UN FORUM WRAPS UP WITH CALL FOR COLLABORATION TO ACHIEVE 'INTERNET FOR ALL'

UN FORUM WRAPS UP WITH CALL FOR COLLABORATION TO ACHIEVE 'INTERNET FOR ALL'
New York, Dec 6 2008 6:10PM
A United Nations-sponsored gathering on Internet governance issues wrapped up in Hyderabad, India, today, with the more than 1,200 participants recognizing the need for greater cooperation to allow access to the greatest number of people worldwide to a safe, secure and diverse Internet.

Drawing attendees from more than 100 governments, as well as the private sector, civil society and others, the third meeting of the Internet Governance Forum (IGF) centered on the theme, "Internet for All."

Five topics were the main points of discussion at the four-day gathering: reaching the next billion with Internet access promoting cyber-security and trust managing critical Internet resources taking stock and the way forward and emerging issues, including the Internet of tomorrow.

The next IGF meeting will take place in Egypt in 2009.

Dec 6 2008 6:10PM
________________

For more details go to UN News Centre at http://www.un.org/news

To change your profile or unsubscribe go to:
http://www.un.org/apps/news/email/

TO SCALE UP EFFICIENCY, UN AGENCIES JOINTLY LAUNCH INFORMATION-SHARING INITIATIVE

TO SCALE UP EFFICIENCY, UN AGENCIES JOINTLY LAUNCH INFORMATION-SHARING INITIATIVE
New York, Dec 6 2008 5:10PM
United Nations agencies today joined forces on a new online project to share information and expertise, as part of a broader Organization-wide effort to boost efficiency by eliminating duplicate activities and cutting costs.

The UNe-Learn initiative, launched by 16 UN agencies in Berlin, will help 160 developing countries access a wide array of training and other resources.

As part of the UN's "delivering as one" concept, the new schemes seeks to improve cohesiveness among different UN entities to reach the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), eight anti-poverty targets, by their 2015 deadline.

"The work of the UN country teams will ultimately be strengthened through this collaboration and Member States will be better served," said Achim Steiner, Executive Director of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), which organized the Berlin forum.

The UN and related agencies t
aking part in the scheme are: the UN Development Programme (UNDP), UN University (UNU), UN Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR), UN System Staff College (UNSSC), UN Secretariat in New York, Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), World Food Programme (WFP), Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO), World Tourism Organization (WTO), UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (UNCHR), International Training Centre of the International Labour Organization (ITC-ILO), International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), World Health Organization (WHO), UNEP, UNEP's Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (UNEP CITES) and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.

In a related development, nearly two dozen species -- including the cheetah and the reclusive Irrawaddy Dolphin -- have just received additional international protection, UNEP announced today.

The decision was taken by 85 Governments during this week's meeting in Rome of the
9th Conference of the Parties to UNEP's Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS).

Most proposals were approved to boost conservation of endangered land and marine animals that cross international borders. Some dolphin and whale species were listed for the first time in Appendix I of the Convention, listing them as in danger of extinction, while four shark species were added to Appendix II, listing them as suffering from unfavourable conservation status and in need of international cooperation.

Participants also adopted several resolutions, including one to reduce noise pollution from vessels, sonars and other sources for whales, dolphins and other marine species.

Dec 6 2008 5:10PM
________________

For more details go to UN News Centre at http://www.un.org/news

To change your profile or unsubscribe go to:
http://www.un.org/apps/news/email/

CONSTRUCTION SECTOR CAN DO MORE TO CURB CARBON EMISSIONS -- UN REPORT

CONSTRUCTION SECTOR CAN DO MORE TO CURB CARBON EMISSIONS -- UN REPORT
New York, Dec 6 2008 4:10PM
Energy use in buildings accounts for one-third of greenhouse gas emissions, but the huge potential of the construction sector to combat climate change has not been realized, according to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).

A new report by the agency says that only 10 out of some 4,000 projects in the pipeline of the UN-sponsored Kyoto Protocol's Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) -- which finances initiatives that help slash emissions -- are designed to curb the use of energy in buildings.

Dozens of surveys conducted worldwide show that up to 30 per cent reduction in emissions from residential and commercial buildings can be achieved by 2030 at a net negative cost.

The UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), co-recipient of last year's Nobel Peace Prize, has warned that building-related emissions could nearly double from almost 9 billion tons in 2004 to ne
arly 16 billion in 2030.

The surge will be driven in large part by construction booms in the next two decades in Asia, the Middle East and Latin America.

"Report after report is now underlining the huge, cost-effective savings possible from addressing emissions from existing buildings alongside designing new ones that include passive and active solar up to low-energy heating and cooling systems and energy-efficient systems," said UNEP Executive Director Achim Steiner.

Currently, nearly 200 nations are meeting in Poznan, Poland, for the latest round of UN climate change talks aimed at reaching agreement on a successor pact to the Kyoto Protocol, whose first commitment period ends in 2012.

The new study notes that today's commercially available technologies allow for energy consumption to be halved in both new and old buildings relatively cheaply through measures such as improved ventilation and insulation, stepped up use of natural lighting and the use of solar and other natura
l heat sources.

The sector remains virtually untapped because six years after the start of the CDM, very few building projects have managed to enter its pipeline because nearly half of all proposals were rejected during the registration phase.

The report -- entitled "The Kyoto Protocol, the Clean Development Mechanism, and the Building and Construction Sector" -- cites high administrative costs and weak financial incentives as being among the barriers for approval by the CDM.

For example, eight projects proposed by a Brazilian supermarket chain were rejected because of difficulties in accounting for the projected 20,000 tons of annual carbon savings. Only $3,000 of carbon revenue would be generated by the store, which is less than the basic operating costs for the projects and would not cover the energy-efficient equipment necessary.

In a related development, UNEP announced today in Poznan that the Pacific Island nation of Niue, the United Kingdom city of Slough and the New Ze
aland city of Waitakere are among the latest to sign on to its Climate Neutral Network (CN Net).

That initiative brings together countries, cities, businesses and organizations which pledge to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

"For many small island developing States like Niue climate neutrality is more than just a concept -- it is a matter of survival," Mr. Steiner said today of the nation, with a population of some 1,700, releases approximately 0.003 million metric tons of carbon dioxide annually.

Slough, home to nearly 120,000 people and situated between London and Bath, is seeking to have all public transport and council vehicle run on cleaner fuel and slash its emissions by one-fifth in the coming two decades.

Waitakere, the fifth largest city in New Zealand, is aiming to stabilize per capita emissions by 2010 and reduce them 80 per cent by 2051.

In addition, 11 companies and organizations signed on to CN Net in Poznan today, joining the four countries, fou
r cities and dozens of other participants in the initiative.

Dec 6 2008 4:10PM
________________

For more details go to UN News Centre at http://www.un.org/news

To change your profile or unsubscribe go to:
http://www.un.org/apps/news/email/

TOP UN OFFICIAL UPBEAT AS MANY MEMBER STATES COMMIT TO EMERGENCY RELIEF FUND

TOP UN OFFICIAL UPBEAT AS MANY MEMBER STATES COMMIT TO EMERGENCY RELIEF FUND
New York, Dec 5 2008 8:10PM
The United Nations humanitarian chief announced today that around $380 million was pledged to its emergency relief fund that can be quickly accessed by the world body, potentially saving thousands of lives when responding to disasters.

The Central Emergency Relief Fund (CERF) was set up in 2006 to speed relief for natural and man-made disasters and save thousands of lives that would otherwise be lost to delay. Since its creation, the voluntarily-funded CERF has given nearly $700 million to help those affected by disasters.

"Given the volatility in economies around the world, it would have been natural to expect that pledges made for the coming year would decrease. But the pledges we heard are a ray of hope in an otherwise gloomy global economic climate," said Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator John Holmes.

"The pledges are an important signal to the millions of people caught in humanitarian crises around the world that they will not be abandoned, that international support for humanitarian efforts is as strong as ever," he added.

Seven new countries were registered as donors for the CERF at the high-level event yesterday, bringing a total of 101 contributing nations to the Fund, representing well over half of all UN Member States.

Of the 101 States contributing to the Fund, 17 of them are also recipients of financing from the CERF, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, John Holmes, told reporters in New York.

Although the dollar amount committed to the Fund has dropped from last year's $420 million donation, given current exchange rates the value of the money contributed to the CERF has risen.

"For the equivalent of that, last year would have meant pledges of $435 million," said Mr. Holmes, adding that "a significant number of Member States increased significantly their contributions in their local currencies."

Among the nine States that increased their commitments to the Fund was Spain, which added €10 million to its 2009 pledge of €20 million (more than $25 million), as well as adding €10 million to its commitment for this year.

Australia, Finland, Germany, Liechtenstein, Mexico, Montenegro, Morocco, the Republic of Korea and Sweden also increased the size of their pledges to the Fund compared to the previous year.

Mr. Holmes noted that yesterday's meeting also resulted in pledges from seven first-time donors, Afghanistan, Kenya, Myanmar, Oman, Samoa, Saint Lucia and Timor-Leste. Four of the new donors to the fund – Afghanistan, Kenya, Myanmar, and Timor-Leste – have also been recipients of CERF funding. The two private sector donors are PricewaterhouseCoopers and Western Union, who had both also contributed in 2008.

"The numbers pledged yesterday are not the end of the story. Pledges continue to come in. Not all countries were ready to make pledges yesterday. Not all countries did make pledges yesterday, so the contributions will rise in 2009 as the year goes on," said Mr. Holmes.

He warned that humanitarian needs are likely to rise in 2009 due to climate change driving natural disasters, the global food crisis, continuing and worsening conflicts, as well as the global and financial crisis.

Speaking at the opening of the conference, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said demand for resources to meet humanitarian needs continued to rise.

"Already, nearly 20 per cent of CERF funds are being used to help people suffering from extreme weather and other disasters caused by climate change. When food prices spiked earlier this year, I set aside $100 million from CERF to help more than 16 million people who could not afford enough to eat. Those funds have been used; in fact, we could have used three times that amount," said Mr. Ban.
Dec 5 2008 8:10PM
________________

For more details go to UN News Centre at http://www.un.org/news

To change your profile or unsubscribe go to:
http://www.un.org/apps/news/email/

BAN VOICES ‘GROWING FRUSTRATION’ AT LACK OF PROGRESS IN MYANMAR

BAN VOICES 'GROWING FRUSTRATION' AT LACK OF PROGRESS IN MYANMAR
New York, Dec 5 2008 8:10PM
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon voiced his growing frustration today that the United Nations' long-standing efforts to promote national reconciliation and democratization in Myanmar have yet to achieve the desired results and he urged the Government to release all political prisoners immediately and initiate "genuine dialogue" with the opposition.

<"http://www.un.org/apps/sg/sgstats.asp?nid=3598">Speaking to journalists after convening a meeting in New York of the Group of Friends on Myanmar, a gathering of countries supporting greater dialogue in the Asian country, Mr. Ban said there had been little progress since the last meeting, held in late September.

"I sense not only a higher expectation, but also a growing frustration that our efforts have yet to yield the results we all hope for," Mr. Ban said. "I share this sense of expectation and frustration."

Mr. Ban said that while he welcomed the Myanmar Government's declaration that cooperation with the UN is a cornerstone of its foreign policy, he expected "a concrete action by them to implement their commitment."

The Secretary-General has been pursuing reconciliation and democratization in Myanmar through his good offices role, as mandated by the General Assembly, and his Special Adviser Ibrahim Gambari has visited the country several times and held talks with top Government officials.

"My good offices should not be seen as an end in itself, or as a justification for inaction," Mr. Ban said today. "In order to be able to pursue this role in an effective manner, it is necessary that all concerned parties across the spectrum step up efforts to help my good offices move forward.

"I have taken note of the Group's concern that recent actions by the Government of Myanmar that risk undermining the prospects of inclusive national reconciliation, democratic transition, and respect for human rights, and more generally at the lack of sufficient response by the Government of Myanmar to the concerns of the United Nations and the international community."

Mr. Ban urged the Government to release all political prisoners – including opposition leader and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, who has been under house arrest for much of the past two decades – as soon as possible. He also called for the "initiation of a genuine dialogue with the opposition."

In response to questions, the Secretary-General stressed that he remains committed to continuing his good offices role and is willing to visit Myanmar again to discuss humanitarian issues and political issues.

"I am ready to visit any time, whenever I can have reasonable expectations of my visit, to be productive and meaningful."

Mr. Ban pressed all countries – particularly those in the Group of Friends, which comprises 14 countries and one regional bloc – to "use whatever available leverage and tools to impress upon the Government of Myanmar to implement their commitment."

The Group, founded in December, represents a range of views on Myanmar and was established to hold informal discussions and develop shared approaches to supporting UN efforts. The members are Australia, China, the European Union, France, India, Indonesia, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Norway, Russia, Singapore, Thailand, the United Kingdom, the United States and Viet Nam.
Dec 5 2008 8:10PM
________________

For more details go to UN News Centre at http://www.un.org/news

To change your profile or unsubscribe go to:
http://www.un.org/apps/news/email/

BAN APPLAUDS EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS WORLDWIDE FOR PUSHING ETHICAL BUSINESS PRACTICES

BAN APPLAUDS EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS WORLDWIDE FOR PUSHING ETHICAL BUSINESS PRACTICES
New York, Dec 5 2008 7:10PM
Nearly 180 business schools from around the world have now signed up to a United Nations-backed initiative aimed at steering tomorrow's captains of commerce into conducting more ethical and inclusive business practices.

The Principles for Responsible Management Education, established by the UN Global Compact last year, commits the business schools to including values of corporate responsibility in such fields as human rights, fighting corruption and the environment in their curricula.

<"http://www.un.org/apps/sg/sgstats.asp?nid=3598">Speaking today to the conclusion of a forum in New York on the initiative, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon welcomed what he described as the "significant progress" over the past year and a half towards increasing business' schools participation.

He said all the participating schools "can shape generations of business leaders and help bring to life our shared vision of a sustainable and inclusive globalization that benefits the greatest number of people, including the poor."

He added: "As teachers, you can ensure that tomorrow's leaders understand that the long-term growth of a business is tied to its environmental and social impact.

"As scholars, you can produce research that drives innovation and helps management to recognize the benefits of being a responsible business. And as thought leaders and advocates in your communities, you help advance awareness of broader challenges, opportunities and responsibilities."

The Global Compact, set up in 2000, is a UN-created alliance in which participating businesses pledge to align their operations and strategies with 10 universally accepted principles in the areas ranging from human rights and labour to the environment and anti-corruption practices.

Close to 5,000 companies in 130 countries belong to the Compact, which aims to ensure that business helps markets, commerce, technology and finance advance in ways that benefit economies and societies everywhere.

The Secretary-General told participants that the educational training they deliver, which advocates corporate responsibility in finding solutions to urgent environmental and social challenges, support the broader goals of the UN.
Dec 5 2008 7:10PM
________________

For more details go to UN News Centre at http://www.un.org/news

To change your profile or unsubscribe go to:
http://www.un.org/apps/news/email/

ASSEMBLY PRESIDENT TERMS DOHA CALL FOR AID TO DEVELOPING COUNTRIES ‘REMARKABLE’

ASSEMBLY PRESIDENT TERMS DOHA CALL FOR AID TO DEVELOPING COUNTRIES 'REMARKABLE'
New York, Dec 5 2008 5:10PM
United Nations General Assembly President Miguel D´Escoto today hailed the outcome of the recent Doha global finance meeting as "remarkable," noting that it urged donor States to maintain their aid commitments to developing countries despite the global economic crisis.

"It was also agreed that the United Nations is the uniquely representative forum where major changes in the international financial and monetary architecture can be discussed to make the system more stable and equitable," Mr. D´Escoto said in a statement issued by his spokesman.

He stressed that the declaration issued at the end of the meeting in Doha, Qatar, called for the convening of an inclusive international conference under the General Assembly President to review the international financial and monetary architecture.

"This key meeting should take place in the first half of 2009," he said. "Doha marks the last rites of the so-called Washington Consensus and represents a call to greatly expand the narrow representation of institutions such as the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF)," he added, referring to the 10-point reform agenda for international financial institutions adopted in 1989.

"It is now very clear that the confluence of crises affects all countries and the G-192 [the total UN membership] must be involved in finding the global solutions that meet every country's needs and concerns, not just the traditionally dominant interests of groups like the [industrialized] G-8 or, more recently, the G-20 [that includes both industrialized countries and emerging economies]."

The four-day Doha meeting ended on 2 December with a declaration in which nations affirmed that the commitment made at the 2002 global partnership agreement for development in Monterrey, Mexico, for developed countries to devote 0.7 per cent of their gross national product (GNP) to official development aid (ODA) must be maintained, despite the current financial crisis.

"The Doha consensus sets the basis for an inclusive, democratic and transparent process to rebuild trust of all nations in the international financial, monetary and trade institutions," Mr. D'Escoto said. "Only with the participation of all nations can we ensure that these policies truly benefit all people, especially the most vulnerable and poorest among us."
Dec 5 2008 5:10PM
________________

For more details go to UN News Centre at http://www.un.org/news

To change your profile or unsubscribe go to:
http://www.un.org/apps/news/email/

FEATURE: JUST ANOTHER DAY IN THE LIFE OF A UN VOLUNTEER

<FONT COLOR="RED">FEATURE:</FONT> JUST ANOTHER DAY IN THE LIFE OF A UN VOLUNTEER
New York, Dec 5 2008 5:10PM
From treating AIDS patients to rebuilding confidence for war-scarred villagers to dealing with cattle rustlers, more than 7,500 United Nations Volunteers (<"http://www.unv.org/">UNV) fan out around the globe every year, giving their time, hearts and sweat to helping some of world's most deprived and traumatized people.

As the UN celebrated International Volunteer Day, it was just another regular workday for the volunteers, both national and international, in 140 countries, from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe, people like David Forest who gave up the comforts of his usual job to become a political affairs officer in sweltering Burundi, or Pham Thi Hue, tending HIV/AIDS patients in Vietnam.

"I am a kind of journalist-adviser," says Mr. Forest, whose function makes him an interface between UN peacekeeping missions and the country at large, producing reports to help the local government and UN mission understand potential causes of violence. "I have to follow and analyse political and socio-economic developments in Burundi."

For Eliana Rueda, a civil affairs officer with the UN Mission in the Central African Republic and Chad (MINURCAT), the focus is on Quick Impact Projects (QIPs), the highly effective low-budget UN initiative that brings grass-roots aid to thousands of people in small communities, from repairing leaking roofs in schools to opening vocational centres to refurbishing sanitation facilities.

"Through QIPs we seek to contribute to the reinforcement of state authority, the promotion of intercommunity dialogue, and the creation of conditions for a safe and sustainable return of internally displaced persons (IDPs)," she says.

When Lubna Abdalla Lasu, a Sudanese, volunteered for UN peacebuilding in her homeland, cattle-rustling was probably not uppermost in her mind. But that is exactly what she is having to deal with in her area of operations.

"Most of the youth are unemployed, so they steal cattle to sell and do business with and also, unfortunately, to buy weapons," she explains. Dealing with the situation requires sensitivity to the local culture and society, something Ms. Lasu is well placed to explain to the UN mission and local authorities.

Wild animals, this time, were not on the mind of Charles Kisamba from the Democratic Republic of the Congo when he volunteered his medical services to the UN mission in Côte d'Ivoire (ONUCI), but again they are rife in his area of operations in the north, where his vehicle became stuck.

"We could not get out for fear of wild beasts," he says. "So we hung around until the return of the first villagers who helped us get out of the quagmire. It was an unforgettable day for all of us involved."

On the other side of the world in China, Canaria Gaffar left her hometown of Urumqi, capital of the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region in the vast country's far west, to go to Nanning, capital of another autonomous region, Guangxi Zhuang, to gather information on how the non- governmental organization (NGO) AIDS Care China successfully carried out its mission to support the HIV-infected.

"These are people who face those marginalized in society such as drug addicts," she says. "It's not easy, but they're not judgmental and they're really providing significant care and support."

But a problem she herself faced concerned her own food. It was virtually impossible to find places that served halal food to a Muslim like herself and she had to cook almost all of her meals. Still such minor inconveniences could not compare with the invaluable experiences she gained, she says.

Further south, in Cambodia, Christina Duggan from Ireland is helping families to deal with rising food prices. "The work is exciting and varied. One week you can be travelling to small, local communities to meet village leaders, another you would be carrying out research in the busy markets of the capital Phnom Penh exploring the potential for new rural based businesses," she says.

Meanwhile to the east in Haiphong, Vietnam, Ph?m Th? Hu?, herself HIV-positive and a UN Volunteer since 2005, is working on a pioneering initiative to increasing the participation of people living with HIV themselves in planning and implementing HIV/AIDS activities and other efforts to improve their lives, families and communities.

"I am now so satisfied with my present life that often I forget that I am HIV-positive," she says. "Or rather, I have managed to forget that being HIV positive is something which can stop me having this wonderful life. During the day, I busy myself with community work. At night, I hold my son's hand and help him with his first attempts at writing. This happiness is like a dream I never thought I would live to see become reality."

The UN Development Programme (UNDP) is supporting her son's tuition fees.

Another flick of the globe brings round Haiti, where Sophie Picavet, a French civil servant, now coordinates civil affairs reports coming into Port au Prince, the capital, from the provinces – counterfeiters making mischief in Jérémie, drug traffickers continuing to cause trouble in Trou du Milieu, criminals arrested in the gang-ridden red zones.

"To be a volunteer is to enjoy a light feeling of freedom, to have left the well-balanced life at the ministry back home," she says. "To give less importance to material thing, to relieve as much as possible the suffering of other human beings, sufferings I could not have thought of before, to be opened to the richness of people participating in the work of the UN, to laugh about the last Congolese [police] joke, to taste a Creole dish prepared by a National Police colleague."

As Claire Whelan of Norway, a political affairs officer in the UN mission in Kosovo, says: "If you want to you get to know fascinating people from all over the world who like you are working away from the safety and comfort of what you know from before, you will have a great opportunity of doing so as a UNV volunteer."
Dec 5 2008 5:10PM
________________

For more details go to UN News Centre at http://www.un.org/news

To change your profile or unsubscribe go to:
http://www.un.org/apps/news/email/

CHOLERA CASES AND DEATHS CONTINUE TO CLIMB IN ZIMBABWE, UN REPORTS

CHOLERA CASES AND DEATHS CONTINUE TO CLIMB IN ZIMBABWE, UN REPORTS
New York, Dec 5 2008 5:10PM
Zimbabwe is now facing its worst cholera outbreak in over a decade, with the number of suspected cases of cholera in Zimbabwe in recent months having climbed to nearly 14,000, including 589 deaths reported, the United Nations announced today.

The bulk of cases have been reported in Harare, the capital of the Southern African nation, and the outbreak is a national one, with nine out of 10 provinces and two-thirds of regions affected.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (<"http://ochaonline.un.org/Default.aspx?tabid=1080">OCHA) today cautioned that UN updates of the number of cases were based on reports to medical centres around Zimbabwe, and therefore not portraying the full picture.

The needs stemming from the cholera outbreak has pushed the Consolidated Appeal for Zimbabwe for 2009 to $550 million, and the agency also warned of a shortage of fuel supplies exacerbating the problem.

While it understands the impact of the outbreak in Harare and the two other hardest-hit cities, the UN World Health Organization (<"http://www.who.int/mediacentre/en/">WHO) said that did not have as clear a view of the situation in the countryside.

Cases have surged since late last month, the agency said, adding that it is airlifting emergency supplies from Dubai and mobilizing additional medicines from South Africa.

For its part, the UN Children's Fund (<"http://www.unicef.org/index.php">UNICEF) today said that outbreak was becoming increasingly difficult to control, with Harare suffering from a water shortage.

It said is has made a one-month supply of chemicals to treat water available and is distributing 360,000 litres of drinking water daily.

Yesterday, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon stressed in a telephone conversation with South African President Kgalama Motlanthe that the UN and its relief partners must respond quickly to address the humanitarian needs of Zimbabweans and prevent the cholera epidemic from spreading.
Dec 5 2008 5:10PM
________________

For more details go to UN News Centre at http://www.un.org/news

To change your profile or unsubscribe go to:
http://www.un.org/apps/news/email/

DR CONGO: UN ENVOY TO LAUNCH DIALOGUE BETWEEN GOVERNMENT AND REBELS

DR CONGO: UN ENVOY TO LAUNCH DIALOGUE BETWEEN GOVERNMENT AND REBELS
New York, Dec 5 2008 3:10PM
The United Nations envoy tasked with helping to resolve the conflict behind the recent fighting that has engulfed the east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo will launch a dialogue next week in Nairobi between the DRC's Government and the rebel group known as the National Congress in Defense of the People (CNDP).

Set to kick off on Monday, the talks will be facilitated by Olusegun Obasanjo, the Secretary-General's Special Envoy on the Great Lakes Region and former Nigerian president, and Benjamin Mkapa, representing the African Union (AU) and the International Conference on the Great Lakes (ICGLR), who is also the former president of Tanzania.

The agreement to launch the discussion comes after the their recent talks with regional heads of State, the Congolese Government, the CNDP and other armed groups in which they appealed for dialogue and respect for the ceasefire to allow for humanitarian assistance.

Escalating conflict between the FARDC and the CNDP has uprooted an estimated 250,000 people in the past three months, mainly in North Kivu province, which borders Rwanda and Uganda. Other armed groups, including the Mayi Mayi, have also been involved in deadly clashes, some of which have been along ethnic lines.

The UN peacekeeping mission in the country, known by its French acronym <"http://www.un.org/Depts/dpko/missions/monuc/index.html">MONUC, has welcomed the decision to hold the talks, as well as the agreement to normalize bilateral diplomatic relations and regional economic cooperation between DRC and Rwanda.

MONUC said it will have to review the operational plan between the two nations to disarm the DRC-based Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), a mainly Hutu rebel group.

It was announced yesterday that MONUC seeks to press FDLR fighters to leave a town near the Ugandan border they recently entered.

The mission disputed information in some news reports that FDLR had systematically redeployed to "fill in" positions vacated by the CNDP, although they had entered the town of Ishasha in north-eastern North Kivu.

Meanwhile, the UN refugee agency today said that over 90,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) taking shelter around Rutshuru, 80 kilometres north of Goma, North Kivu's capital, cannot be accounted for.

For the first time, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (<"http://www.unhcr.org/cgi-bin/texis/vtx/news">UNHCR) was able to visit three former makeshift camps now that the security situation has calmed down. "As we feared, we found these sites empty," agency spokesperson Ron Redmond told reporters in Geneva.

Three UNHCR-run sites in the area "were forcefully emptied and destroyed some weeks ago," he said.

Some of the 5,000 IDPs who took sheltering around the MONUC base in the area told UNHCR that they are afraid of reprisals and do not want to return home.

"They alleged numerous atrocities and summary killings," Mr. Redmond said.

UNCHR has passed out emergency aid supplies to over 10,000 in need in the destroyed camps around Rutshuru, and has delivered relief items to tens of thousands of others in surrounding areas.

There have been reports by local authorities in Orientale province, just north of North Kivu, that 2,000 IDPs who fled attacks by Uganda's Lord's Resistance Army (LRA), a notorious rebel group that has waged war against Ugandan Government forces since the mid-1980s.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (<"http://ochaonline.un.org/Default.aspx?tabid=1080">OCHA) today estimated that over 83,000 Congolese have been uprooted due to LRA violence since mid-September, with some 6,000 fleeing to southern Sudan.
Dec 5 2008 3:10PM
________________

For more details go to UN News Centre at http://www.un.org/news

To change your profile or unsubscribe go to:
http://www.un.org/apps/news/email/

UN OFFICIAL WELCOMES NEPALESE VOW TO RELEASE FORMER CHILD SOLDIERS FROM ARMY CAMPS

UN OFFICIAL WELCOMES NEPALESE VOW TO RELEASE FORMER CHILD SOLDIERS FROM ARMY CAMPS
New York, Dec 5 2008 2:10PM
Nepal's Prime Minister, Pushpa Kamal Dahal, has agreed to release the remaining 3,000 former child soldiers from Maoist army cantonment camps, a senior United Nations official <"http://www.unmin.org.np/downloads/pressreleases/2008-12-05-UNMIN.SRSG.Child.Armed.Conflict.Press.Conference.ENG.pdf">announced today.

The Nepalese Government has committed to discharging the children by February next year and for the process to be managed in cooperation with the UN Mission in Nepal (<"http://www.unmin.org.np/">UNMIN) and the UN country team, which includes the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF), the UN Development Programme (<"http://www.undp.org/">UNDP) and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (<"http://www.ohchr.org/EN/Pages/WelcomePage.aspx">OHCHR).

The comprehensive peace agreement, which ended the conflict between forces loyal to the former King of Nepal and Maoists in 2006, called for the immediate release of the children once they entered the cantonments, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict Radhika Coomaraswamy told UN radio today at the conclusion of her six-day visit to the South Asian country.

<"http://www.unicef.org/">UNICEF and UNDP have created reintegration packages for the children with about 64 options of various vocational and other skills tailored to their needs.

"The UN country team stands ready to support former [Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist] CPN-M child combatants to resume civilian life as they look to their future in a new peaceful Nepal," Ms. Coomaraswamy told reporters in Kathmandu.

Ms. Coomaraswamy welcomed the readiness of the Government to address and prevent the misuse of children for political purposes, particularly their use in political violence. Both the CPN-M and the Unified Marxist Leninist (UML) groups told the Special Representative that discussions were under way on how to prevent the youth in their parties using violence.

She also raised concerns over the continuing social unrest in the Terai region in the country's south, where armed groups and criminal gangs act with total impunity.

The Special Representative said she had met with children who had been forced to flee the violence and had lost their homes as a result. Some children had run away from home fearing recruitment into armed groups while others were afraid of threats against their families if they refused to join.

"Impunity for violence must stop and the rule of law must return to Nepal for peace to be given a chance and for children to live in security," Ms. Coomaraswamy told the press conference.

She added that the commitment of Mr. Dahal to investigate the case of Maina Sunuwa is a symbolic step forward. Ms. Sunuwar, a 15-year-old girl, was tortured and killed in February 2004 while in custody of the Nepalese Army.

"Children are eager to play a key role in the creation of a new peaceful Nepal. The United Nations and the Government of Nepal are committed to supporting them in shaping their future free of violence," said Ms. Coomaraswamy.

The Special Representative is slated to start a five-day visit to the Philippines on Monday to assess the impact of the conflict on children, paying particular attention to the issue of the association of children with armed groups, their return to civilian life and protection from violence.
Dec 5 2008 2:10PM
________________

For more details go to UN News Centre at http://www.un.org/news

To change your profile or unsubscribe go to:
http://www.un.org/apps/news/email/

GROUND-BREAKING UN ATLAS SEEKS TO TACKLE CLIMATE CHANGE AND BIODIVERSITY LOSS

GROUND-BREAKING UN ATLAS SEEKS TO TACKLE CLIMATE CHANGE AND BIODIVERSITY LOSS
New York, Dec 5 2008 2:10PM
Boosting funding for efforts to slash greenhouse gas emissions from deforestation can simultaneously combat climate change and conserve biodiversity, a pioneering atlas launched today by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) shows.

The new Carbon and Biodiversity Demonstration Atlas – believed to be the first of its kind – pinpoints areas where high carbon and high biodiversity converge.

"At a time of scarce financial resources and economic concerns, every dollar, euro or rupee needs to deliver double, even triple dividends," said Achim Steiner, <"http://www.unep.org/Documents.Multilingual/Default.asp?DocumentID=553&ArticleID=6011&l=en">UNEP Executive Director. "Intelligent investment in forests is a key example of where climate benefits and ecosystem benefits can be achieved in one transaction."

Deforestation accounts for nearly 20 per cent of deforestation, and the launch of the atlas comes as countries are meeting in Poznan, Poland, for the latest round of UN climate change talks aimed at reaching agreement on a successor pact to the Kyoto Protocol, whose first commitment period ends in 2012.

Participants are also seeking to further plans to fund efforts for reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation, or REDD, as part of the post-Kyoto agreement.

Some 2,000 billion tons of carbon is stored in biomass above the ground and in the soil worldwide.

"Nature has spent millions of years perfecting carbon capture and storage in forests, peatlands, soils and the oceans while evolving the biodiversity that is central to healthy and economically productive ecosystems," Mr. Steiner said.

While human and technological efforts to capture carbon dioxide produced by power plants and factories before it enters the atmosphere and storing it in oceans and other places play a role, "the biggest and widest returns may come from investing in and enhancing natural carbon capture and storage systems," he added.

This will also help sustain livelihoods and add hundreds of thousands of new 'green' jobs in forestry and conservation in developing nations, the UNEP chief said.

Next year will be the year of climate change, a UN official told reporters in New York yesterday.

"The year between this meeting in Poznan and the meeting in Copenhagen is going to disproportionately on climate change as it should be in terms of attention of governments of the world," as well as the private sector and civil society, said Robert Orr, Assistant Secretary-General for Policy Coordination and Strategic Planning in the Executive Office of the Secretary-General.

Economic recovery and climate change are heavily linked, he stressed at a press conference, "because you can't really deal with one without the other."
Dec 5 2008 2:10PM
________________

For more details go to UN News Centre at http://www.un.org/news

To change your profile or unsubscribe go to:
http://www.un.org/apps/news/email/

PALESTINIANS JOIN UN AGENCIES IN DENOUNCING HONOUR KILLINGS AND GENDER ABUSE

PALESTINIANS JOIN UN AGENCIES IN DENOUNCING HONOUR KILLINGS AND GENDER ABUSE
New York, Dec 5 2008 1:10PM
Eight United Nations agencies have co-sponsored the first Palestinian 'festival' to combat violence against women, driving home the message that so-called "honour killings" have nothing to do with honour and seeking to break the conspiracy surrounding domestic abuse.

"It is time for action, not words," UN Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) Programme Manager in the occupied Palestinian territory Alia El Yassir told the festival in Ramallah on the West Bank. "UN agencies are working as one on this issue and supporting civil societies in their efforts to end violence against women."

The main message of the festival was threefold:<ul>
<li>Killing a woman has nothing to do with honour. It is a violation of fundamental human rights and freedoms.</li>
<li>Break the conspiracy of silence surrounding domestic violence. Silence protects the perpetrators, and is the greatest obstacle encountered by women and girls in protecting themselves and their children.</li>
<li>Youth, especially young men, can play a positive and driving role. Male and female Palestinian youth have the right, duty and responsibility to play a key role in building a Palestinian society free of domestic violence against women and girls.</li></ul>

The emphasis on youth groups at the festival reflected the vital role the young can play, since they account for 48 per cent of the population in the occupied Palestinian territory.

Beside UNIFEM, the UN Development Programme (UNDP), UN Children's Fund (UNICEF), UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), UN Population Fund (UNFPA), World Health Organization (WHO), High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) and UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) joined three Palestinian Authority ministries and 15 local non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in sponsoring the event.

The festival, with a similar event taking place in Gaza, was part of the global 16 Days of Activism against Gender Violence, an annual international campaign from 25 November, International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, to 10 December, International Human Rights Day.
Dec 5 2008 1:10PM
________________

For more details go to UN News Centre at http://www.un.org/news

To change your profile or unsubscribe go to:
http://www.un.org/apps/news/email/

BRITISH CHILDREN’S AUTHOR NAMED ARTIST FOR PEACE BY UNESCO

BRITISH CHILDREN'S AUTHOR NAMED ARTIST FOR PEACE BY UNESCO
New York, Dec 5 2008 11:10AM
The prize-winning British children's author and illustrator Lauren Child has been selected as the latest Artist for Peace by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the agency announced today.

The author's appointment comes in recognition of her commitment and support of Programme for the Education of Children in Need and she will be formally inducted to the post by UNESCO Director-General Koïchiro Matsuura at a ceremony in Paris on 12 December.

Under a partnership launched earlier in the year, Ms. Child and her publisher, Hachette Children's Books, agreed to donate three years of royalties from her best-selling book That Pesky Rat to UNESCO's Programme for the Education of Children in Need.

The funds will finance various UNESCO-supported projects for children in need, such as those of the Renacimiento Foundation, which works for street children in Mexico City.

Also part of the initiative is "My Life is a Story," a campaign begun by Ms. Child to collect stories from children around the world, initially from those who are benefiting from UNESCO-supported projects, so that kids from differing backgrounds can compare their experiences. Several of these writings will be made available on line at www.mylifeisastory.org.

UNESCO Artists for Peace are internationally renowned personalities who use their influence, charisma and prestige to help promote the agency's message and programmes. The artists include Manu Dibango, a Cameroonian musician; Patricia Velasquez, Venezuelan actress; Gilberto Gil, a Brazilian musician; Miyako Yoshida, a Japanese dancer; Sumi Jo, a Republic of Korea soprano; and Valery Gergiev, a Russian conductor.
Dec 5 2008 11:10AM
________________

For more details go to UN News Centre at http://www.un.org/news

To change your profile or unsubscribe go to:
http://www.un.org/apps/news/email/

SENIOR UN OFFICIAL CALLS FOR END TO ISRAELI SETTLER VIOLENCE AGAINST PALESTINIANS

SENIOR UN OFFICIAL CALLS FOR END TO ISRAELI SETTLER VIOLENCE AGAINST PALESTINIANS
New York, Dec 5 2008 11:10AM
While welcoming the evacuation by Israeli security forces of some 200 settlers from a house in Hebron in occupied Palestinian territory, a senior United Nations official today condemned ensuing settler violence against Palestinians, calling for an immediate end to such attacks.

"As the occupying power, the Government of Israel is under obligation to protect Palestinian civilians, property and holy sites," UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Robert Serry said in a statement, denouncing the destruction and desecration of Palestinian property, mosques and graves, as well as settler attacks on Israeli security forces.

"I remain concerned about the potential for a further escalation of a tense situation. I call for an immediate end to settler attacks and restraint and calm from all parties, and urge vigilance from the Israeli authorities to ensure that the events of yesterday are not repeated."

He added that extremists' actions continued to pose a threat to the peace process, and further underlined the need for action to fulfil the commitments of the Roadmap plan, which calls for a two-State solution with Israel and the Palestinians living side by side in peace.
Dec 5 2008 11:10AM
________________

For more details go to UN News Centre at http://www.un.org/news

To change your profile or unsubscribe go to:
http://www.un.org/apps/news/email/

TOP UN ENVOY APPEALS FOR RELEASE OF HOSTAGES IN SOMALIA

TOP UN ENVOY APPEALS FOR RELEASE OF HOSTAGES IN SOMALIA
New York, Dec 5 2008 10:10AM
The top United Nations envoy to Somalia today called for hostages, including two Catholic nuns, being held in the war-ravaged Horn of Africa nation to be freed immediately.

"On the eve of Eid al-Adha, a period of forgiveness, I appeal to all Somalis to help ensure that those hostages being held, both Somalis and foreigners, are allowed to enjoy their freedom and to return home safe and sound," said Ahmedou Ould-Abdallah, the Secretary-General's Special Representative.

He noted that releasing hostages would help to boost Somalia's image and "show that its people deserve respect and confidence."

Many of those being held captive came to help the Somali people or explain their plight to the rest of the world, Mr. Ould-Abdallah said, adding that their disappearance has caused their families and friends great distress and has harmed the country's reputation.

The two nuns being held were abducted last from a town on the border between Kenya and Somalia. "They should be allowed to return home immediately and I do not see any excuse for holding them any longer," he said.

Somalia has been beset by fighting and massive humanitarian suffering for the past two decades but the violence has flared anew this year, particularly in and around the capital, Mogadishu, and caused widespread displacement.

The Representative led talks that resulted in June's Djibouti Agreement, under which the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) and the opposition Alliance for the Re-liberation of Somalia (ARS) agreed to end their conflict and called on the UN to deploy an international stabilization force to the troubled nation, which has not had a functioning national government since 1991.
Dec 5 2008 10:10AM
________________

For more details go to UN News Centre at http://www.un.org/news

To change your profile or unsubscribe go to:
http://www.un.org/apps/news/email/

ON VOLUNTEER DAY, UN OFFICIALS CELEBRATE ‘GREAT RESERVE OF ENERGY AND INITIATIVE’

ON VOLUNTEER DAY, UN OFFICIALS CELEBRATE 'GREAT RESERVE OF ENERGY AND INITIATIVE'
New York, Dec 5 2008 9:10AM
Communities should harness the energy and initiative of the thousands of volunteers who contribute to projects around the world, including critical United Nations activities, senior UN officials said today as they marked the day dedicated to those who give their time and efforts for free to help others.

"The altruistic spirit of volunteerism is immense and renewable," Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said in a message released for International Volunteer Day, which has been observed by the UN and civil society on 5 December every year starting in 1986.

Mr. Ban noted that many people have called for extra resources to combat some of the greatest problems facing the world today, such as the turmoil in financial markets, climate change and steeply rising food and fuel prices.

"Rarely, however, is volunteerism fully recognized as a potentially vast and powerful resource to engage people in the pursuit of peace and development," he said, urging "all members of our global community to tap this great reserve of energy and initiative."

UN Volunteers (UNV) deploys about 7,500 people in 140 countries every year to support national development efforts, and the programme's Executive Coordinator Flavia Pansieri said the work of volunteers is being increasingly recognized and supported around the world.

Today UNV is launching an online volunteering service – which brings together hundreds of development organizations and thousands of volunteers who would otherwise have time or physical constraints from participating – in French and Spanish and re-launching an upgraded version in English.

"Online volunteers have contributed to environmental projects in Africa, human rights in Asia, youth education in Latin America, and community work worldwide," Ms. Pansieri said in a statement.

"Online volunteering promotes social inclusion and contributes in a very tangible way to the work of development organizations and communities facing some of the toughest challenges of our time."

UNV volunteers often work closely with the UN Development Programme (UNDP), and that agency's Administrator Kemal Dervis highlighted their joint efforts to improve conditions in countries emerging from disaster or conflict by rebuilding infrastructure, promoting democratic governance and engaging marginalized or vulnerable groups, such as women and youth.

"Working with local authorities and communities, UNV volunteers ensure that governance is grounded in the principles of human rights, access to justice, inclusion and gender equality," he said.

Around the world volunteers are holding events this week to mark the Day: in Haiti, a school damaged by hurricanes is being rehabilitated; in Sudan, doctors and dentists are providing free medical consultations; in Kazakhstan, children in orphanages and hospitals are receiving "clown therapy"; and in Indonesia, new mangroves are being planted.
Dec 5 2008 9:10AM
________________

For more details go to UN News Centre at http://www.un.org/news

To change your profile or unsubscribe go to:
http://www.un.org/apps/news/email/

MONTENEGRIN FATHERS URGED TO BE ROLE MODELS AGAINST VIOLENCE IN NEW UN CAMPAIGN

MONTENEGRIN FATHERS URGED TO BE ROLE MODELS AGAINST VIOLENCE IN NEW UN CAMPAIGN
New York, Dec 5 2008 9:10AM
The United Nations refugee agency and its aid partners in Montenegro have enlisted popular local sports coaches to take part in a new public awareness campaign aimed at fathers that is part of broader worldwide efforts to stem sexual and physical violence against women.

Under the campaign, fathers and father figures – such as uncles, older brothers, teachers and mentors – in the small European country are being encouraged to lead by example and teach their sons that all forms of violence against women are wrong.

The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), which has co-developed and funded the project as part of the annual 16 Days of Activism to Eliminate Violence Against Women, launched the campaign yesterday in Podgorica, Montenegro's capital.

About 10,000 posters have been distributed in schools, health-care centres and social welfare centres, public service announcements (PSAs) are being aired for free on television and radio, billboards are carrying key messages and some players in prominent sports in Montenegro are wearing campaign T-shirts before matches.

One of the participants is Igor Kolakovic, a top volleyball coach in Montenegro and a father of two boys, and he called on his countrymen "to teach your sons that being a real man means to respect and esteem women, and that being strong does not mean being a bully. You are their role model. They will listen to you. The power of change is in our hands."

Violence against women is a serious issue in Montenegro, where a recent report found that one in two women is a victim of verbal abuse and one in every three is attacked physically.

UNHCR representative Serge Ducasse described the campaign, set up with the assistance of other UN agencies, the Montenegrin Government and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), and drawing on material from the United States-based Family Violence Prevention Fund, as a trailblazer.

"Never before has a campaign in Montenegro called so directly upon men to challenge the deeply rooted belief in their superiority and their right to control the lives of their women," said Mr. Ducasse. "Fathers have to speak out and teach their sons that violence is never an expression of strength, but one of cowardice."
Dec 5 2008 9:10AM
________________

For more details go to UN News Centre at http://www.un.org/news

To change your profile or unsubscribe go to:
http://www.un.org/apps/news/email/

NEXT YEAR WILL BE CRITICAL YEAR FOR ACTION ON CLIMATE CHANGE, UN OFFICIALS SAY

NEXT YEAR WILL BE CRITICAL YEAR FOR ACTION ON CLIMATE CHANGE, UN OFFICIALS SAY
New York, Dec 4 2008 7:10PM
With negotiations on a successor pact to the Kyoto Protocol, which mandates targets for slashing greenhouse gas emissions, expected to wrap up in December 2009, next year will be the year of climate change, United Nations officials said today in New York.

The latest round of UN talks, currently underway in Poznan, Poland, is a "stock-taking" meeting, falling between last year's landmark Bali conference, where 187 countries agreeing to launch a two-year process of formal negotiations, and next year's Copenhagen, Denmark, gathering.

"The year between this meeting in Poznan and the meeting in Copenhagen is going to disproportionately on climate change as it should be in terms of attention of governments of the world," as well as the private sector and civil society, said Robert Orr, Assistant Secretary-General for Policy Coordination and Strategic Planning in the Executive Office of the Secretary-General.

Economic recovery and climate change are heavily linked, he stressed at a press conference, "because you can't really deal with one without the other."

Mr. Orr also noted that since the end of the Bali conference last December, it has become "very old-fashioned" to pit climate change against development. Regarding the solutions to both issues, "the arrows go both directions."

Also addressing reporters in New York today, Janos Pasztor, Director of the Secretary-General's Climate Change Support Team, said that real progress needs to be made during the two-week Poznan meeting, including laying out a "shared vision" that addresses what countries are willing to undertake in terms of long-term cooperation on climate change.

Nations must decide on a timetable and workplan for the remaining negotiations before the Copenhagen meeting, he said, adding that "we do hope that there will be clear political signals provided by countries about what they're prepared to do, or which direction they're prepared to go."

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is hoping for an "ambitious, comprehensive agreement that is ratifiable by all countries" next December. The new pact must contain four key elements: ambitious emissions reductions by developed countries; mitigation measures by developing nations; financial support by wealthier nations for poorer ones; and stepped up multilateralism.

To achieve these goals, "we need nothing less than a revolution to pave the way for the low-carbon emissions economy of the future, including massive investment by the public as well as private sectors in alternate energy systems, a global green 'New Deal,' and also innovative ways of financing this, from public as well as private sources," Mr. Pasztor said.
Dec 4 2008 7:10PM
________________

For more details go to UN News Centre at http://www.un.org/news

To change your profile or unsubscribe go to:
http://www.un.org/apps/news/email/

GUNMEN LAUNCH YET ANOTHER ATTACK ON AID WORKERS IN DARFUR, UN REPORTS

GUNMEN LAUNCH YET ANOTHER ATTACK ON AID WORKERS IN DARFUR, UN REPORTS
New York, Dec 4 2008 6:10PM
Two gunmen equipped with AK-47 assault rifles and a hand grenade stopped a humanitarian convoy in Sudan's war-ravaged Darfur region today, beat up the aid workers and stole money in the latest of a long series of such assaults that are impeding relief operations, the United Nations reported.

The non-governmental organization (NGO) convoy of three vehicles with six local staff was stopped this morning in South Darfur on its way from Nyala, the provincial capital, to Kalma internally displaced persons (IDP) camp, the joint UN-African Union mission in Darfur (UNAMID) said in a statement. The gunmen forced it to drive down to a nearby gully.

"Although the workers complied without resistance to demands for money, the attackers assaulted them up before leaving the scene," it added "Three out of the six workers were reportedly severely beaten and taken to the local hospital, where their condition is listed as stable and non life-threatening."

Initial reports suggest that the assailants were informed of the workers' movements and that they were transporting cash intended for the payment of salaries for the Kalma camp staff.

"If proven right, these suspicions would point to an act of banditry," <"http://www.un.org/Depts/dpko/missions/unamid/index.html">UNAMID added.

Just yesterday, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs John Holmes told the Security Council that 261 vehicles had been hijacked and 172 compounds broken into so far this year. Rebel movements, or those linked to them, appear primarily responsible for the majority of "these terrifying incidents" in rural areas, but many also occur in main towns in Government control, he said.

"I call on both the Government security forces and rebel leaders to put a stop to this banditry once and for all," he added. "It seriously damages the quality of assistance – just as one example, World Food Programme (<"http://www.wfp.org/english/?n=31">WFP) rations are still only at 70 per cent because of attacks on their convoys – and it damages the credibility of their promises to ensure our safety."

UNAMID, slated to reach 26,000 personnel but now only 10,500-strong, is being deployed throughout Darfur in an effort to bring peace to a region where more than five years of fighting between Government forces, allied Janjaweed militia and rebel groups have killed an estimated 300,000 people and driven another 2.7 million from their homes.
Dec 4 2008 6:10PM
________________

For more details go to UN News Centre at http://www.un.org/news

To change your profile or unsubscribe go to:
http://www.un.org/apps/news/email/

DR CONGO: UN PEACEKEEPERS TO ‘PRESS’ REBELS TO LEAVE EASTERN TOWN

DR CONGO: UN PEACEKEEPERS TO 'PRESS' REBELS TO LEAVE EASTERN TOWN
New York, Dec 4 2008 5:10PM
United Nations peacekeepers in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) intend to press fighters from the DRC-based Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), a mainly Hutu rebel group, to leave a town they recently entered near the Ugandan border.

The UN Mission for the DRC, known by its French acronym MONUC, disputed information in some news reports that FDLR had systematically redeployed to "fill in" positions vacated by another rebel group, the National Congress in Defence of the People (CNDP), although they had entered the town of Ishasha in the northeastern part of strife-torn North Kivu province.

"UN peacekeepers, meanwhile, will be redeploying in the Ishasha region until later this month," UN spokesperson Michele Montas told a news briefing in New York. "The peacekeepers are patrolling the region, and they intend to press the FDLR forces to leave."

Deadly fighting between Government forces, the CNDP and Mayi Mayi militia in North Kivu province in recent months has some 250,000 people to flee their homes.

Meanwhile, with security improving in Orientale, another eastern DRC province, UN peacekeepers are helping to redeploy aid agencies there. The first group of aid workers from the UN World Food Programme (WFP), UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian affairs (OCHA) arrived there on Tuesday to assist some 6,000 internally displaced persons.

The region has suffered repeated raids by the Ugandan rebel Lord's Resistance Army, which has killed at least 20 people and abducted more than 150 children since September.

<"http://www.monuc.org/News.aspx?newsID=19473">MONUC also said today that it is continuing to reinforce its presence in North Kivu, with French-speaking blue helmets having arrived in the provincial capital Goma to protect civilians.

The mission noted that its combat helicopters in Goma and in neighbouring provinces are on alert and ready to respond to respond to any threat of attack.
Dec 4 2008 5:10PM
________________

For more details go to UN News Centre at http://www.un.org/news

To change your profile or unsubscribe go to:
http://www.un.org/apps/news/email/

BAN CALLS ON BURUNDI’S GOVERNMENT, REBELS TO QUICKLY COMPLETE PEACE ACCORD

BAN CALLS ON BURUNDI'S GOVERNMENT, REBELS TO QUICKLY COMPLETE PEACE ACCORD
New York, Dec 4 2008 5:10PM
Burundi's Government and the rebel group Palipehutu-FNL must now summon the political will and courage to overcome outstanding issues and successfully conclude the peace process they agreed to two years ago, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said today.

"Time is of the essence," he told a regional summit of the Burundi Peace Initiative in a <"http://www.un.org/apps/sg/sgstats.asp?nid=3593">message delivered by his Executive Representative for Burundi Youssef Mahmoud in Bujumbura, the small Central African country's capital. "The crucial deadline for completing the full implementation of the Comprehensive Ceasefire Agreement is fast approaching.

"I therefore urge the Government and the Palipehutu-FNL to work with greater urgency and determination to reach compromises on the difficult issues which have so far hindered their efforts."

Burundi is rebuilding after a brutal civil war between the Hutu majority and the Tutsi minority. In September 2006, the Comprehensive Ceasefire Agreement was signed between the Government and Palipehutu-FNL, the last major rebel hold-out group.

The group's leader, Agathon Rwasa, returned home this May in what Mr. Ban the called a "significant development."

Today, he thanked the Regional Initiative leaders, the South African Facilitation and the African Union for "their tireless efforts" to help the parties in their quest for a durable solution.

"I urge you to do your utmost at this Summit to achieve an outcome that helps restore hope for the Burundian people, and enables them to imagine a more prosperous and peaceful future," he said. "For my part, I reaffirm the commitment of the United Nations as well as the Organization's readiness to continue its support, in full coordination with regional and international partners."
Dec 4 2008 5:10PM
________________

For more details go to UN News Centre at http://www.un.org/news

To change your profile or unsubscribe go to:
http://www.un.org/apps/news/email/

GAZA CROSSING PARTIALLY OPENED TODAY PERMITTING RESTRICTED DELIVERY OF UN AID

GAZA CROSSING PARTIALLY OPENED TODAY PERMITTING RESTRICTED DELIVERY OF UN AID
New York, Dec 4 2008 5:10PM
Some crossings into Gaza, including fuel pipelines, were opened today, allowing a limited amount of United Nations humanitarian supplies to reach the area's 1.5 million inhabitants.

The UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (<"http://www.un.org/unrwa/english.html">UNRWA) delivered six truckloads of Jordanian-donated aid into Gaza, but the agency noted that an additional 10 trucks of oil and tinned meat were not allowed entrance into the territory.

UNRWA has stressed that it needs to send 15 trucks a day into Gaza just to maintain its basic operations, but it has only managed to deliver 37 trucks of emergency relief supplies over the last month, UN spokesperson Michele Montas told reporters in New York.

Meanwhile, UNRWA Commissioner General Karen AbuZayd opened a year-long series of events today in Jerusalem to mark the agency's 60th anniversary on 8 December.

"Closures in the West Bank and the blockade of Gaza add to the terrifying sense of being trapped, physically, intellectually and emotionally, depriving children of that simplest of rights, the right to be a child," said Ms. AbuZayd.

Ms. AbuZayd said that the anniversary was a time for sober reflection on why a "temporary agency" still exists and a time to ponder the realities of the refugees after 60 years of exile, dispossession and statelessness.

"While the 60th anniversary of UNRWA is nothing to celebrate, it is an occasion to pay tribute to the people, the vast majority of them refugees, who have been part of this unique agency over six decades and to those who have benefited and made such good use of its services," she added.

Following the 1948 Arab-Israeli conflict, UNRWA was established by the General Assembly to carry out direct relief and works programmes for Palestine refugees.
Dec 4 2008 5:10PM
________________

For more details go to UN News Centre at http://www.un.org/news

To change your profile or unsubscribe go to:
http://www.un.org/apps/news/email/

UN FORUM ADVOCATING AN ‘INTERNET FOR ALL’ IS UNDER WAY IN INDIA

UN FORUM ADVOCATING AN 'INTERNET FOR ALL' IS UNDER WAY IN INDIA
New York, Dec 4 2008 5:10PM
A United Nations-backed international forum focusing on Internet governance issues, particularly the potential expansion of access to greater numbers of people, is under way in India.

The third Internet Governance Forum brings together representatives from government, the private sector, civil society, the Internet community, international organizations and the media to discuss how to make the web accessible to the largest number of people possible while guaranteeing that cyberspace remains safe, secure and reflective of the diversity of the world's people.

Some 2,000 participants from over 100 countries are slated to attend the four-day meeting in Hyderabad, titled "Internet for All," which includes workshops addressing such topics as expanding Internet access, including for persons with disabilities; promoting cybersecurity and child protection; and the future of the Internet.

In his opening remarks to the Forum, Assistant Secretary-General for the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA), Jomo Kwame Sundaram, noted that the Forum has become a valuable tool for forging a common understanding of complex Internet issues from diverse points of view.

Mr. Sundaram noted that with an estimated 1 billion people on course to gain access to the Internet in the coming years, it is essential to ensure that people with disabilities are taken into account.

"The access needs to take into account the diversity of the world's population, the diversity of languages but also the diversity of people with different abilities," said Mr. Sundaram.

Nitin Desai, the Secretary-General's Special Adviser for Internet Governance, added that multilingualism is key as most of the expansion of Internet use is taking place in developing countries, where the English language and Latin script are not used.
Dec 4 2008 5:10PM
________________

For more details go to UN News Centre at http://www.un.org/news

To change your profile or unsubscribe go to:
http://www.un.org/apps/news/email/

UN MAY HAVE TO RE-THINK GROUND ROLE FOLLOWING RUSSIA-GEORGIA CONFLICT – BAN

UN MAY HAVE TO RE-THINK GROUND ROLE FOLLOWING RUSSIA-GEORGIA CONFLICT – BAN
New York, Dec 4 2008 5:10PM
The United Nations and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) may have to reassess their roles on the ground following this summer's fighting between Russia and Georgia, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said today.

"Recent events in your region have riveted the world's attention and challenged existing arrangements for peace and security," he told the 16th OSCE Ministerial Council in a message delivered by his Special Representative for Georgia Johan Verbeke in Helsinki.

"Indeed, following the tragic fighting in Georgia and the South Caucasus in August, and in light of persistent instability in the area, we may have to re-think our respective roles on the ground. The conflict also demonstrated that the lack of a meaningful political process over an extended period of time can lead to conflict. This lesson should be borne in mind when considering all protracted conflicts in the OSCE area."

Calling for the "utmost" efforts to ensure the success of the Geneva International Discussions on Georgia, Mr. Ban said all sides must turn their immediate attention to "the most pressing short-term problems: security and the return of refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs)."

He noted UN-OSCE cooperation during the past year to shore up peace and stability in other areas such as Kosovo, Afghanistan and Central Asia.

"Our cooperation also extends to human rights, including the human rights aspects of electoral processes and conflict and post-conflict situations," he said. "We are working hard to prevent statelessness in South-Eastern Europe and to strengthen border management capacities in Central Asia."

Not least, he stressed, the UN attaches great importance to common efforts to address environmental concerns in the OSCE region, in particular regarding climate change.
Dec 4 2008 5:10PM
________________

For more details go to UN News Centre at http://www.un.org/news

To change your profile or unsubscribe go to:
http://www.un.org/apps/news/email/

AS 104 STATES SIGN CLUSTER BOMB BAN, FUNDS FOR OVERALL UN DE-MINING LANGUISH

AS 104 STATES SIGN CLUSTER BOMB BAN, FUNDS FOR OVERALL UN DE-MINING LANGUISH
New York, Dec 4 2008 4:10PM
While 104 countries in Oslo signed an historic United Nations-sponsored treaty formally renouncing the use of cluster bombs, the larger effort to rid the world of all ordnance that kill and maim thousands of people years after they are laid is facing a gigantic shortfall, with less than 5 per cent of funding secured so far for 2009.

"Without full donor support many of Mine Action initiatives will have to be cancelled and more civilians will be at risk of losing limbs, lives and livelihood," Assistant Secretary-General for Rule of Law and Security Institutions Dmitry Titov told a news conference in New York, presenting the $459-million UN Mine Action Service portfolio for next year, with only $22 million raised so far.

"The portfolio of mine action projects is critical in our view to efforts to protect civilian populations and we urge again and again donors, traditional and untraditional ones, to step forward to help us meet this funding shortfall," he said of the 300 projects to address the problem of land mines and explosive remnants of war in 33 countries and territories.

Of these, 32 deal with cluster munitions, which have gained added prominence with this week's Oslo meeting. First used in World War II, they contain dozens of smaller explosives designed to disperse over an area the size of several football fields; 15 per cent of them fail to detonate upon impact, creating large de facto minefields. They have claimed over 10,000 lives, 98 per cent of them civilians, and 40 per cent of these children.

The Convention will enter into force after ratifications by 30 states, making its commitments to assist victims, clear contaminated areas and destroy stockpiles binding on its Parties.

The Portfolio of Mine Action Projects is an annual analysis by the UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations' Mine Action Service, the UN Development Programme (UNDP) and the UN Children's Fund (<"http://www.unicef.org/">UNICEF). At a similar time last year the smaller $404-million 2008 portfolio had secured $40 million.

Over the past year 72 countries were reported to be affected by landmines or the explosive remnants of war, and there were 5,426 casualties although the actual number may be much higher as there is often a problem with under-reporting. About one quarter of land mine victims worldwide are children and the country with the most casualties last year was Colombia.

Anti-personnel mines are not only used by governments. Last year, usage by non-state groups was reported in Afghanistan, Colombia, Ecuador, Iraq, India, Myanmar, Pakistan, Peru and Sri Lanka.

Mr. Titov stressed that Mine Action also helped the safe deployment of peacekeepers in countries like the Democratic Republic of Congo, Lebanon and Sudan.

"In Sudan over 25,000 kilometres of roads have been cleared extending the reach of peacekeeping operations and civilians even to areas where no cars or trucks have been seen in 30 years," he said. "In Afghanistan, under the most difficult conditions, over 1 billion metres of land have been cleared, halving the number of casualties from unexploded ordnance and freeing up vital agricultural land for cultivation."
Dec 4 2008 4:10PM
________________

For more details go to UN News Centre at http://www.un.org/news

To change your profile or unsubscribe go to:
http://www.un.org/apps/news/email/

BAN UNDERSCORES URGENT NEED TO ADDRESS HUMANITARIAN NEEDS IN ZIMBABWE

BAN UNDERSCORES URGENT NEED TO ADDRESS HUMANITARIAN NEEDS IN ZIMBABWE
New York, Dec 4 2008 4:10PM
The United Nations and its relief partners must respond quickly to address the humanitarian needs of Zimbabweans and prevent the cholera epidemic from spreading, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said today in a telephone conversation with South African President Kgalama Motlanthe.

During this morning's conversation, they also discussed the political situation in Zimbabwe and the mediation by the South African Development Community (SADC) in the power-sharing talks between President Robert Mugabe and Morgan Tsvangirai, who heads the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC).

A power-sharing deal on the formation of a new government was reached on 15 September with the help of regional leaders, but outstanding issues remain, jeopardizing the deal's implementation.

Meanwhile, the UN World Health Organization (WHO) today pledged its continued support to Zimbabweans, with the number of suspected cholera cases in Zimbabwe having grown to nearly 13,000 and 570 deaths reported since August.

The agency heads the group of heath providers who are responding to the outbreak as well as the country's wider health challenges.

Zimbabwe has appealed for $1.5 million each month to address the cholera problem, get health workers to return to their posts and provide medical supplies. Over $4 million worth of chemicals are also needed to ensure the safety of the country's water supply.

Kits capable of treating 800 severe and more than 3,000 moderate cases of diarrhoea have arrived in Zimbabwe, where 9 out of its 10 provinces have been affected by the cholera outbreak, which has also spilled over into neighbouring South Africa, Botswana and Mozambique.

The UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) yesterday announced that it is stepping up its help for Zimbabwe's swelling population of children in need, outlining a four-month response plan to deal with the Southern African country's multiple crises, including a deadly cholera outbreak, the closure of many hospitals and the collapse of the education sector.

The 120-day plan yesterday in the capital Harare, and the agency warned that women and children are bearing the brunt of the humanitarian suffering engulfing Zimbabwe, where the economy is largely shattered and severe food shortages have become standard.

"Schools and hospitals are closing, while teachers, nurses and doctors are not reporting for duty," UNICEF acting country representative Roeland Monasch said. "It is UNICEF's top priority to ensure that Zimbabwe's children get vital life-saving interventions at this critical time."
Dec 4 2008 4:10PM
________________

For more details go to UN News Centre at http://www.un.org/news

To change your profile or unsubscribe go to:
http://www.un.org/apps/news/email/

MEASLES DEATHS DRAMATICALLY CUT BY 74 PER CENT WORLDWIDE – UN HEALTH AGENCY

MEASLES DEATHS DRAMATICALLY CUT BY 74 PER CENT WORLDWIDE – UN HEALTH AGENCY
New York, Dec 4 2008 3:10PM
Measles deaths have plummeted by some 74 per cent worldwide since 2000, the United Nations announced today, while warning that the problem has still not been eradicated.

The estimated number of people dying from measles each year dropped dramatically from an estimated 750,000 to 197,000 between 2000 and 2007, thanks to improvements in routine and supplementary immunization activities.

In the same period, the Eastern Mediterranean region – including Afghanistan, Pakistan, Somalia and the Sudan – has cut measles deaths from 96,000 to 10,000, achieving the UN goal of reducing measles deaths by 90 per cent three years ahead of time.

"This significant decline in measles deaths in the region was made possible by the hard work and dedication of national governments to fully implement the measles mortality reduction strategy with the support of the Measles Initiative partners," said UN World Health Organization (<"http://www.who.int/mediacentre/news/releases/2008/pr47/en/index.html">WHO) Regional Director, Eastern Mediterranean Region, Hussein Abdel-Razzak Al Gezairy in remarks to the press this morning.

The major reduction in measles deaths in the Eastern Mediterranean region was a result of ramping up vaccination campaigns, with more than twice the number of children immunized in 2007 compared to the previous year.

"Going forward, however, we cannot drop our guard against this disease. We know that children being born today, tomorrow and the next day will need the life-saving benefits of vaccination," said Dr. Al Gezairy in remarks read by his colleague, Peter Strebel.

"Countries must plan and budget for periodic nationwide measles vaccination campaigns to make sure all children are protected by vaccination. If this is not done systematically we could see a reversal of the gains made," he added.

The progress was announced at a press conference today by the partners of the Measles Initiative – the UN Children's Fund (<"http://www.unicef.org/media/media_46751.html">UNICEF), the UN Foundation and WHO, as well as the American Red Cross and the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention of (CDC) – ahead of tomorrow's WHO report, which will include the latest data on measles mortality.

Although more than 3.6 million lives have been saved, measles is still one of the leading killers of children worldwide, with an estimated 540 dying each day from the disease, the Initiative said in a press release issued today.

Africa saw the largest decrease in measles deaths, accounting for roughly 63 per cent of the reduction in worldwide deaths over the eight-year period. In 2007, however, measles outbreaks occurred in a number of African countries due to gaps in immunization coverage, reinforcing the need to remain vigilant against the disease.

South-East Asia only experienced a 42 per cent decline in measles deaths due to the delayed implementation of large-scale vaccination campaigns in India, which currently accounts for two-thirds of global measles deaths.
"Much needs to be done. An estimated 500 children a day die of measles. This is an unacceptable reality when there is a safe, effective and inexpensive vaccine to prevent the disease," said UNICEF Executive Director Ann M. Veneman.

"Of the estimated 197,000 measles related deaths in 2007, 90 per cent or an estimated 177,000 were children, who died before their fifth birthday," Ms. Veneman added.

Success in reaching the 2010 goal of reducing measles death by 90 per cent worldwide depends on ensuring that all children receive two doses of the measles vaccine including one dose by their first birthday, strengthening disease surveillance systems and providing effective treatment for measles.

"Progress also depends on addressing the considerable funding gap," said Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer for the UN Foundation Kathy Calvin.

"Currently the shortfall stands at $176 million for 2009-2010, of which $35 million is urgently needed for 2009. During these tough economic times it is important to remember that prevention is always more cost effective in the long run than treatment," said Ms. Calvin.

"For only a $1 a vaccination, measles can be prevented," she added.

Measles infection occurs through the spread of nasal and oral fluids. After an incubation period of seven to 14 days, the first symptoms are fever, nasal discharge and redness of the eyes. Measles is a contributing cause of malnutrition, which in turn increases the risk of contracting measles.
Dec 4 2008 3:10PM
________________

For more details go to UN News Centre at http://www.un.org/news

To change your profile or unsubscribe go to:
http://www.un.org/apps/news/email/

UNDP CHIEF HAILS NATIONS FOR COMMITMENT TO ACTION ON POVERTY, CLIMATE CHANGE

UNDP CHIEF HAILS NATIONS FOR COMMITMENT TO ACTION ON POVERTY, CLIMATE CHANGE
New York, Dec 4 2008 1:10PM
The head of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has commended the resolve of the more than160 countries who met for a global finance meeting, which wrapped up recently in Doha, Qatar, to address the triple crisis posed by economic turmoil, far-reaching poverty and climate change.

The four-day UN gathering ended on 2 December with a declaration in which nations affirmed that the commitment made at the 2002 landmark global partnership agreement for development in Monterrey, Mexico, for developed countries to devote 0.7 per cent of their gross national product (GNP) to ODA must be maintained, despite the current financial crisis.

"We must treat these crises as common rather than separate challenges," said <"http://content.undp.org/go/newsroom/2008/december/linking-solutions-to-financial-climate-and-poverty-crises.en">UNDP Administrator Kemal Dervi&#351, noting that boosting public spending can simultaneously propel economic recovery and positive action on climate change.

He is currently in Poznan, Poland, where the latest round of UN climate change talks seeking to reach agreement on a successor pact to the Kyoto Protocol, whose first commitment period ends in 2012, are under way.

"At the same time, a global climate deal that establishes an effective carbon market and price of carbon, as well as mechanisms for resource flows to developing countries would generate significant financing for green growth and poverty reduction," the Administrator said.

Emphasizing the UN's role in helping countries address the interconnected crises, he said that UNDP, which "invests in the 'how' of development," will carry on helping nations 'green' their economies, cope with uncertainty and take measures to slash poverty.

Meanwhile, a UN independent expert said the Doha meeting missed a crucial opportunity to restructure the international debt framework and address the impact of development policies on human rights, a United Nations independent expert said today.

"Financing for development is a matter of human rights," which should supersede other agreements States enter into, said Cephas Lumina, Independent Expert on foreign debt and human rights.

The lack of political will is exacerbating the problem, he said, pointing out that creditor countries have spent hundreds of billions of dollars bailing out their banks which have acted irresponsibility, but have not found similar funds to tackle the debt crisis, which has impacted developing nations for decades.

Mr. Lumina voiced regret that the Doha talks did not view economic policy making through the lens of human rights, as the two issues are "profoundly interconnected."
Dec 4 2008 1:10PM
________________

For more details go to UN News Centre at http://www.un.org/news

To change your profile or unsubscribe go to:
http://www.un.org/apps/news/email/

UN EMERGENCY RELIEF FUND LAUNCHES ANNUAL PLEDGING SESSION IN FACE OF GROWING NEEDS

UN EMERGENCY RELIEF FUND LAUNCHES ANNUAL PLEDGING SESSION IN FACE OF GROWING NEEDS
New York, Dec 4 2008 1:10PM
The $500-million United Nations Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) today launched its annual pledging conference, with Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon warning that the financial crisis, climate change and population growth are likely to increase demands for relief aid.

"We will need more resources to meet those demands," he told delegates from Member States. "The needs are tremendous, but I believe that your generosity can match them."

The CERF was set up in 2006 as part of UN reforms, to jump-start relief operations in natural and man-made disasters by providing funds within days and saving thousands of lives that would otherwise be lost to delay under the then under-funded $50-million mechanism.

"Any aid worker can tell you that in a disaster, delays are deadly," Mr. Ban said. "It is in the earliest hours of a crisis that the most lives are saved – or lost. Tragically, humanitarian funds were coming too late for some victims."

UN officials have noted that under the previous system it took four months between the lifting of access restrictions in Sudan's strife-torn Darfur region and the commitment of funds to the relief appeal. In the meantime, the number of internally displaced persons (IDPs) climbed to 1.6 million and mortality rates rose above emergency levels.

In the case of locust swarms infesting the African Sahel area in 2004, a $9-million appeal by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in February to spray larvae and prevent their spread was inadequately funded. That summer, the locusts multiplied throughout eight countries and FAO had to revise its appeal upwards to $100 million.

"Now we have the CERF, which approves funds in as little as forty-eight hours – a fraction of the time it used to take," Mr. Ban <"http://www.un.org/apps/sg/sgstats.asp?nid=3595">said. "There are millions of lives at stake. So I appeal to you, on behalf of these suffering people, to contribute as much as possible."
Citing the Fund's successes, he noted that in its first three years, it provided more than $1billion for food, shelter, clean water and health care for tens of millions of people from Afghanistan to Zambia. Overall, 67 countries have received CERF funds. Even more are contributing – 93 countries, nearly half of the UN's membership.
Many States now contributing to the CERF have also received its donations - Bangladesh, China, El Salvador, Indonesia, Lebanon, Mexico, Peru, Philippines, Sri Lanka and Syria among them.

"This year's floods in Central America showed how natural disasters can destroy in seconds what took years to build. The strife in Kenya proved the same point. If we move quickly to reverse such damage, we have a much better shot at long-term development," Mr. Ban said.

"The CERF is truly a Fund by all, a Fund for all. It shows the United Nations taking immediate action to alleviate acute human suffering."
Dec 4 2008 1:10PM
________________

For more details go to UN News Centre at http://www.un.org/news

To change your profile or unsubscribe go to:
http://www.un.org/apps/news/email/

UN-BACKED ACCORD AIMS TO CUT TECHNICAL TRADE BARRIERS FOR DEVELOPING COUNTRIES

UN-BACKED ACCORD AIMS TO CUT TECHNICAL TRADE BARRIERS FOR DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
New York, Dec 4 2008 12:10PM
Developing countries are set to benefit from a United Nations-backed partnership announced today that seeks to establish a coherent system of measurements throughout the world to minimize technical barriers to trade which are still a major obstacle to exports.

The UN Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and the inter-governmental International Bureau of Weights and Measure (BIPM) and the International Organization of Legal Metrology (OIML) agreed to join forces to assist focus countries integrate more beneficially into the global economy, thus enhancing the impact of industrial development on economic growth.

Concrete technical areas of cooperation include the establishment of training guides to assist developing countries overcome metrology and legal metrology issues at the laboratory level.

With this <"http://www.unido.org/index.php?id=6519&tx_ttnews[tt_news]=290&tx_ttnews[backPid]=6&cHash=370a6d3724">agreement, UNIDO is partnering with two major global players who are crucial to successfully building capacity in standards and conformity as well as compliance with sanitary and phyto-sanitary measures that seek to ensure food safety and animal and plant health.

The agreement will not only reinforce UNIDO's ability to deliver technical assistance, but also help further its position as a key agency for implementing projects to eliminate technical barriers to trade.

Effective immediately, the accord was signed by UNIDO Director-General, Kandeh Yumkella, BIPM Director Andrew J. Wallard, representing OIML, and International Committee of Legal Metrology (CIML) President Alan Johnston.

Established in 1966, UNIDO works towards improving the quality of life of the world's poor by helping countries achieve sustainable industrial development.
Dec 4 2008 12:10PM
________________

For more details go to UN News Centre at http://www.un.org/news

To change your profile or unsubscribe go to:
http://www.un.org/apps/news/email/

FARMS, FORESTS CAN HELP FIGHT CLIMATE CHANGE, SAYS UN AGRICULTURE AGENCY

FARMS, FORESTS CAN HELP FIGHT CLIMATE CHANGE, SAYS UN AGRICULTURE AGENCY
New York, Dec 4 2008 11:10AM
Although agriculture and deforestation together account for nearly one-third of greenhouse gas emissions, farm communities and those deriving their livelihoods from forests can help combat climate change, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said today.

This will require increased investment for farmers and foresters, particularly those in developing countries, said Alexander Müller, FAO Assistant Director-General.

The financing should prioritize emission-reducing schemes that simultaneously help boost food and energy security, slash poverty and promote the sustainable use of natural resources. "Forestry and agriculture offer many opportunities for such 'win-win' measures," he said.

Deforestation and forest degradation contribute 17 per cent of emissions annually, while agriculture is responsible for nearly 14 per cent.

"Climate change will affect the lives and livelihoods of farmers, fishers and forest users in developing countries, many of whom are already facing difficulties in earning a sufficient income and feeding their families," Mr. Müller <"http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/8753/icode/">said.

He cautioned that immediate action must be taken to avert surging hunger in the poorest nations and avert a humanitarian disaster.

Nearly half of land biomass is either directly or indirectly managed by farmers, foresters and herders, and they must be mobilized to rein in emissions and ensure that carbon remains in soil and plants.

FAO called for such measures as using more efficient crop varieties, better control of wildfires, improved natural resource management and restoring land by controlling grazing as means to bolster adaptation to climate change.
Dec 4 2008 11:10AM
________________

For more details go to UN News Centre at http://www.un.org/news

To change your profile or unsubscribe go to:
http://www.un.org/apps/news/email/

PAKISTANI GIRLS GET FIRST SHOT AT EDUCATION IN UN-SUPPORTED CAMPS

PAKISTANI GIRLS GET FIRST SHOT AT EDUCATION IN UN-SUPPORTED CAMPS
New York, Dec 4 2008 11:10AM
Children uprooted by the violence in the war-torn north-western region of Pakistan have unexpectedly benefited from their plight by having the opportunity to attend school for the first time in United Nations-supported camps, reported a senior UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) official.

During a visit to Pakistan this week, UNICEF Deputy Executive Director, Hilde F. Johnson met some of the thousands of families who have fled conflict in the Bajaur agency, on the border between Pakistan and Afghanistan, as well as government ministers, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), donors and beneficiaries of the agency's programmes in the country.

In the UNICEF-supported Katcha Gari camp, Ms. Johnson talked to girls who had their first opportunity to attend school while in the camps for internally displaced persons (IDPs), and helped to administer polio vaccines as part of a campaign to immunise all Pakistani children under the age of five.

"The conflict in north-western Pakistan affects areas of the country where the people, especially children, already suffered from a lack of services and development," said Ms. Johnson.

Ms. Johnson requested government support in delivering essential services to families displaced by conflict in a meeting with the Governor of the North West Frontier Province (NWFP), noting that over two-thirds of those living in the camps are children and are in urgent need of care and protection.

"In the IDP camps, we have both an imperative to support children – the defenceless victims of conflict – and an opportunity to deliver health and education services that they could not avail before," she added in a press release issued by the agency yesterday.

In addition to high-level discussions with cabinet ministers in the country's capital, Islamabad, Ms. Johnson had the opportunity to meet some of the children and women who have been helped by UNICEF.

She heard one story of a 28-year-old mother living in the Katcha Gari camp whose family was forced to abandon their village and all their belongings in Bajaur. They could not even take their warm clothes. Her elder children had never been to school, but with the encouragement of a UNICEF partner, she had enrolled her five-year-old daughter in the camp school.

"Hearing from the residents of Katcha Gari, like Shazadgai Yousuf, who are benefiting from our work in the IDP camps, it becomes even more important to reaffirm UNICEF's commitment to helping Pakistan's children, particularly the most vulnerable, to achieve their full potential through health, education, protection, and a healthy environment," said Ms. Johnson.
Dec 4 2008 11:10AM
________________

For more details go to UN News Centre at http://www.un.org/news

To change your profile or unsubscribe go to:
http://www.un.org/apps/news/email/