial standby lines of credit so that banks in poor countries have adequate funds to draw on in an emergency.

"We can be effective only if we act together, with one voice and a common purpose," he added.

Last night, while accepting the UNA-NY Humanitarians of the Year Award, Mr. Ban said the laurel was "especially meaningful at such a critical time," and added that efforts to combat climate change must not stop because of the current financial turmoil.

"That would be a double blow," he said. "We would be failing to address one of the defining issues of our times. And we would miss out on the enormous benefits that we stand to gain in making the transition to a less carbon-intensive economy."
Oct 24 2008 8:10PM
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CONTINUING ATTACKS AND KILLINGS SHOW LEBANON STILL FACES SERIOUS CHALLENGES – BAN

CONTINUING ATTACKS AND KILLINGS SHOW LEBANON STILL FACES SERIOUS CHALLENGES – BAN
New York, Oct 24 2008 8:10PM
Lebanon is taking important steps forward after the deadly sectarian violence earlier this year, but a worrying series of political assassinations and explosions continues to plague the country, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon says in a new <"http://www.un.org/Docs/journal/asp/ws.asp?m=s/2008/654">report.

In his latest report on the implementation of Security Council 1559, which calls for free and fair presidential elections in Lebanon without interference from foreign groups and for the disbanding of all militia, Mr. Ban writes that the country "was taken to the brink of civil war and back.

"The violence that erupted in Lebanon in May represented one of the greatest threats to the very foundations of the Lebanese State in recent years, and a painful reminder to all Lebanese of the threats posed by the existence of armed groups outside the control of the State."

But he calls the election of Michel Suleiman as President at the end of May as "a significant step forward" to implementing resolution 1559, which the Council adopted in 2004 amid concern about the ongoing tensions and lack of stability within Lebanon.

"The election [of Mr. Suleiman] signalled the reactivation of Lebanon's constitutional process, to which all parties in Lebanon have since recommitted themselves. In doing so, the Lebanese have taken a step further towards strengthening the sovereignty, stability, unity and political independence of their country."

The report stresses the need for all parties to implement the Doha accord that ended the violence, including their commitments to refrain from using weapons to settle internal political disputes.

Mr. Ban cautions that the process of reconciliation is at an early stage and many complex challenges remain ahead, including how to deal with the ongoing assassinations and attacks.

"I am in particular disturbed by what appears to be an emerging pattern of attacks against the Lebanese armed forces, a prominent symbol of the authority of the State. I call on the Lebanese authorities to bring to justice all those who have perpetrated such crimes."

The issue of Hizbollah's weapons remains "central to the political debate," he notes, saying the armed group's "maintenance of separate military assets and infrastructure is a fundamental challenge to the Government's attempts to consolidate the sovereignty and authority of the Lebanese State and obstructs constructive dialogue on political and security issues."

The disarming and disbanding of all militia groups in the country, whether they are Lebanese or non-Lebanese, must be accomplished through an inclusive political dialogue, the Secretary-General adds.

He also writes that he is encouraged by the recent moves of Lebanon and Syria to normalize diplomatic relations between the two neighbours.
Oct 24 2008 8:10PM
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UN DAY MARKED AROUND THE GLOBE WITH ARRAY OF EVENTS AND FESTIVITIES

UN DAY MARKED AROUND THE GLOBE WITH ARRAY OF EVENTS AND FESTIVITIES
New York, Oct 24 2008 8:10PM
From a concert in New York by world renowned cellist Yo-Yo Ma to a tree-planting ceremony in strife-torn Darfur to a blood donation drive in Namibia, celebrations were held across the globe today to commemorate the 63rd anniversary of the founding of the United Nations.

To mark United Nations Day, virtuoso cellist and UN Messenger of Peace Yo-Yo Ma performed tonight with the Silk Road Ensemble in the annual UN Day Concert in New York.

"This is a very special way to celebrate the day that the Charter of the United Nations came into force," General Assembly President Miguel D'Escoto told those gathered for the concert.

"He is a man who, through his wonderful music, is able to convey to us the values of the United Nations and inspire our commitment to them. Compassion, cooperation and communication, strength through diversity – these are some of the values that seem to be absent or inconsequential in international relations, yet these values should underpin all the undertakings of our great Organization."

Also in New York, UN staff and senior officials visited schools across the city to provide an overview of the Organization's work, share their own experiences and interact with students in a campaign called UN4U, orchestrated by the Department of Public Information (DPI).

Some 3,500 students heard from UN officials such as Under-Secretary-General for Communications and Public Information Kiyo Akasaka; the Secretary-General's Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict, Radhika Coomaraswamy; Executive Director of the Capital Master Plan Michael Adlerstein; and the Special Adviser on Gender Issues and Advancement of Women, Rachel Mayanja.

The UN has also launched a newly redesigned website (unic.un.org) that serves as a portal to the network of 63 UN Information Centres (UNICs) around the world, whose efforts are crucial to telling the UN story to people in their own languages.

Among the many events held worldwide was a ceremony in Moscow to mark UN Day as well as the 60th anniversary of the UN presence in that country. In a <"http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2008/sgsm11857.doc.htm">message to the event, Mr. Ban noted that "60 years on, our world and our Organization have changed beyond recognition. The problems we face have grown much more complex, impacting all of us around the globe."

In Addis Ababa, the celebration at the Economic Commission for Africa marks not only UN Day, but also the 50th anniversary of the Commission. It includes the launching of the ECA Jubilee Book, which chronicles the Commission's main contributions to African development over the past five decades.

Meanwhile, week-long events in Colombia include a seminar by the UN refugee agency for refugees, a forum on avian influenza, and a photographic exhibition on UN activities in the South American country. In Windhoek, Namibia, UN staff participated in a blood drive, organized in part by the World Heath Organization (<"http://www.who.int/en/">WHO).

The joint UN-African Union peacekeeping force in the Sudanese region of Darfur – known as <"http://www.un.org/depts/dpko/missions/unamid/">UNAMID – marked the Day with a tree-planting ceremony, as well as music and dance, while the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (<"http://www.un.org/Depts/dpko/missions/unifil/">UNIFIL) honoured Lebanese staff who have served with the mission for more than 25 years.

In Haiti, there was no celebration of UN Day as the occasion comes at a very difficult time for the island, as noted by the Secretary-General's Special Representative for the country, Hédi Annabi.

Mr. Annabi said that Haiti has suffered a crushing loss of lives and property during this year's hurricane season, with the overall material damage estimated at over $1 billion by the <"http://www.worldbank.org/">World Bank. All efforts are now geared toward finding urgent humanitarian assistance for millions of suffering Haitians.

The Special Representative urged UN staff in the country to take part in conferences, television and radio programmes and other public forums to advocate for greater humanitarian assistance to Haiti.

In a related development, UN Emergency Relief Coordinator John Holmes, who today wrapped up a two-day visit to Haiti, expressed his willingness to make an additional allocation from the Central Emergency Response Fund (<"http://ochaonline.un.org/cerf/CERFHome/tabid/1705/language/en-US/Default.aspx">CERF) to fund the urgent humanitarian needs of people affected by the recent hurricanes.

UN Day has been celebrated on 24 October every year since 1948, exactly three years after the <"http://www.un.org/aboutun/charter/">UN Charter entered into force. In 1971, the General Assembly adopted a resolution recommending that the Day be observed as a public holiday by Member States.
Oct 24 2008 8:10PM
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VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN REMAINS ENDEMIC, UN EXPERT REPORTS

VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN REMAINS ENDEMIC, UN EXPERT REPORTS
New York, Oct 24 2008 7:10PM
Women around the world continue to endure violence, abuse and discrimination and often have no recourse to justice, an independent United Nations human rights expert told the General Assembly today as she urged Member States to make greater efforts to record and publicize violations.

"In spite of considerable achievements, violence against women persists in every country as a pervasive and universal violation of human rights and a major impediment to achieving gender equality," said Yakin Ertürk, the outgoing Special Rapporteur on violence against women, its causes and consequences.

<"http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs//2008/gashc3927.doc.htm">Addressing the Assembly's third committee (social, humanitarian and cultural) for the final time, Ms. Ertürk said the problem of violence against women has become so complex that laws and policies worldwide need to be changed to adjust to the reality.

"To enhance the effectiveness of this mandate in promoting and supporting endeavours to combat violence against women, I would like to emphasize the need to complement the mandate with a substantial funding source from which funds can be channelled to the implementation of the recommendations made following official country visits," Ms. Ertürk told the committee.

Ms. Ertürk briefed the Assembly committee on her work for the year, which included fact-finding missions to Saudi Arabia, Tajikistan and Moldova, and informed the body that she will visit Kyrgyzstan next June before ending her six-year stint in the position.

After visiting Saudi Arabia in February, the Special Rapporteur said the Middle East country had made progress in advancing the status of women but more action was needed to reduce gender-based violence and enhance the profile of women in public life.

While some Saudi women expressed satisfaction with their lives, others raised concerns about discrimination or shared stories of men committing systematic domestic abuse with impunity.

Following her visit to Tajikistan in May, Ms. Ertürk reported that strong patriarchal values in the culture mean many women are expected to be obedient to their husbands and often get blamed for having provoked so-called disciplinary measures.

"Unless serious injuries occur, domestic violence is by and large accepted as a normal aspect of private life by men and women alike and not acknowledged as a problem warranting public intervention," she said.

Although Moldova had come a long way in institution-building and human rights protection since gaining independence in 1991, the reality for many women was bleak, the expert reported after returning from the Eastern European country in July.

"Women experience high levels of unemployment or are concentrated in low paid sex-type jobs, and encounter strong patriarchal attitudes and deep-rooted stereotypes that perpetuate the subordinate position of women in the family and in society. Violence against women, within the family and in formal institutions, is said to be a widespread phenomenon," Ms. Ertürk said.

Today's briefing comes weeks before the UN Development Fund for Women's (UNIFEM) target date for gathering a million names on its "Say No to Violence against Women" campaign website. The campaign wraps up on 25 November when the signatures will be handed over to Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in observance of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women.
Oct 24 2008 7:10PM
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TORTURE PERSISTS AS STANDARD PRACTICE IN MANY COUNTRIES, SAYS UN EXPERT

TORTURE PERSISTS AS STANDARD PRACTICE IN MANY COUNTRIES, SAYS UN EXPERT
New York, Oct 24 2008 7:10PM
Torture is still a frequent or even standard practice in many nations, six decades after the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, a United Nations expert on the subject said today in New York.

"Today, human rights form the only universally accepted system of the world, but the implementation gap is growing," Manfred Nowak, Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, told reporters in New York.

He pointed out that torture has decreased significantly in several parts of the world, with the practice being reduced sharply after the military dictatorships of Latin America were replaced by democratic governments.

"But on the global level, I still come to the conclusion on the basis of many fact-finding missions and other forms of evidence that torture and ill-treatment is still practised on a widespread, partly even systematic and routine level in many countries of the world, and the conditions of detention have even gotten worse in many countries of the world."

<"http://www.unhchr.ch/huricane/huricane.nsf/view01/B41633C8FCEA240AC12574EC0034096F?opendocument">Addressing the General Assembly today, the expert pointed out that millions of people worldwide are deprived of their liberty, living in conditions of detention amounting to inhuman and degrading treatment.

Torture occurs behind closed doors and that the lack of public scrutiny allows for the abuses of detainees to continue, he said, calling for transparency in both public and private institutions.

Mr. Nowak, an Austrian human rights lawyer who has served as Rapporteur since 2004, presented a report to the Assembly's Third Committee on the connection between torture and the treatment of people with disabilities.

"People with mental disabilities are very often just excluded," he told UNiFEED, a video service which covers the UN. "They are put in a single cell without any adequate health or psychological care and we have found in various prisons persons in a deplorable and appalling state from a hygienic point of view who are just neglected, forgotten by the outside world."
Oct 24 2008 7:10PM
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CEASEFIRE BETWEEN GAZA AND ISRAEL HAS NOT EASED CONDITIONS IN GAZA – UN EXPERT

CEASEFIRE BETWEEN GAZA AND ISRAEL HAS NOT EASED CONDITIONS IN GAZA – UN EXPERT
New York, Oct 24 2008 7:10PM
The ceasefire between Gaza and Israel that was reached in June has been "generally effective in reducing the level of political violence," but has not delivered on Israeli assurances to ease entry and exit of goods and people, an independent United Nations human rights expert has told Member States.

"If anything, existing evidence discloses a harsher regime of confinement and siege imposed on the Gazan population," Richard Falk, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territories, told the General Assembly's third committee (social, humanitarian and cultural) yesterday.

He said Palestinians continue to face difficulties in obtaining exit permits to receive specialized medical treatment in Israel or elsewhere that is not available in Gaza.

"Such delays and denial of permission has resulted in a growing number of tragic deaths, severe mental and physical suffering, and constitutes a violation of the duty of the occupying power under the Fourth Geneva Convention to take all reasonable steps to protect the health and well-being of the population under occupation, with exceptions only to the extent absolutely necessary for upholding security.

"These restrictions appear unrelated to credible security claims, and hence a punitive form of collective punishment, which is consistent with the overall maintenance of the siege that has been applied to Gaza since July 2007."

In a report submitted to the General Assembly in August, Mr. Falk summarized evidence gathered from "best available open sources" and observations during a private visit to Israel in July that included a short trip to Ramallah, as well as nearby Israeli settlements. The Special Rapporteur, who was appointed in May, has not been able to arrange an official visit to Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories and is "seeking the cooperation of the Government of Israel", he said.

The Special Rapporteur, in his statement, also expressed concern that the Annapolis Joint Statement of 27 November 2007 – intended to reinvigorate the peace process, to commit Israel to ease restrictions on Palestinians and to freeze settlement activity – had not been fulfilled.

The report details the deepening health crisis confronting the Palestinians living under occupation, including mental and physical ailments. The precariousness of the health system due to insufficient medical supplies and shortage of medical equipment and parts was also highlighted.
Oct 24 2008 7:10PM
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FACTORS TRIGGERING KENYA’S POST-ELECTION VIOLENCE MUST BE TACKLED – UN

FACTORS TRIGGERING KENYA'S POST-ELECTION VIOLENCE MUST BE TACKLED – UN
New York, Oct 24 2008 7:10PM
The problems that sparked the crisis following last December's contested Kenyan presidential elections must be dealt with, a top United Nations human rights official said, wrapping up a visit to the East African nation.

Kyung-wha Kang, Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights, <"http://www.unhchr.ch/huricane/huricane.nsf/view01/EE0343FFCEB6B0BDC12574EC004C2AC2?opendocument">said that there is an urgent need to address issues – such as violations of socio-economic rights, land issues, large disparities between classes, marginalization and exclusion – at the root of the violence after the disputed polls in which President Mwai Kibaki was declared the winner over opposition leader Raila Odinga.

"Durable solutions to these problems will take the determination and require broad participation from all sectors of Kenyan society," she said.

Reforming the constitution and the police system, as well as the adoption of new laws including on witness protection, will be crucial, Ms. Kang noted.

"Implementation and action must replace evasion and denial," she said, adding that she was encouraged to hear during meetings with Mr. Odinga and other senior officials of their commitment to put the recommendations of a report by the Commission of Inquiry on Post Electoral Violence into practice.

Realizing these suggestions, especially the creation of a credible Special Tribunal to bring those behind the most serious crimes committed after the elections, "will be a critical test of the Kenyan political leadership in the struggle to end impunity," the Commissioner said.

While in Kenya, she also visited Dadaab refugee camp, home to nearly 200,000 people, mostly Somalis fleeing violence in their country.

"Somalia is not a lost cause," Ms. Kang emphasized. "It is a long-term cause, and one that will require stamina, creativity and a concerted effort by the international community, civil society, and above all, Somali political leaders."

She pointed to a conversation she had with a 17-year-old who has spent his entire life at the camp in north-eastern Kenya, who told her that "we are the ones" who must solve the conflict in Somalia, which has not had a functioning government since 1991.

"Any lasting peace in Somalia must be based on accountability and justice for the serious violations of human rights committed by all sides throughout the Somali conflict," the official said.
Oct 24 2008 7:10PM
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REVAMPED WEBSITE TELLS UN STORY IN 130 LANGUAGES

REVAMPED WEBSITE TELLS UN STORY IN 130 LANGUAGES
New York, Oct 24 2008 6:10PM
The Department of Public Information is marking United Nations Day today by launching a redesigned website for UN Information Centres (UNICs) that aims to tell the Organization's story in 130 languages.

The website will serve as a portal to the Department's network of 63 UNICs worldwide, most of which are located in developing countries.

"This website enables our Information Centres to bring the UN story to people around the world and to do so in their local languages," said Under-Secretary-General for Communications and Public Information Kiyo Akasaka.

The website features information on both current activities and milestone agreements such as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, as well as on the globally agreed anti-poverty targets known as the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

"The site reflects the invaluable contribution of the United Nations and its network of Information Centres to this year's observance of the International Year of Languages, highlighting the importance of preserving linguistic diversity," stated Mr. Akasaka, who was also appointed UN Coordinator for Multilingualism by Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in May.

New features of the site include content explaining the public information work of the UN and an interactive "Voices from the field" section, which features short video clips in local languages of UN staff describing their work.

Visitors can also learn about the activities of the Information Centres, via a blog or through automatic updates provided by a technology known as RSS (Really Simple Syndication).

Upholding the spirit and message of UN Day, the new website will provide reliable and up-to-date information on the UN to a wide range of groups, including journalists, government officials, civil society representatives, students, educators and researchers.
Oct 24 2008 6:10PM
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MORE FUNDING NEEDED TO FIGHT DEADLY CHOLERA OUTBREAK IN GUINEA-BISSAU – UN

MORE FUNDING NEEDED TO FIGHT DEADLY CHOLERA OUTBREAK IN GUINEA-BISSAU – UN
New York, Oct 24 2008 5:10PM
The United Nations humanitarian wing today called for more funding to help overcome a major outbreak of cholera in Guinea-Bissau, which has killed at least 200 people since May and shows no signs of abating.

Over 12,000 cases have been reported so far this year and an average of more than 1,000 new cases are being diagnosed every month, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (<"http://ochaonline.un.org/">OCHA) said in an update. The number of fatalities has risen to 201.

The capital, Bissau, has been by far the hardest hit area, with about 7,600 cases reported in the city alone, while the city of Biombo and the Bijagos Islands have also recorded many cases.

OCHA said that while the UN system has mobilized more than $1 million to support the humanitarian response this year, greater funding is needed, especially in the area of early warning.

Guinea-Bissau is prone to outbreaks of cholera, and OCHA noted that it is the only country in the immediate region where the disease is not in decline. In Senegal, Mali, Benin and Niger, for example, cholera rates have fallen in recent years.

Cholera is mainly transmitted through contaminated water and food and long-term prevention depends on access to safe drinking water and adequate sanitation to prevent exposure. But the water and sanitation infrastructure in Guinea-Bissau is both limited and dilapidated.

UN agencies, including the UN Children's Fund (<"http://www.unicef.org/">UNICEF) and the World Health Organization (<"http://www.who.int/en/">WHO), have been helping the health authorities and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) deal with the outbreak for some months, including by conducting hygiene awareness campaigns.

This year's outbreak is the worst in Guinea-Bissau since 2005, when more than 400 people died and at least 25,000 cases were diagnosed.
Oct 24 2008 5:10PM
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BAN URGES GREATER EFFORTS TO BOOST WOMEN’S ROLE IN PEACE AND SECURITY

BAN URGES GREATER EFFORTS TO BOOST WOMEN'S ROLE IN PEACE AND SECURITY
New York, Oct 24 2008 5:10PM
Countries need to take more action to increase the role of women in the search for peace and justice and enhance their input in decision-making, even though positive steps have been made in recent years, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon writes in a <"http://www.un.org/Docs/journal/asp/ws.asp?m=s/2008/622">report made public today.

"There is growing support for women's equal participation in peace processes," as well as "enhanced capacity-building efforts for women's empowerment," Mr. Ban said, adding that greater attention is being paid to sexual violence in conflict situations.

"However, the noticeable gap that remains between policies and their effective implementation must be closed," he said.

The report to the Security Council called for more action to be taken at the country level to increase the role of women in all stages of conflict prevention, resolution and management, as well as peacebuilding.

Stepped-up efforts are also essential to prevent and halt sexual and gender-based violence through such means as more systematic responses by United Nations peacekeeping missions and humanitarian assistance programmes, protection of displaced women and strengthened strategies to address impunity for those committing sexual crimes.

The Secretary-General called on the Council to fortify their capacity to end sexual violence "should be prepared to dispatch missions to assess situations when violence is used or commissioned as a tactic of war or as part of a widespread or systematic attack against civilians."

The 15-member body should also remind parties to conflicts of their responsibility to protect women, he wrote in the report.

In a presidential statement adopted one year ago, the Council noted the "constant underrepresentation of women in formal peace processes," and called for enhancing their role in matters related to the maintenance and promotion of peace and security.

It also expressed deep concern that gender-based violence, particularly rape, remain "pervasive, and in some situations have become systematic," despite calls for the protection of women and girls.
Oct 24 2008 5:10PM
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UN SPECIAL ADVISER TO JOIN WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM’S SPORTS COUNCIL

UN SPECIAL ADVISER TO JOIN WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM'S SPORTS COUNCIL
New York, Oct 24 2008 5:10PM
The Secretary-General's Special Adviser on Sport for Development and Peace is set to become a member of the World Economic Forum's Global Agenda Council on the Role of Sports in Society, it was announced today.

"I am honoured to accept the invitation to become a member of this Council. I look forward to collaborating with fellow members and to bring the UN perspective to the table as to how to promote the use of sport as an innovative catalyst for social change," said Wilfried Lemke.

Members of the council – which includes 17 influential leaders from governmental and non-governmental bodies, the private sector and international sports organizations – will convene for the inaugural summit to be held in Dubai on 7-9 November.

The agenda for the three-day summit, at which 700 participants will engage in interactive workshops and sessions, will be "examining the proposition that sport can be a powerful agent for change that should be leveraged by individuals, businesses, governments and elite athletes to drive significant positive development and progress in a social economic and political context."

Founded in 1971, the World Economic Forum is an independent international organization committed to improving the state of the world by engaging leaders in partnerships to shape global, regional and industry agendas.

As the Special Adviser to the UN Secretary-General, Mr. Lemke spearheads the efforts of the UN system to promote sport as an instrument for development and peace, encouraging dialogue, collaboration and partnerships in this area.
Oct 24 2008 5:10PM
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CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC: UN TEAM BEGINS STUDY ON IMPROVING COORDINATION

CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC: UN TEAM BEGINS STUDY ON IMPROVING COORDINATION
New York, Oct 24 2008 5:10PM
A 15-member United Nations inter-agency mission arrived today in the Central African Republic (CAR) to study how to improve the coordination and coherence of the world body's work in the impoverished and strife-torn country.

The UN Peacebuilding Support Office in the CAR (known as BONUCA) reports that the assessment team, which reached the capital, Bangui, this morning, will meet with Government officials, the UN country team, civil society representatives and members of the diplomatic community during its week-long visit.

The visit follows a request from the Security Council, which last year authorized the establishment of the UN Mission in the CAR and Chad (MINURCAT) to try to stabilize the security situation and ease the humanitarian suffering in both countries, which are among the poorest in the world.

Once the visit is completed, the inter-agency assessment team will draft recommendations for the Security Council on how to integrate UN activities in the CAR.

Last month CAR's President Francois Bozizé told the General Assembly's annual General Debate that his country needs a strengthened MINURCAT, given that an accompanying European Union security force (EUFOR) is scheduled to depart in March next year.
Oct 24 2008 5:10PM
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UN HEADQUARTERS RENOVATION PROJECT PROCEEDING ON SCHEDULE, REPORT SAYS

UN HEADQUARTERS RENOVATION PROJECT PROCEEDING ON SCHEDULE, REPORT SAYS
New York, Oct 24 2008 3:10PM
The five-year, $1.9 billion renovation designed to make the landmark United Nations Headquarters Complex in New York more modern, safe and sustainable is proceeding on schedule, according to an update on the status of the project released today.

All leases for swing space have been concluded, work is progressing well on the temporary North Lawn Conference Building, and the planning for the relocation of some 6,000 staff has been finalized, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon writes in his latest <"http://www.un.org/Docs/journal/asp/ws.asp?m=a/63/477">report to the General Assembly on the project, known as the Capital Master Plan (CMP).

The required office swing space is being provided at three leased locations, two in Manhattan and one in Long Island City. The relocation of departments and offices to off-site office space is currently scheduled to begin in late 2008 and to continue to mid-2009.

The progress cited is in line with the accelerated strategy approved by the Assembly in December 2007, which is expected to result in the completion of the project by 2013 and with less disruption than the previous plan.

In addition, significant headway has been achieved in the design of the project, taking into account the changes resulting from the accelerated strategy and the value engineering exercise, as well as those related to blast protection.

The updated design also incorporates measures that will reduce energy consumption at Headquarters by 44 per cent, including an improved heating, ventilation and air-conditioning system.

At the ground-breaking ceremony for the construction of temporary conference venue in May, Mr. Ban pledged to make the complex "a model of environmental stewardship" by reducing the UN's electrical and water usage and by removing harmful materials that were used in the original construction.

Regarding the budget of the project, Mr. Ban states in his report that "the expenses already incurred as well as the rents that are firmly committed through the duration of the project totalled approximately $187.9 million as at July 2008.

"When the projected costs for the remainder of the project are added, the cost of the Capital Master Plan is closer to the amount budgeted than at the time of the preparation of the fifth progress report and is still on schedule."
Oct 24 2008 3:10PM
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ESTONIA WORKING HARD TO REDUCE CHILD EXPLOITATION, UN HUMAN RIGHTS EXPERT FINDS

ESTONIA WORKING HARD TO REDUCE CHILD EXPLOITATION, UN HUMAN RIGHTS EXPERT FINDS
New York, Oct 24 2008 3:10PM
Estonia is taking clear steps to protect its children from prostitution, pornography and exploitation, but its young people remain at risk and continued vigilance from authorities is needed, an independent United Nations human rights expert warned today after visiting the Baltic country.

Najat M'jid Maalla, the Special Rapporteur on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography, said she was heartened to see first-hand Estonia's efforts – in legislation, education and prevention programmes, law enforcement, and social and health-care support – to reduce the exploitation of children.

During a five-day visit that concluded today, Ms. Maalla met with senior Government officials and staff at UN agencies and toured 11 centres and organizations involved in child protection.

She welcomed statistics that showed extremely low numbers of cases of child prostitution or child pornography in recent years, and no cases of the sale of children.

Ms. Maalla also noted that Estonia has moved to harmonize its laws with international conventions protecting children and prohibiting human trafficking, and has also taken practical steps, especially in its justice system, to benefit children.

Estonian children now receive greater protection during testimony, information campaigns have been held to promote children's rights and counselling has been introduced for at-risk children on issues such as HIV/AIDS, drug addiction, abuse and violence.

But the Special Rapporteur said many legislative reforms still need to be finalized and monitoring mechanisms also have to be improved.

Children remain at risk of sexual exploitation, she stressed, given the development of tourism, the easy accessibility of children to new information technologies such as the Internet, and the increasing sophistication of networks of human traffickers.

Ms. Maalla, a paediatrician in Morocco, has served as an independent and unpaid Special Rapporteur since May and reports to the Geneva-based UN Human Rights Council.
Oct 24 2008 3:10PM
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NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT MUST SHIFT FROM ASPIRATION TO REALITY, BAN SAYS

NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT MUST SHIFT FROM ASPIRATION TO REALITY, BAN SAYS
New York, Oct 24 2008 2:10PM
Acknowledging that obstacles to nuclear disarmament are daunting, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today said that it is more imperative than ever to make it a reality given the twin economic and financial crises the world is currently facing.

"The costs and risks of [disarmament's] alternatives never get the attention they deserve," Mr. Ban said in his <"http://www.un.org/apps/news/infocus/sgspeeches/statments_full.asp?statID=351">address to the East-West Institute in New York. "But consider the tremendous opportunity cost of huge military budgets. Consider the vast resources that are consumed by the endless pursuit of military superiority."

The market turmoil and other crises have triggered an increasing awareness of the need for international cooperation to tackle global problems, he said. "This changing consciousness can also help us revitalize the international disarmament agenda."

There is support worldwide for the idea that nuclear arms should never be utilized again due to their horrific effects, environmental impacts and repercussions on security, but since disarmament has yet to be achieved, "this forces us to ask whether a taboo merely on the use of such weapons is sufficient," the Secretary-General said.

Many nations consider nuclear weapons to be a status symbol, with some viewing them as a deterrent, he said.

"Unfortunately, the doctrine of nuclear deterrence has proven to be contagious. This has made non-proliferation more difficult, which in turn raises new risks that nuclear weapons will be used."

Mr. Ban also voiced concern that a "nuclear renaissance" could occur since nuclear power is seen as a clean alternative to combat climate change.

In his speech, he offered five proposals to reinvigorate the international push towards disarmament.

All parties to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) must fulfil their obligations under the pact, the Security Council's five permanent members should start talks on the disarmament process, and strengthening laws to promote non-proliferation.

He also called for greater accountability and transparency, as well as complementary measures, such as eliminating other types of weapons of mass destruction.
Oct 24 2008 2:10PM
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NEW REPORT URGES STATES TO PROTECT THE HUMAN RIGHTS OF MIGRANTS, SAYS UN AGENCY

NEW REPORT URGES STATES TO PROTECT THE HUMAN RIGHTS OF MIGRANTS, SAYS UN AGENCY
New York, Oct 24 2008 2:10PM
States have an obligation to protect the human rights of migrants, according to a new United Nations-backed report, which warns that a lack of respect for migrants' rights reduces their ability to contribute to the development of their destination countries.

The report from the Global Migration Group, of which the UN Population Fund (<"http://www.unfpa.org/news/news.cfm?ID=1213">UNFPA) is a member, calls for stepped-up measures in both countries of origin and countries of destination to ensure that rights are protected and upheld.

"Much of international migration is rooted in the fact that people are not able to fully exercise their human rights in their country of origin," said Jose Miguel Guzman, the chief of UNFPA's population and development branch, according to a press release issued yesterday.

"Others are forced by conflict or environmental changes to leave their homes. We need to find new ways of international collaboration to protect the human rights of these individuals," Mr. Guzman added.

A significant challenge in protecting the human rights of migrants is the ratification, implementation and enforcement of existing human rights instruments. The report calls for data on migrants' age and gender to be made available so that measures put in place to safeguard the human rights of migrants can be effectively monitored and assessed.

"Detailed information can shed light on the determinants of relevant migration outcomes and on whether laws and regulations governing them are being applied fairly and consistently with universally recognized human rights," the report noted.

Cooperation among governments in countries of origin, transit and destination, as well as non-governmental organizations (NGOs), civil society and migrants themselves is essential to ensure that international human rights instruments are implemented and that migrants are aware of their rights and obligations, according to the report.

The report will be presented at next week's Global Forum on Migration and Development in Manila, which will focus on the protection and empowerment of migrants in the context of development.
Oct 24 2008 2:10PM
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LEGISLATORS GATHER AT UN FORUM TO ADVANCE EDUCATION IN ASIA-PACIFIC REGION

LEGISLATORS GATHER AT UN FORUM TO ADVANCE EDUCATION IN ASIA-PACIFIC REGION
New York, Oct 24 2008 1:10PM
Parliamentarians from across Asia and the Pacific are meeting today at a United Nations gathering in Jakarta to address education needs in the region, which, although experiencing rapid progress since 2000, remains home to nearly 28 million children and over 500 million illiterate adults.

The two-day meeting, organized by the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), will focus on the role of parliamentarians, given their influence as decision-makers, in advancing the goal of "education for all," the pledge made by world leaders in the Senegalese capital, Dakar, in 1999.

"They can hold their governments to account for the commitments they have made and press for policies that ensure that access to quality basic educational services for all is a national priority," said UNESCO Director-General Koïchiro Matsuura.

At the legislative level, parliamentarians can ensure that governments have ratified core human rights treaties and that domestic laws and policies enshrine the right to education.

They can also press for enforcement of these laws and initiate legislation to eliminate discrimination in education, as well as call on governments to allocate larger portions of the national budgets to basic education.

"As elected representatives, parliamentarians must use their voice to make the case for basic education," said Nicholas Burnett, UNESCO Assistant Director-General for Education. "They must ensure that policies are geared to improving access to education and the quality of learning, especially for the most disadvantaged groups and underserved regions."

Participants at the two-day meeting, which will feature special sessions organized by UNESCO on teachers, literacy, gender and sustainable development, will be able to share their countries' success stories and good practices in the field of education.

They will also launch the Forum of Asia Pacific Parliamentarians for Education (FASPPED), which aims to raise awareness among legislators about educational challenges in the region.

In addition, the Forum will highlight strategies to improve the quality of education, and associate them more closely in the planning and implementation of educational policies in the context of the Education for All (EFA) initiative and the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) to achieve universal access to education.

UNESCO has organized similar meetings in Africa (2002) and the Arab States (2007), and a future gathering is foreseen for Latin America and the Caribbean.
Oct 24 2008 1:10PM
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SOMALI TEENAGERS RECEIVE UN ASSISTANCE AFTER BEING RELEASED FROM JAIL

SOMALI TEENAGERS RECEIVE UN ASSISTANCE AFTER BEING RELEASED FROM JAIL
New York, Oct 24 2008 1:10PM
Two United Nations agencies are providing clothing, transport and food allowances to more than 100 teenagers released this week from prison in the self-declared autonomous region of Somaliland in north-western Somalia as part of efforts to help the children reintegrate into their communities.

Under the Justice for Children Project, a joint effort of the UN Children's Fund (<"http://www.unicef.org/media/media_46134.html">UNICEF) and the UN Development Programme (<"http://www.undp.org/">UNDP), the released inmates are also being given individual counselling and berths in vocational programmes.

On Tuesday the 104 children, all aged between 15 and 18, were released from eight prisons into the care of their local communities after a presidential decree pardon. Many had been jailed on such charges as truancy, vagrancy or disobedience to parents.

UNICEF said in a press release issued today that the project includes efforts to ensure that local communities offer a protective environment so that the children do not feel stigmatized when they return.

Christian Balslev-Olesen, the agency's representative for Somalia, welcomed the decree and other recent initiatives by authorities in Somaliland.

"These actions will ensure a fair justice… system for children and build greater awareness of child rights and the need for children to be protected when they come in contact with the law," he said.

UNDP programme manager Alejandro Bendaña said the project was helping to strengthen the judiciary, law enforcement and human rights in Somaliland.

"The new juvenile justice law takes precedence over all other laws relating to children in conflict with the law and we expect its provisions – such as community mechanisms to address juvenile misbehaviour – to be used more frequently to prevent the imprisonment of children," he said.

Two of the children, whose names were not released to protect their identities, said they were hoping to build better lives.

A 17-year-old boy imprisoned for causing a disturbance at a wedding recounted being sent to jail: "While in prison most of the discussions with the inmates related to the advanced ways of committing crimes. I hope I will not go back to prison."

A 15-year-old boy said he was very scared during his stint in prison: "There are lice in our bodies and we don't get proper education. Older people tell us all kinds of horrible stories and the guy who murdered his father is in the same cell as us. However, I wish for a day I could be educated and lead a law-abiding life."
Oct 24 2008 1:10PM
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UN TRADE AND DEVELOPMENT ARM JOIN CONCERTED EFFORT TO HELP RECONSTRUCT IRAQ

UN TRADE AND DEVELOPMENT ARM JOIN CONCERTED EFFORT TO HELP RECONSTRUCT IRAQ
New York, Oct 24 2008 12:10PM
The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) signed an <"http://www.unctad.org/Templates/webflyer.asp?docid=10733&intItemID=1528&lang=1">agreement today giving it access to a fund of $1.3 billion for the reconstruction and development of Iraq.

The UN Development Group Iraq Trust Fund (UNDG ITF) is one of two funds created in 2004 to help donor nations channel their resources and coordinate their support for rebuilding the violence-ridden country.

UNCTAD, which joined 21 other participating UN Organizations in providing support to Iraq within a common UN framework, will access UNDG ITF resources to support its key assistance programmes – the Automated System of Customs Data programme and a science, technology and innovation policy review (STIP).

The STIP review will provide policy support to Iraq for shaping and establishing a national science, technology and innovation system to help reconstruct the nation's economy and accelerate its development, with a view to becoming a functioning knowledge-based, globalized economy.

While Iraq's efforts in science, technology and innovation were once among the best in the region, the troubled country's intellectual infrastructure has been decimated in more recent years. UNCTAD estimates that 80 per cent of the country's universities and research institutions are not fully operational, and large numbers of Iraqi engineers and scientists have left the country.

A memorandum of understanding on the project was signed at a formal ceremony – attended by Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon – in Geneva on 1 September by Iraqi Minister of Science and Technology Raid Fahmi and UNCTAD Secretary-General Supachai Panitchpakdi.

At the event Dr. Supachai expressed continuing readiness to provide UNCTAD-wide support in favour of Iraq to "help this country participated effectively and gainfully in today's globalized world economy and the multilateral trading system."

The STIP review will be prepared by experts working under the direction of UNCTAD and in partnership with Government officials, private-sector interests, academics and researchers. It will provide a basis for comprehensive Iraqi plans to encourage and capitalize on science, technology and innovation as a way of spurring long-term economic growth, according to a press release issued by UNCTAD.
Oct 24 2008 12:10PM
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UN AMBASSADOR ANGELINA JOLIE URGES GREATER SUPPORT FOR AFGHAN RETURNEES

UN AMBASSADOR ANGELINA JOLIE URGES GREATER SUPPORT FOR AFGHAN RETURNEES
New York, Oct 24 2008 11:10AM
International film star and Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations refugee agency Angelina Jolie has appealed for greater support for Afghan returnees, particularly as the harsh winter approaches, as she wrapped up her first visit to the strife-torn nation.

Ms. Jolie's three-day visit, which ended yesterday, was aimed at raising awareness of the refugee issue ahead of an international conference on return and reintegration to be held in the Afghan capital Kabul in December.

Although this was her first visit to the country, she is familiar with the Afghan repatriation operation – one of the biggest carried out by the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) – having met with Afghan refugees in neighbouring Pakistan twice in recent years.

During her trip, Ms. Jolie visited recent returnees in the eastern province of Nangarhar, where almost 20 per cent of all Afghans who return to the homeland have settled since 2002.

The returnees, who are living on desolate, desert land in tattered tents and makeshift shelters, told her they could not return to their places of origin due to a lack of land and poor security. She also visited UNHCR income-generating projects for vulnerable women in Jalalabad city.

"The courage, resilience and quiet dignity of returnee families rebuilding their lives against the kind of adversity few of us can imagine shows the human spirit at its best," <"http://www.unhcr.org/cgi-bin/texis/vtx/media?page=home&id=4901b8464">said the actress, humanitarian and mother of six.

Ms. Jolie also visited families in Kabul who had returned from Pakistan in 2003 but have still been unable to go back to their home villages. The families have been squatting in public buildings in Kabul for several years due to the lack of available land in Parwan, their province of origin, according to UNHCR.

The returnees explained that landlessness and insecurity were not the only obstacles to return. Economic problems in rural areas such as a lack of employment opportunities also influenced their decision to remain in Kabul despite the difficulties they face there.

Despite the huge returns to Afghanistan – over five million people have gone home over the past six years – some three million registered refugees remain in neighbouring Iran and Pakistan.

Next month's conference in Kabul, co-chaired by the Afghan Ministry of Foreign Affairs and UNHCR, will address how best to ensure the sustainable return of refugees and the displaced in the years to come.
Oct 24 2008 11:10AM
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NEVER HAS LEADERSHIP AND PARTNERSHIP BEEN MORE IMPORTANT, BAN SAYS ON UN DAY

NEVER HAS LEADERSHIP AND PARTNERSHIP BEEN MORE IMPORTANT, BAN SAYS ON UN DAY
New York, Oct 24 2008 10:10AM
As the world contends with numerous crises, ranging from food insecurity and climate change to financial uncertainty and the development challenge, leadership and partnership are more important than ever to tackle today's most pressing issues, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said in a message marking United Nations Day.

"This is a crucial year in the life of our United Nations," Mr. Ban <"http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2008/sgsm11857.doc.htm">noted, on the occasion of the 63rd anniversary of the founding of the Organization.

"We have just passed the midpoint in the struggle to reach the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)," he said, referring to the pledges world leaders made to halve extreme poverty and other ills by the target date of 2015.

Mr. Ban pointed out that many countries are still not on track to reach the Goals on time. It was to address this development emergency that he brought together a broad coalition for change consisting of Governments, private sector leaders and civil society last month in New York, which generated "unprecedented" commitment in pledges and partnerships to help the world's poor.

He also expressed deep concern about the impact of the global financial crisis, which was the subject of a brainstorming session the Secretary-General held yesterday with five eminent economists and the head of the UN Development Programme (UNDP).

Talks focused on "the international economic situation and, in particular, on the special challenges facing the developing countries in the context of the worldwide financial crisis and its likely consequences," according to a <"http://www.un.org/apps/sg/sgstats.asp?nid=3492">statement issued by Mr. Ban's spokesperson.

During the discussion with Nancy Birdsall of the Centre for Global Development, Dani Rodrik and Kenneth Rogoff of Harvard University, and Jeffrey Sachs and Joseph Stiglitz of Columbia University, Mr. Ban stressed the need to keep the long-term objectives – such as the MDGs and the fight against extreme poverty, as well as the need for action against climate change – at the centre of the global agenda.

The financial crisis will also be discussed today at the regular meeting of the Chief Executives Board (CEB), which includes the heads of the various UN specialized agencies and by the chiefs of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF), otherwise known as the Bretton Woods institutions.

"Never has leadership and partnership been more important," Mr. Ban stressed. "We can see more clearly than ever that the threats of the twenty-first century spare no one. Climate change, the spread of disease and deadly weapons, and the scourge of terrorism all cross borders."

Global partnership has resulted in significant advances, he said, such as in the case of malaria, thanks to focused planning, greater funding, coordinated management and excellent science and technology.

"Partnership is the way of the future," he stated, pointing to the success achieved in combating the disease. "We need models like these to tackle other challenges.

"Let us keep building on this as a way forward. There is no time to lose," he said. "The United Nations must deliver results for a safer, healthier, more prosperous world. On this UN Day, I call on all partners and leaders to do their part and keep the promise."
Oct 24 2008 10:10AM
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FIRST BATCH OF UN-TRAINED CHADIAN FORCES TO BE DEPLOYED TO EAST OF COUNTRY

FIRST BATCH OF UN-TRAINED CHADIAN FORCES TO BE DEPLOYED TO EAST OF COUNTRY
New York, Oct 24 2008 9:10AM
The first contingent of United Nations-trained Chadian army troops will begin their deployment to the east of the country today to help protect refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs) living in the volatile region.

Some 100 members of the contingent, known as the Détachement intégré de Sécurité (DIS), will leave from the capital, N'Djamena, in batches of 25, according to a press release issued by the UN Mission in the Central African Republic and Chad (MINURCAT) yesterday.

The DIS troops will be under the leadership of a central commander and two deputies, and have been trained by MINURCAT to provide security in the many camps for refugees and IDPs scattered across eastern Chad.

The camps collectively contain 250,000 refugees and 180,000 IDPs fleeing conflict and insecurity in Chad, the CAR or the neighbouring Darfur region of western Sudan.

MINURCAT has just completed training an additional 111 members of the DIS, adding to the 320 others who have already been trained. Eventually a total of 850 DIS members will be trained by the mission.
Set up in September last year, MINURCAT includes a multi-dimensional UN presence and a European Union military force (EUFOR) that are jointly trying to bring stability to eastern Chad and north-eastern CAR, which have been beset by widespread fighting and civilian displacement in recent years.
Oct 24 2008 9:10AM
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MIGRATORY BIRDS OF PREY TO BE PROTECTED BY UN-BACKED AGREEMENT

MIGRATORY BIRDS OF PREY TO BE PROTECTED BY UN-BACKED AGREEMENT
New York, Oct 23 2008 8:10PM
A new United Nations-backed agreement that aims to protect migratory birds of prey in Africa and Eurasia has been signed in Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates by 28 countries and will enter into force at the end of next week.

Working through the UN Environment Programme's (UNEP) Convention on Migratory Species (CMS), the governments of the United Kingdom and the United Arab Emirates have led the negotiations on the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), resulting in the signatories yesterday.

The new agreement area stretches across more than 130 countries from the African, Afrotropical, Palaearctic and Indo-Malayan realms and protects more than 70 species of migratory birds of prey including Falconiformes, ospreys, eagles and owls.

More than 50 per cent of migratory birds of prey have poor conservation status as a result of habitat loss due to agriculture, forestry, industry and fisheries, collisions with power lines, hunting and trapping for falconry, according to a <"http://www.unep.org/Documents.Multilingual/Default.asp?DocumentID=548&ArticleID=5958&l=en">UNEP press release issued today.

Signatories to the new agreement – which enters into force on 1 November – are committed to restoring positive conservation status of migratory birds of prey and protecting such bird species from illegal killing, including poisoning and shooting and unsustainable exploitation.

To promote and monitor the new agreement an extra CMS coordinating unit of six staff will be established in Abu Dhabi as a UNEP initiative.

"The establishment of this tri-continental agreement for birds of prey, with a coordinating unit in Abu Dhabi, UAE, marks a new era for the Convention," stated the Chairman of the meeting Professor Colin Galbraith. "Here is the Gulf, at the crossroads of migration and culture, we have a chance to establish a new UN base for wildlife conservation."

The action plan foresees collective efforts for more research on species ecology and migratory behaviour, patterns and routes as well as data analysis.
Oct 23 2008 8:10PM
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FULL DEMOCRACY IN MYANMAR WILL TAKE GENERATIONS TO ACHIEVE – UN EXPERT

FULL DEMOCRACY IN MYANMAR WILL TAKE GENERATIONS TO ACHIEVE – UN EXPERT
New York, Oct 23 2008 8:10PM
Democracy will take decades to take root in Myanmar, and in the meantime tangible, step-by-step benchmarks should be set up to spur progress in the Asian country, an independent United Nations human rights expert told the General Assembly today.

<"http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs//2008/gashc3926.doc.htm">Addressing the Assembly's third committee (social, humanitarian and cultural), Tomás Ojea Quintana said assistance, expertise and cooperation with Myanmar should be provided to help its authorities realize those benchmarks.

"Restoration of full democracy cannot happen overnight; it will take generations," he said.

Mr. Quintana, the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar, told the committee that it was not enough for the Assembly to adopt resolutions about the country – it should also provide the resources to implement those resources.

While Myanmar's Government has the prime responsibility to protect and promote human rights within the country's borders, the international community should stand ready to help at any time.

Earlier this month, in a report issued following his first visit to Myanmar, Mr. Quintana proposed that four core human rights elements be implemented: the revision of domestic laws that limit fundamental rights, the progressive release of the estimated 2,000 prisoners of conscience still in detention, the reform and training of the military so that it conforms with human rights, and changes to the judiciary so that it is fully independent.

These four elements must be completed before national elections are held in 2010, the Special Rapporteur <"http://www.un.org/News/briefings/docs//2008/081023_Quintana.doc.htm">told journalists after his presentation to the Assembly committee.

In response to questions, he called for the immediate release of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, the leader of the National League of Democracy (NLD) who is under house arrest.

"She's under arbitrary detention," Mr. Quintana said, describing the situation as a serious violation of human rights and warning that he was not confident she would be released in the near future.

Mr. Quintana, who serves in an independent and unpaid capacity, said he hopes to visit Myanmar again before the end of the year.

After he addressed the Assembly committee, Myanmar's representative said Mr. Quintana had given an independent, caring and fair-minded perspective on the country, and noted that he had drawn attention to positive developments, such as the recent release of a significant number of prisoners and plans to hold multi-party elections.

But he said the Special Rapporteur had also included unsubstantiated information in his presentation, often based on what he said were distorted allegations from exiles, and had unfairly criticized the Government's response to the devastation wreaked by Cyclone Nargis in May.
Oct 23 2008 8:10PM
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SECURITY COUNCIL DISCUSSES BORDER TENSIONS BETWEEN DJIBOUTI AND ERITREA

SECURITY COUNCIL DISCUSSES BORDER TENSIONS BETWEEN DJIBOUTI AND ERITREA
New York, Oct 23 2008 8:10PM
The Security Council heard calls today for the peaceful resolution of the current border dispute between Djibouti and Eritrea, which flared into fighting in the Horn of Africa in June that killed at least 35 people and left dozens of others wounded.

Representatives of Djibouti and Eritrea outlined their positions to a Council <"http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs//2008/sc9480.doc.htm">meeting that also heard statements from the Council's 15 members, in which they stressed the need for restraint and backed existing international efforts to mediate a settlement.

Djibouti's President Ismail Omar Guelleh, whose country requested the Council meeting, asked the panel to call on Eritrea to meet its international obligations and move to end the dispute, which centres on an undemarcated border in an area known as Doumeira. If not, he said, sanctions may be needed.

The armed conflict erupted in early June after weeks of tensions and military build-up on both sides, and a subsequent UN fact-finding mission reported that the dispute had the potential to destabilize the entire region.

Mr. Guelleh said Djibouti's priority was to demilitarize the area and re-establish mutual trust by reactivating existing bilateral mechanisms and creating some sort of arbitration to demarcate the border.

He said Eritrea had continued to reinforce its troops and refuse to negotiate since June, and Djibouti therefore had no choice but to mass troops at the border and defend its territory.

Eritrea's Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Araya Desta, said his country had already dealt with Djibouti's "unwarranted statements" at a previous Council meeting on the issue, adding that it was Djibouti that had provoked the conflict in June.

Mr. Desta said Eritrea had exercised restraint and not taken any land belonging to Djibouti, and there had not been any new developments since the fighting four months ago.

"Eritrea will not allow itself to be dragged into and invited to engage in a diversionary and fabricated conflict," he said, noting that his Government stood ready to resolve the dispute.

Eritrea refused to receive the UN fact-finding mission when it visited after the fighting, and consequently only Djibouti's version of events was made available to it. The mission concluded that Djibouti was being drawn into a crippling and expensive military mobilization to deal with the situation.
Oct 23 2008 8:10PM
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UN EXPERT CALLS FOR STEPS TO REVERSE ‘NEGATIVE’ RIGHTS SITUATION IN DPR KOREA

UN EXPERT CALLS FOR STEPS TO REVERSE 'NEGATIVE' RIGHTS SITUATION IN DPR KOREA
New York, Oct 23 2008 7:10PM
The United Nations expert monitoring the situation in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) today said that urgent action is essential to reverse the "very negative" human rights situation in the East Asian nation.

"We have not had enough action to demilitarize locally nor have we had enough action to shift the pro-military budget to the pro-development budget which is much required," Vitit Muntarbhorn, the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the DPRK, told reporters in New York.

He said that he has received "very worrying information" regarding the chronic food shortage in the country, with UN agencies recording declines in food availability, accessibility and consumption.

But the expert said that DPRK has cooperated "relatively well" with the UN. The UN World Food Programme (<"http://www.wfp.org/english/">WFP) has more than doubled the number of people it reaches with assistance to some 6.5 million this year.

Although the nation is a party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), it is a "non-open, non-democratic system, extremely closed and repressive," he noted. This has resulted in limited freedom of expression, religion, association and communications.

Further, Mr. Muntarbhorn, who addressed the General Assembly today, said he has received reports of public executions, a non-independent judiciary and torture.

In the short-term, he called for the country to "open the door to food aid with adequate monitoring," halt public executions and quickly resolve the issue of abductions.

The Rapporteur, who has served in the position since the mandate was established in 2004, has not been allowed into the DPRK.

Looking to the future, he said that "while we recognize the need for food aid, we must talk more and advocate more the question of food security, which means more than giving but enabling sustainable agriculture to take place within the country as well as environmental management, resource allocations, as well as disaster preparedness."
Oct 23 2008 7:10PM
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BANGLADESHI OFFICERS ENHANCE UN TROOPS’ LOGISTICAL SUPPORT IN DARFUR

BANGLADESHI OFFICERS ENHANCE UN TROOPS' LOGISTICAL SUPPORT IN DARFUR
New York, Oct 23 2008 7:10PM
Some 163 Bangladeshi officers arrived today to serve with the hybrid United Nations-African Union peacekeeping mission in Darfur (UNAMID), the operation tasked with quelling the violence and humanitarian suffering across the war-torn region of western Sudan.

UNAMID reported that another 162 personnel are due to join the multi-role logistics unit tomorrow in Nyala, the capital of South Darfur state, giving a boost to the joint AU-UN mission in logistical support.

The Bangladeshi unit brings additional logistical and engineering capabilities in the areas of supply, transport, maintenance and force protection to UNAMID. Bangladesh is the second-largest UN troop-contributing country and its current deployment in Darfur includes one formed police unit (FPU) also deployed in South Darfur, as well as 53 individual police advisers.

Today's deployment brings the total number of <"http://unamid.unmissions.org/Default.aspx?tabid=37&ctl=Details&mid=392&ItemID=248">UNAMID forces – slated to eventually become the world body's largest peacekeeping operation with some 26,000 personnel at full strength – to 8,917 troops and police officers on the ground. But it still lacks essential equipment, including helicopters.

An additional 3,000 personnel, mostly from Ethiopia and Egypt, are expected to join UNAMID in the next two months, bringing the total number of troops by the end of November to over 12,000.

Meanwhile, some 230 schoolchildren from El Fasher joined UNAMID and the UN country team in celebration of UN Day in the North Darfur capital, with a variety of events, including the performance of songs by the children and traditional dances by UNAMID personnel from Gambia, Rwanda, Indonesia and Afghanistan.

The Day was also marked with the launch of a UN-sponsored tree-planting campaign, aimed at fighting the desertification of the impoverished and arid region.

An estimated 300,000 people have been killed in Darfur since fighting erupted in 2003 between Government forces, allied Janjaweed militiamen and the rebels, while 2.7 million others have been forced from their homes and now live as refugees or as internally displaced persons (IDPs).
Oct 23 2008 7:10PM
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CHILDREN TAKE TO THE CANVAS TO ADVOCATE FOR CLIMATE CHANGE IN UN CAMPAIGN

CHILDREN TAKE TO THE CANVAS TO ADVOCATE FOR CLIMATE CHANGE IN UN CAMPAIGN
New York, Oct 23 2008 7:10PM
The global campaign 'UNite to Combat Climate Change' kicked off today at United Nations Headquarters in New York with the unveiling of a children's art exhibition showcasing a powerful plea from the young for leadership on climate change before it is too late.

The <i>Paint for the Planet</i> event features a selection of stand-out entries from a collection of nearly 200,000 paintings from the UN Environment Programme's (<"http://www.unep.org/Documents.Multilingual/Default.asp?DocumentID=548&ArticleID=5961&l=en">UNEP) children's painting competitions around the world.

Coinciding with the release of a survey of young people's opinions on climate change in the United States, India, Russia and South Africa, UNEP Executive Director Achim Steiner presented figures today that 86 per cent of the polled respondents think that leaders should do "whatever it takes" to tackle global warming.

"The world is in the hands of old people, but the future is in the hands, minds and imagination of the young," said Mr. Steiner.

Indicating that nearly half the world's population is under 25, he encouraged environmental action plans to "look to young people to be part of the solution to climate change."

Joined at the exhibition opening by young artists from Burundi, Colombia, Malta, the United Kingdom and the United States, the UNEP Director introduced the six young children as "powerful ambassadors."

One of the young artists, Malta's Andrew Bartolo, delivered opening remarks on the children's fears for the environment, reflecting on the recent suffering throughout Haiti: "As a boy of only 15 it scares me that so early in my lifetime so many children have been affected by climate change."

"My painting is a comical view of climate change," he said, referring to his artwork that shows penguins moving from a beach to live in a refrigerator. "It shows penguins having to migrate due to difficult living conditions. Such conditions also affect humans and cause humans to have to leave their homes too."

Also representing her message about climate change through images of penguins was United States ambassador Gabrielle Medovoy, 12.

"My painting is of a family of penguins on the move holding sandals and umbrellas. It is about how humans have to protect animals as climate change is humans' fault and penguins cannot protect themselves," said the young artist.

Burundi's Guy Jayne Nindorera, 12, urged leaders to act on climate change. "It is time now and we should not wait for another moment. Especially for the kids, as it is our future and adults need to act now."

Charlotte Sullivan, 13, of the United Kingdom, reiterated the children's' message on the environment. "I want everyone to act now about climate change before it is too late. If we don't act now I am scared it will get much worse. Everyone is able to participate."

Today's launch is in support of a call for a definitive agreement at the climate change talks in Copenhagen, Denmark, in December 2009.

On 25 October, a selection of the paintings in the exhibition will be auctioned at the Harvard Club in New York to raise emergency funds for children affected by climate-related disasters.

Following New York, the exhibition will travel to various climate-related events and meetings around the world, culminating in Copenhagen next year.

Meanwhile, at UN Headquarters yesterday, a photographic exhibit to raise awareness about global conservation was opened. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon addressed the event with a message supporting the spirit of the UN global campaign.

"I hope all who see this exhibition will be inspired to do their part to promote a global ethic of conservation," he said. "There is not time to lose in putting our societies on a more sustainable path of development."
Oct 23 2008 7:10PM
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TOP UN OFFICIALS ISSUE CALL FOR URGENT ACTION TO HELP WORLD’S HUNGRY

TOP UN OFFICIALS ISSUE CALL FOR URGENT ACTION TO HELP WORLD'S HUNGRY
New York, Oct 23 2008 6:10PM
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and General Assembly President Miguel D'Escoto appealed for swift measures to help the world's poor who have been hit hardest during this time of financial, food and fuel crises, as United Nations Headquarters observed World Food Day today.

"While the international community is focused on turmoil in the global economy, I am extremely concerned that not enough is being done to help those who are suffering most: the poorest of the poor," Mr. Ban <"http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs//2008/sgsm11879.doc.htm">said at an event to mark the Day – which falls annually on 16 October – in New York.

He stressed that the root causes of the crisis have yet to be addressed. "The current difficulties will only intensify if we fail to take resolute action now," he said.

The Secretary-General pointed out that food prices have increased five-fold in some parts of Haiti and Ethiopia, with families' ability to buy much-needed food threatened by the current financial upheaval.

Over 900 million people worldwide suffer from hunger and under-nutrition, he said, calling for "strong political" will to tackle the issue and save lives.

"We have to confront these problems head-on," Mr. Ban emphasized.

The Assembly President said there is a "fresh awakening" to the need for action to be taken on a global scale, with the UN – in spite of its "shortcomings" – spearheading the effort.

"It has taken decades of failed development policies to realize that we must put people first, that we must listen to the voices of people most affected by the poverty that is shocking in its global dimensions," Mr. D'Escoto said.

"The top-down approach has enabled lopsided development and outrageous abuses."

The President called on Member States to rise above "narrowly defined national interests," appealing to them to help all people and nations.

"I reiterate my appeal to donor countries that, rather than reducing assistance to developing countries, they should triple the funds available to avoid prolonged human catastrophes," he added.

The gathering also heard from the President of the Economic and Social Council (<"http://www.un.org/ecosoc/">ECOSOC) and the Director-General of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (<"http://www.fao.org/">FAO), as well as from the keynote speaker, former United States President Bill Clinton.
Oct 23 2008 6:10PM
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SENIOR UN OFFICIAL SPOTLIGHTS SPECIAL PROTECTION NEEDS OF CHILD REFUGEES

SENIOR UN OFFICIAL SPOTLIGHTS SPECIAL PROTECTION NEEDS OF CHILD REFUGEES
New York, Oct 23 2008 5:10PM
More than 1.6 million children who – either as refugees, internally displaced persons (IDPs) or migrants – have become separated from their parents or guardians, and they need asylum and migration policies that take into account their special needs, a senior official with the United Nations refugee agency stressed today.

"No matter their status, children must be treated as children first and their best interests professionally identified and respected," Assistant High Commissioner for Protection Erika Feller said yesterday in her keynote address to a conference on the protection of unaccompanied and separated children, taking place in the United States.

The three-day gathering, hosted by George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia, is aimed at improving the timeliness and effectiveness of protection for unaccompanied child refugees, many of whom have undertaken extremely difficult and dangerous journeys to escape persecution, human rights violations and violence.

Ms. Feller noted that current asylum and migration procedures are designed primarily for the needs of adults. Those that do exist to address separated or unaccompanied children vary greatly from country to country. One European country, for example, recently enforced fast-track airport procedures aimed at blocking children's arrival.

Also, a common problem in many countries, including the US, is the lack of government-appointed counsel or guardians for these children.

"The absence of representation to enable a child to navigate the legal hurdles of entry and proper assessment of protection needs is fundamentally detrimental to children's best interests," she said.

In this regard, Ms. Feller lauded the initiative by technology giant and <"http://www.unhcr.org/cgi-bin/texis/vtx/news">UNHCR corporate partner Microsoft to boost legal representation for unaccompanied children which was launched in the US last week.
Oct 23 2008 5:10PM
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OVER 35,000 PEOPLE DRIVEN FROM SOMALI CAPITAL LAST MONTH, UN REPORTS

OVER 35,000 PEOPLE DRIVEN FROM SOMALI CAPITAL LAST MONTH, UN REPORTS
New York, Oct 23 2008 4:10PM
More than 35,000 people were forced to flee their homes after renewed fighting in Mogadishu last month, bringing the total number of internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Somalia to over 1 million, the United Nations humanitarian wing announced today.

The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (<"http://ochaonline.un.org/">OCHA) attributed the exodus from the Somali capital in September to insecurity stemming from fighting – resulting in many civilian casualties – between various anti-government groups and forces with the Transitional Federal Government (TFG), Ethiopia and the UN-backed African Union Mission to Somalia (AMISOM).

Over 1,000 cases of diarrhoea have also claimed dozens of lives, and the UN World Health Organization (<"http://www.who.int/en/">WHO) and its partners have stepped up their deliveries of medicines and other supplies.

IDPs have limited access to sanitation facilities, and many regions of Somalia face water shortages. Water is being trucked in for drought-stricken areas in the country's central region and there has only been sporadic rainfall, OCHA said.

Fighting continues to impede humanitarian operations, with UN flights into Mogadishu having been suspended following a ban by an Islamist insurgency group last month. In spite of this, the <"http://www.wfp.org/english/">WFP and other aid agencies have been able to feed almost 2 million people.

Earlier this week, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon deplored the recent killing of aid workers in Somalia, where two local staff members of UN agencies have been killed since Friday.
Oct 23 2008 4:10PM
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RELIGIOUS MINORITIES CONTINUE TO SUFFER IN MANY COUNTRIES, UN EXPERT SAYS

RELIGIOUS MINORITIES CONTINUE TO SUFFER IN MANY COUNTRIES, UN EXPERT SAYS
New York, Oct 23 2008 4:10PM
Religious minorities in different parts of the world continue to be persecuted and discriminated against based on their beliefs, with some living in "perpetual threat," according to an independent United Nations expert, who added that the problem is prevalent across a wide range of countries.

"At national levels, I see that religious minorities continue to suffer, and the more despotic a regime, the more suffering of religious minorities," Asma Jahangir, Special Rapporteur on the freedom of religion or belief, said in an interview with the UN News Centre.

At the same time, she pointed out that violations of this basic human right – which manifest themselves in, among others, not being allowed to gather together for worship, desecration of religious sites, and being prevented from making pilgrimages – do not just occur in countries with certain types of political systems.

"One would have imagined that such incidents only take place in countries which have been unfortunately left behind, where political systems and social values have remained stunted," she stated. "But these also take place in countries which have very good democratic credentials and which have progressed both socially and politically."

In more multicultural and diverse societies, tensions can be expected to arise, she noted. "But the kind of animosity that one sees is inhuman. And the way we have received reports of how people kill each other in the name of religion and the manner in which that killing is done… shows the venom people have towards each other simply because of difference of religion or belief," she added. "And I think that really is very frightening."

One example of this is India, which, with its multitude of cultures, languages and religions, "oozes" diversity, she said, noting that the country is a vibrant democracy and has many people who are committed to secularism.

"And yet some of the worst forms of killings have taken place there," said Ms. Jahangir, referring to the communal tensions and violence that the South Asian nation has witnessed over the years.

The Special Rapporteur added that violations are perpetrated not just by individuals or groups but also by States themselves.

"There are still States that heavily discriminate… that persecute religious minorities. And these minorities live in perpetual threat," said Ms. Jahangir, who continues to receive reports of arrests, torture and intimidation by "States and their agents."

The groups that she receives reports about include the Baha'is in Iran, Buddhists in Tibet and Ahmadis – a religious group that identifies itself as Muslim – in a number of countries.

An important related issue, and one which Ms. Jahangir highlighted yesterday in her speech to the General Assembly's third committee (social, humanitarian and cultural), is the compulsory mentioning of one's religion on official identity cards or passports, which she stressed carries a serious risk of abuse.

"I don't think there is any reason to indicate religion on identity cards or passports," she reiterated today. "But there can be a situation where, for the purposes of governance and for the purposes of giving affirmative action, like in India and Pakistan, people have to identify their religions, or for census purposes.

"Now that might be necessary, but it's not necessary for them to always carry this passport or identity card that shows their religion," she added.
Oct 23 2008 4:10PM
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HURRICANE-RAVAGED HAITI SET BACK IN FIGHT AGAINST POVERTY, WARNS TOP UN OFFICIAL

HURRICANE-RAVAGED HAITI SET BACK IN FIGHT AGAINST POVERTY, WARNS TOP UN OFFICIAL
New York, Oct 23 2008 3:10PM
The trail of devastation from this year's hurricane season has dealt a severe blow to efforts to combat poverty in Haiti, the top United Nations humanitarian official said as he landed in the storm-stricken country today.

The UN Emergency Relief Coordinator John Holmes began a two-day visit to assess the response to the four successive storms – Fay, Gustav, Hanna and Ike – which battered the impoverished Caribbean nation between mid-August and mid-September, leaving at least 790 people dead, hundreds injured and an estimated 1 million people affected around the country.

Mr. Holmes will also be appealing for more and faster assistance as less than $25 million has been committed of the $106 million which aid agencies have requested to provide humanitarian and early recovery assistance to survivors of the storms over the next six months.

"Even before this latest series of hurricanes and tropical storms, Haiti was particularly vulnerable to extreme weather," said Mr. Holmes, who also serves as Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs.

"Now people desperately need not only immediate humanitarian relief but also major recovery assistance to help them get back on their feet again. In addition, we need to take a serious, fresh look at the country's development needs."

During his trip, Mr. Holmes is slated to hold talks with Haitian leaders, including President Rene Préval and Prime Minister Michele Pierre-Louis to discuss natural disaster preparedness. He will also meet representatives of the UN Stabilization Mission in Haiti (<"http://www.un.org/Depts/dpko/missions/minustah/">MINUSTAH), UN agencies and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to review progress in addressing the overall humanitarian situation in the country.

Tomorrow Mr. Holmes plans a stop at Gonaïves, the city hardest-hit by the recent storms, where thousands are still living on the roofs of their destroyed homes or in makeshift shelters.

His visit comes less than a day after <"http://www.worldbank.org/">World Bank President Robert B. Zoellick toured Haiti's disaster areas and two weeks after Mr. Zoellick announced a $25 million emergency grant stressing the Bank's strong commitment to help the people of the island nation out of this humanitarian crisis.

"Haiti must be given a chance and donors therefore need to help the country move forward with inclusive development so that local people can take the lead in improving their lives," Mr. Zoellick said.

Meanwhile, the UN World Food Programme (<"http://www.wfp.org/english/">WFP) reported that it has provided 5,000 tonnes of food to more than 500,000 victims of the deadly storms across Haiti, and in Gonaïves alone it has distributed rations of rice, beans, cooking oil and corn soya blend to some 266,000 people.

WFP has also resumed its food distribution programme to schools in Haiti following the start of the school year. The programme is targeting 500,000 school children – 400,000 in its normal school feeding programme and 100,000 in its hurricane emergency response programme – as well as providing food in Gonaïves to volunteers cleaning out 100 schools so that children can return to class as soon as possible.
Oct 23 2008 3:10PM
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