United Nations News
GENEVA-BASED UN HUMAN RIGHTS ADVISORY BODY WINDS UP FIRST
SESSION
New
York, Aug 15 2008 3:10PM
After making recommendations on the rights of
refugees and on the right to food, the United Nations Human Rights
Council’s Advisory Committee concluded its first session in Geneva today.
Among the 13 recommendations adopted by consensus, the Advisory
Committee suggested that the
>Human Rights Council and the Secretary-General use their good offices
to extend the right of non-refoulement to hunger refugees – which
would protect them from being sent back to their home countries against
their will.
It also recommended that the Council launch an urgent appeal to Member
States to increase their voluntary contributions substantially and as
soon as possible to support the work of the UN High Commissioner for
Refugees (UNHCR) and other UN agencies.
In addition, the Committee set up a working group charged with making
recommendations on the right to the food and the current global food
crisis, and another group to prepare a declaration on human rights
education and training.
“The first session marked a significant step forward in realizing and
completing the Council's institution-building process,” the Acting UN
High-Commissioner for Human Rights Kyung-Wha Kang told members of the
Committee.
“It is also an important moment for the international community as this
new human rights mechanism charts its future course within the United
Nations' comprehensive human rights system,” she added.
The 18-member Advisory Committee will hold its second session from 26
to 30 January 2009.
2008-08-15 00:00:00.000
UN TELECOM AGENCY TO ASSESS HOW TECHNOLOGY IMPACTS CLIMATE
CHANGE
New
York, Jul 11 2008 1:00PM
The United Nations International
Telecommunication Union (ITU) today announced that it is examining how to
slash
greenhouse gas emissions from information and communication technologies
(ICT).
Since the Kyoto Protocol was adopted in late 1997, the number of ICT
users has tripled globally, and the sector releases some 2 to 3 per cent
of all emissions.
But ITU stressed that these technologies are also part of the solution
to climate change, and could help curb emissions by anywhere between 15
and 40 per cent, depending on the methodologies used to come up with
the estimates.
The agency’s newly-created Focus Group, which seeks to wrap up its work
plan by next April, will create internally agreed standards to assess
the effect of the technologies on the environment.
“ICTs are a contributor to global warming, but more importantly they
are the key to monitoring and mitigating its effects,” said the agency’s
Secretary-General Hamadoun Touré.
2008-07-11 00:00:00.000
SECURITY COUNCIL CONDEMNS ‘REPREHENSIBLE’ TERRORIST ATTACK
IN
ISTANBUL
New York, Jul 10 2008 5:00PM
The Security Council has strongly
condemned yesterday’s terrorist attack on Turkish police protecting the
United
States Consulate General in Istanbul, which caused death and injury to
Turkish police personnel.
While no staff inside the Consulate sustained injuries, three policemen
and three of the attackers were killed in Wednesday’s incident.
“The members of the Security Council expressed their condolences to the
families of the victims, as well as to the people and the Governments
of Turkey and the United States,” Ambassador Le Luong Minh of Viet Nam,
which holds the Council’s rotating presidency for July, said in a
statement read out to the press.
The Council also underlined the need to bring perpetrators, organizers,
financiers and sponsors of this “reprehensible act of terrorism” to
justice, and urged all States to cooperate actively with the Turkish
authorities to this end.
“All acts of terrorism are criminal and unjustifiable, regardless of
their motivation,” the statement added.
2008-07-10 00:00:00.000
CLIMATE CHANGE WILL HAVE MAJOR IMPACT ON FISHING INDUSTRY,
SAYS UN
AGENCY
New York, Jul 10 2008 11:00AM
Climate change is already impacting
the world’s oceans and will have serious consequences for the hundreds of
millions of people who depend on fishing for their livelihoods,
according to theUnited
Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
Changes in sea temperatures alter the body temperature of aquatic
species used for human consumption and therefore impact their metabolism,
growth rate, reproduction and susceptibility to diseases and toxins, FAO
said today, at the start of a four-day scientific seminar in Rome on
climate change and marine fisheries.
Impacts on fisheries that have already been observed include an
increase in the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events, such as
the
El Niño phenomenon in the South Pacific; the warming of the world’s
oceans, with the Atlantic in particular showing signs of warming deep
below the surface; and warmer-water species increasing toward the South
and North Poles.
There has also been an increase in salinity in near-surface waters in
hotter regions, while the opposite is occurring in colder areas because
of greater precipitation, melting ice and other processes. In addition,
the oceans are becoming more acidic with probable negative
consequences for coral-reef and calcium-bearing organisms.
Fishing communities in the world’s high-latitudes, as well as those
that rely on coral reef systems, will be most exposed to the impact of
climate change. Fisheries located in deltas, coral atolls and
ice-dominated coasts will be vulnerable to flooding and coastal erosion
because of
rises in sea level.
FAO says that some 42 million people work directly in the fishing
sector, the great majority in developing countries. Counting in those who
work in processing, supply, marketing and distribution, the fishing
industry supports several hundred million jobs.
Aquatic foods have high nutritional quality, contributing 20 per cent
or more of average per capita animal protein intake for more than 2.8
billion people, again mostly in developing countries.
Fish is also the world’s most widely traded foodstuff and a key source
of export earnings for many poorer countries. The sector has particular
significance for small island States.
2008-07-10 00:00:00.000
LAUDING G-8 RESOLVE TO TACKLE FOOD CRISIS, UN URGES
PRACTICAL STEPS TO
HELP HUNGRY
New York, Jul 10 2008 10:00AM
Welcoming the commitment
shown by the leaders of the Group of Eight (G-8) leading industrialized
nations at their summit in Japan to combat the global food crisis, the
<"http://www.wfp.org/english/">United
Nations World Food Programme (WFP)
has called for practical steps to alleviate hunger for millions around
the globe.
“What we have seen at the G-8 summit is the resolve to help protect the
poorest from the devastating effect of high food prices and to find
long term solutions to the food crisis,” said WFP Executive Director
Josette Sheeran.
“We need to follow through with practical measures that can make a real
difference in addressing urgent hunger needs throughout the world,”
she added.
WFP has been calling for concerted global action to address the effects
of high food prices on the poor, including un-earmarked donations that
give the agency greater flexibility for procuring and pre-positioning
food for the hungry, the lifting of export restrictions on all
humanitarian food purchases, and urgent consideration of the possible need
for
humanitarian global grain reserves.
“We are living in unusual times, and this requires practical solutions
now if we are going to confront the challenges we face,” Ms. Sheeran
stated. “The G-8 expressed resolve, which I welcome. Now comes the hard
part: solving problems and reaching as many hungry people as possible in
as sustainable a way as possible.”
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, who attended the summit in Hokkaido,
Japan, has also welcomed the “strong commitment” of the G-8 to address the
global food crisis in a Global Partnership for Food, facilitated and
coordinated by the UN.
“The sense of urgency displayed by the G-8 in tackling the most
immediate food, nutrition, and agricultural inputs needs of tens of
millions
of hungry people worldwide is encouraging,” the Secretary-General said
yesterday at the conclusion of the summit.
“However, the G-8 call on all Member States to contribute to this
shared human responsibility must be accompanied by a strong willingness to
tackle the underlying structural causes of this crisis with a similar
sense of urgency,” he added, emphasizing the need to significantly step
up public and private investment into agriculture.
2008-07-10 00:00:00.000
PHILIPPINES: UN DISPATCHES EXPERTS AFTER FERRY CARRYING
TOXIC CARGO
CAPSIZES
New York, Jul 10 2008 10:00AM
A team consisting of experts from
the United Nations and the European Union is being sent today to the
Philippines to assess the situation of a capsized ferry containing large
quantities of highly toxic chemicals.
The “Princess of the Stars” ferry boat capsized on 21 June about three
kilometres from the shore of Sibuyan Island in the central Philippines,
as Typhoon Fengshen was moving through the area.
Only 56 of the 849 passengers on the ferry, bound for Cebu Island,
survived. The rest remain unaccounted for and are believed to be trapped
inside the ferry.
Efforts to recover the bodies were suspended following the discovery of
a cargo of large quantities of highly toxic pesticides, in addition to
an estimated 100,000 litres of fuel.
“If not handled properly, this could be a disaster upon a disaster,”
said Vladimir Sakharov, Chief of the Joint UNEP/OCHA Environment Unit
(JEU) – a collaborative effort between the UN Environment Programme (UNEP)
and the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)
that mobilizes and coordinates international response to environmental
emergencies.
“Leakage of the ferry’s toxic cargo would cause major ecological damage
and thereby have a terrible impact on the livelihoods of people living
in the region,” he warned.
Officials are particularly concerned about the chemicals endosulfan,
carbofuran and methamidophos. Unknown quantities of other highly toxic
pesticides – namely antracol, tamaron, nicolsamide and carbamate – have
been reported to be among the cargo.
The joint team, comprising a marine chemist, an eco-toxicologist and a
civil protection expert, is expected to spend one week in the
Philippines to assess the situation, including determining the priority
needs,
and report on its findings.
The mission is a joint initiative of the European Commission’s
Monitoring and Information Centre (MIC) and the JEU, integrated into the
Emergency Services Branch of OCHA.
2008-07-10 00:00:00.000
Climate change and development were now inextricably linked, Lord Stern of Brentford, lead author of the landmark 2006 Stern Review on the Economics of Climate Change, said at Headquarters this afternoon.
“We fail on one, we fail on both,” he said at a press conference where he was joined by Rajendra K. Pachauri, Chairman of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, after both had delivered keynote addresses during the opening of the high-level segment of the Economic and Social Council’s annual substantive session on sustainable development.
Listing the severe obstacles to development posed by climate change, Mr. Pachauri said the good news was that the cost of taking effective action was “not all that high”, if done in a timely manner. In fact, limiting temperature change to 2 to 2.4 degrees Celsius by 2030 would cost a maximum of 3 percentage points in the global gross domestic product. If so-called “co-benefits” -- such as higher energy security and health benefits -- were factored in, net savings could actually be produced. “But we must move with a sense of urgency.” By one model, 2015 was the deadline beyond which carbon emissions would have to decline to avoid some of the most severe impacts of climate change.
Lord Stern added that, with the science behind climate change modelling having been built over the past 200 years, denying the reality of it was tantamount to claiming the earth was flat. It was now known that, given “business as usual”, there was a 50 per cent chance of a 5-degree Celsius rise in global temperatures sometime next century, something that had not been seen since most of the world was swamp and alligators lurked at the poles. Such a rise would cause massive migration and massive conflict over resources, of the kind now being seen in Darfur.
The way to stabilize temperatures was also roughly known, he said. Carbon emissions must be reduced drastically, say 50 per cent by 2050, with the rich countries cutting their output by 80 per cent, leading the way for developing countries to stabilize their emissions as well. Substantial funding for developing countries’ adaptation must be included in development policy.
In response to questions, Mr. Pachauri said that, in the effort to structure a new climate change regime by 2009, there had been no major breakthroughs since the creation of the Bali action plan, but “all eyes are focused on the G-8 summit” of industrialized countries. Europe and the State of California had been taking actions but there had not yet been clear commitments by some of the world’s most powerful countries.
Lord Stern added that, in order to target large emissions reductions by 2050, there must first be clear targets to be reached by 2020 and 2030. As far as the United States was concerned, he had spoken at length with the campaigns of Barack Obama and John McCain and had been assured of the support of both candidates for strong cuts in carbon emissions, as well as cap-and-trade schemes, that would be central to delivering those cuts. For that reason, strong action within the first six months of a new United States administration was anticipated. Unless that occurred, it would be difficult to put a global deal together.
Asked about the effects of high energy prices on efforts to reduce carbon emissions, the speakers agreed that the picture was mixed. Lord Stern said high fossil fuel prices reduced the comparative cost of the transition to sustainable energy, but made the carbon market more difficult to figure. Mr. Pachauri added that, while the price rise would lead to much stronger resolve to deal with the underlying factors of the problem, meanwhile it was very bad news for the poorest countries.
INTERNATIONAL COMMITMENTS TO
HELP AFGHANISTAN MUST BE UPHELD, SAYS UN
ENVOY
New York, Jul 9 2008 6:00PM
The commitments made recently in
Paris to help Afghanistan must be met to prevent the erosion of support
for the United Nation’s efforts, the world body’s top envoy to the
strife-torn South Asian nation said today.
At last month’s Paris Conference, dozens of countries and international
organizations pledged resources to help Afghanistan rebuild and
advance peace, security and development.
“I am convinced that if we do not live up to the commitments undertaken
in Paris, then we will jeopardize the support that we depend on – both
in Afghan public opinion and in the public opinion of donor
countries,” Kai Eide, the Secretary-General’s Special Representative, told
the
Security Council in an open meeting.
During the Conference, which he characterized as a “success,” the
Afghan Government unveiled its five-year plan to reduce poverty and
promote
economic and social development, known as the Afghan National
Development Strategy (ANDS).
“The launching of ANDS comes at a critical juncture,” Mr. Eide, who
heads the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), said. “We need a
clearer sense of direction and we need to inject greater energy in our
work.”
The Declaration issued at the Paris meeting also included a pledge to
ensure more effective delivery of aid, but he stressed that this must be
“matched by determination on the Afghan side to improve the quality of
its administration, show greater accountability and combat
corruption.”
Also addressing today’s meeting, which heard from nearly 30 speakers,
Emergency Relief Coordinator John Holmes voiced concern over the
humanitarian situation in Afghanistan.
“It is clear that humanitarian needs are indeed serious and growing,”
he said, spotlighting the problems in four key areas: food insecurity
propelled by drought and exacerbated by surging global prices; the plight
of millions of Afghan refugees returning to their home country; the
pressure on civilians due to ongoing fighting; and the threat posed by
natural disasters, in particular floods and earthquakes.
The situation requires bolstering the humanitarian response, Mr.
Holmes, who also serves as Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian
Affairs,
said.
He urged that capacity and resources for aid workers be increased and
that protection for civilians be enhanced.
Furthermore, the Coordinator, who visited Afghanistan last month, urged
for ways to better differentiate military and political activities
from humanitarian measures. “No matter how difficult, it is important to
find opportunities to expand humanitarian space, to increase access, and
to reduce the likelihood of attacks on humanitarian actors,” he said.
In a report made public earlier this week, Secretary-General Ban
Ki-moon wrote that helping the Afghan people to rebuild their country and
improve their daily lives will require strengthening UNAMA in a number of
key areas, including increased staffing and possible structural
changes.
“For UNAMA to fulfil its mandate and achieve the Paris priorities, much
greater substantive, administrative and security resources would need
to be expeditiously mobilized,” Mr. Ban said.
He stressed that the Mission should be staffed and structured to
reflect what Mr. Eide needs to achieve. “Addressing current priorities
will
require additional personnel in the areas of elections, support for the
Afghanistan National Development Strategy, aid effectiveness,
institution-building and the delivery of humanitarian assistance.”
2008-07-09 00:00:00.000
SOMALIA: KILLING OF UN OFFICIAL
ELICITS CONDEMNATION FROM SECURITY
COUNCIL
New York, Jul 8 2008 6:00PM
The Security Council has strongly
condemned the killing of the head of the United Nations Development
Programme (UNDP) in Somalia, who was gunned down by unidentified
assailants
in the strife-torn nation’s capital.
Osman Ali Ahmed’s brother and son were also wounded in the 6 July
attack, which occurred as they left a mosque in Mogadishu. The killing is
the latest attack against UN staff in the country, which has not had a
functioning government since 1991 and is facing worsening security and
humanitarian conditions.
In a
statement read out to the press by Ambassador Le Luong Minh of Viet Nam, which
holds the Council’s rotating presidency for this month, the 15-member
body reaffirmed “the imperative to respect, in all circumstances, the
safety and security of United Nations and humanitarian relief personnel.”
The Council called on all Somalis to prevent such attacks from
occurring in the future and to work together through peaceful dialogue,
and
reiterated the need for a comprehensive and lasting cessation of
hostilities.
Also speaking out against the killing was the UN’s Independent Expert
on the Situation of Human Rights in Somalia.
Shamsul Bari, who reports to the Geneva-based UN Human Rights Council,
strongly condemned the persistent threats, notably attacks and
kidnappings, against civilians, aid workers, and UN staff in Somalia.
In addition, Mr. Bari urged the Transitional Federal Government to
protect the Somali population, investigate violations and bring those
responsible to justice.
2008-07-08 00:00:00.000
EIGHT MORE SITES INSCRIBED ON UNESCO’S WORLD HERITAGE LIST
New York,
Jul 7 2008 7:00PM
Eight new sites in places such as Malaysia and
Croatia have joined the World Heritage List of the United Nations
Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization
, it was announced today.
The additions mark the first time Papua New Guinea and San Marino have
had sites inscribed on the List.
Melaka and George Town, cities on the Straits of Malacca in Malaysia,
have been imbued with a multicultural heritage after more than five
centuries of trading and cultural exchanges between East and West.
Comprising over 100 hectares of swamps in southern Papua New Guinea
some 1,500 metres above sea level, the Kuk Early Agricultural site has
been shown to be one which was worked continuously for at least 7,000 –
and possibly for as long as 10,000 – years.
Located on the Adriatic island of Hvar in Croatia, the Stari Grad Plain
– also a nature reserve – has been virtually intact since it was
colonized by Ionian Greeks in the 4th century BC.
The fortifications of Vauban, consisting of 13 groups of fortified
buildings and sites, can be found along the western, northern and eastern
borders of France, representing the finest examples of the work of
Sébastien Le Prestre de Vauban, military engineer of King Louis XIV.
The Modernism Housing Estates in the German capital Berlin encompass
six housing estates showcasing housing policies between 1910 and 1933,
especially during the Weimar Republic.
In northern Italy’s Po valley, Mantua and Sabbioneta represent two key
features of Renaissance town planning: the renewal and extension of an
existing city, and the implementation of the period’s theories about
ideal city planning.
The San Marino Historic Centre and Mount Titano in San Marino dates
back to the city-state’s establishment in the 13th century, including
fortification towers, walls, gates and bastions.
Lastly, the Wooden Churches of the Slovak part of the Carpathian
Mountain area contain two Roman Catholic, three Protestant and three Greek
Orthodox churches built between the 16th and 18th centuries.
Yesterday, the 21-member World Heritage Committee – which is currently
meeting in Quebec City, Canada – added four sites in Mauritius, Saudi
Arabia, China and Iran to the List.
2008-07-07 00:00:00.000
SITES IN MAURITIUS, SAUDI
ARABIA, IRAN AND CHINA JOIN UNESCO'S WORLD
HERITAGE LIST
New York, Jul 6 2008 11:00PM
A former slave hideout in
Mauritius, an archeological site in Saudi Arabia, earthen houses in China
and monasteries in Iran have been inscribed on the World Heritage List
of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization
(UNESCO), it was announced today.
The decision to add these sites was made by the 21-member World
Heritage Committee, which is currently meeting in Quebec City, Canada.
During the 18th and early 19th centuries, runaway slaves sought shelter
on the mountain of Le Morne, which juts out into the Indian Ocean in
south-west Mauritius, where they formed small settlements. The mountain
became a symbol of the slaves' search for freedom, as well as their
suffering and sacrifice due to the oral traditions linked to the maroons.
Al-Hijr, or Madâin Sâlih, is the first Saudi Arabian site to be added
to the World Heritage List. The largest conserved Nabataean civilization
area south of Petra, Jordan, it features over 100 tombs dating back
from the 1st century BC to the 1st century AD.
Located in south-west Fujian province in China, Fujian Tulou comprises
46 earthen houses constructed between the 12th and 20th centuries. Each
are several stories, built for entire clans and sheltering up to 800
people.
The Armenian Monastic Ensembles in north-east Iran were a major hub for
the dissemination of the Armenian culture into Azerbaijan and Persia.
The site comprises three monastic ensembles, with the oldest edifice
dating back to the 7th century.
The World Heritage Committee's annual meeting is scheduled to wrap up
on 10 July.
2008-07-06 00:00:00.000
COOPERATIVES HAVE KEY ROLE TO
PLAY IN COMBATING CLIMATE CHANGE, SAYS
BAN
New York, Jul 5 2008 5:00PM
Stressing the importance of cooperation
in tackling global warming, United Nations Secretary-General Ban
Ki-moon today underscored the part that in addressing the issue that can
be
played by cooperative enterprise.
"Every coordinated effort, no matter how small, can contribute to and
form a larger, more powerful response," Mr. Ban said in a message
marking the International Day of Cooperatives, whose theme this year is
"Confronting Climate Change through Cooperative Enterprise."
He stressed that cooperatives have long taken an inclusive and
longer-term approach to development locally.
"It is in keeping with this focus that cooperatives are expanding their
development efforts creatively, into areas such as environmental
sustainability and carbon neutrality, as communities around the world are
struggling to adapt to climate change and strengthen their resilience
against its impacts," the Secretary-General noted.
He cited the example of such agriculture and energy sector
cooperatives' abilities to concurrently address food and energy security
locally as
well as environmental deterioration.
"On this International Day, I strongly encourage Governments to carry
out measures and regulations that will be supportive of partnerships
with cooperative enterprises," the message said. "Let us redouble our
efforts to find new points of collaboration as we address the daunting
challenge of climate change."
2008-07-05 00:00:00.000
UN TEAM VOICES CONCERN OVER
HUMAN RIGHTS SITUATION IN OCCUPIED SYRIAN
GOLAN
New York, Jul 4 2008 6:00PM
A three-member United Nations team
investigative team expressed concern over the human right situation in
the occupied Syrian Golan, restrictions placed on family visits, the
treatment of prisoners from the Golan in Israeli prisons and attempts to
change Syrian Arab identity.
The three-member Special Committee to Investigate Israeli Practices
Affecting the Human Rights of the Palestinian People and Other Arabs of
the Occupied Territories will tomorrow wrap up its annual field visit,
which took them to Egypt, Jordan and Syria beginning 23 June, in Damascus
tomorrow.
In Syria, the team met with officials from the Foreign Ministry,
including Vice Minister Fayssal Mekdad, as well as with representatives of
UN
agencies. It visited the city of Quneitra, where it held talks with
the Governor of Quneitra province and six witnesses to hear about the
human rights situation in the occupied Syrian Golan.
In a <"
http://www.unhchr.ch/huricane/huricane.nsf/view01/1A8F5359F3315F9AC125747C0039A64E?opendocument
">press release issued in Damascus, the Committee said that it was
"informed by all interlocutors of the serious constraints on the right to
freedom of movement, in particular the right to visit relatives in Syria
and the impact such separation has on affected families."
The team noted that it had also received reports of economic measures
which impacted the human rights of those living under the occupation,
including high taxes, land confiscation, limited access to water.
It also received information regarding problems pertaining to
education, in particular the replacement of the Arab educational
curriculum in
Arab schools under occupation by Israeli curriculums.
"Witnesses and official interlocutors believed that such policies were
specifically intended at altering the Syrian Arab identity of the
population under occupation," the Committee said. "The human rights of
Syrian women in the occupied Golan and the impact of the occupation were
emphasized as being of particular concern, including access to adequate
health services and restrictions on family visits."
Regarding the treatment of prisoners, the Committee heard complaints
about harsh prison conditions and obstacles encountered by family members
trying to visit prisoners.
The team's report on its field mission will be submitted to the General
Assembly at its 63rd session this year.
Established by the Assembly in 1968, it comprises three Member States:
Sri Lanka, Malaysia and Senegal.
2008-07-04 00:00:00.000
SECRETARY-GENERAL WELCOMES LIBERATION OF 15 COLOMBIAN HOSTAGES
New
York, Jul 2 2008 7:00PM
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has warmly welcomed
today’s announcement by Colombia regarding the rescue of 15 hostages
held by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), some of whom
had been held captive by the rebel group for years.
The liberated hostages comprise the former presidential candidate
Ingrid Betancourt, three United States citizens and 11 members of the
Colombian armed forces. Ms. Betancourt had been held for more than six
years.
“These hostages and so many others still held captive in Colombia have
endured years of hardship and privation,” Mr. Ban said in a
statement issued by his
spokesperson. “Kidnapping is an abhorrent crime and an egregious
violation of international humanitarian law.”
The Secretary-General called on FARC “to immediately and
unconditionally release the remaining hostages, whose security is their
responsibility. He urges the FARC and other groups to engage in dialogue
with the
authorities with a view to freeing hostages and ending the violence that
has afflicted Colombia for so long.”
2008-07-02 00:00:00.000
COST OF CURBING CLIMATE CHANGE
NOT AS HIGH AS ASSUMED, SAYS UN
OFFICIAL
New York, Jun 30 2008 7:00PM
The price tag of addressing climate
change is not as great as believed, the head of the United Nations
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
emphasized today.
Global warming has resulted in an average temperature increase of 0.74
degrees Celsius in the last century and the sea level has climbed 17
centimetres, Rajendra K. Pachauri
told
reporters in New York.
“But the good news is that the cost of taking action is really not all
that high,” he said.
One scenario assessed by the IPCC showed that limiting temperature
surges to 2 to 2.4 degrees Celsius would cost at most 3 per cent of global
GDP by 2030, “but that is really the upper limit as a matter of fact,”
Mr. Pachauri noted.
He also stressed that the cost will actually be negative, which “means
you might actually gain by taking some of those measures.”
Seizing the window of opportunity to take decisive action is key, said
Mr. Pachauri, who was a co-laureate of last year’s Nobel Peace Prize.
“We have up to 2015 by when we could allow emissions to increase,” he
said, adding that the more rapid their decline, the more that severe
impacts could be avoided.
Along with Lord Stern of Brentford, author of the Stern Review on the
economics of climate change, Mr. Pachauri was one of the keynote
speakers at the high-level segment of the UN Economic and Social Council
(ECOSOC), which kicked off today at UN Headquarters in New York.
2008-06-30 00:00:00.000
UN COMMISSION ON GLOBAL FOOD
STANDARDS TO HOLD ANNUAL MEETING
New York,
Jun 27 2008 1:00PM
Standards for powdered milk formula, toxins in
cereals, the use of flavourings, listings of ingredients, gluten-free
foods, frozen food and shellfish are all on the agenda for the annual
meeting of the United Nations Commission on international food standards,
which begins on Monday.
The body, known officially as the Codex Alimentarius Commission, was
established in 1963 by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization
and the UN World Health Organization
) to set food standards to
protect the health of consumers and ensure fair practices in the food
trade.
In a statement released today, the Commission said that one of the 30
texts to be adopted this year, the “Code of Hygienic Practice for
Powdered Formulae for Infants and Young Children,” aims at protecting
infants
and small children who for any reason cannot be breastfed. The code
sets maximum limits for bacteria in formula and guidance on how to
produce, distribute and prepare powdered formula.
The Commission said that its standards, “when introduced in national
legislation, contribute to the safety of our foods.”
2008-06-27 00:00:00.000
SECURITY COUNCIL APPLAUDS CENTRAL AFRICAN PEACE ACCORD WITH REBEL GROUPS New York, Jun 27 2008 7:00PM The Security Council today welcomed the recent peace agreement reached by authorities in the Central African Republic (CAR) and two rebel groups operating in the impoverished and strife-torn country. In a statement to the press, Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad of the United States, which holds the rotating Council presidency this month, said last Saturday’s accord must now be fully implemented as part of efforts to bring peace to the CAR. The Government struck an agreement with the Union of Democratic Forces for Unity (UFDR) and the Popular Army for the Restoration of Democracy (APRD) after talks in Libreville, Gabon, facilitated by that country’s President El Hadj Omar Bongo Ondimba. Today’s press statement thanked both Mr. Bongo and Libyan President Col. Muammar Al-Qadhafi for their efforts to bring peace to the CAR, which has been beset by widespread fighting and armed banditry in recent years. Some 200,000 Central Africans have been either internally displaced by the fighting or forced to live as refugees in neighbouring Chad and Cameroon. Last year the Security Council established a multidimensional UN presence in eastern Chad and north-eastern CAR (known as MINURCAT) to try to quell the humanitarian suffering. Mr. Khalilzad warned that the political, economic and humanitarian situation inside the CAR remains fragile, despite the peace agreement, and he welcomed the placing of the CAR on the agenda of the UN Peacebuilding Commission, which strives to help post-conflict countries avoid sliding back into war or chaos. He also called on other rebel groups in the CAR to reach peace deals with the Government. The press statement followed a briefing to the 15-member Council by François Lonsény Fall, the Secretary-General’s Special Representative. 2008-06-27 00:00:00.000
UN AGENCIES RESUME FOOD RELIEF FOR IRAQI REFUGEES IN SYRIA New York, Jun 26 2008 5:00PM The United Nations World Food Programme and the UN refugee agency said today that they have resumed food distributions to tens of thousands of Iraqi refugees in the Syrian capital, Damascus, after a two-month interruption. The first 1500 families received food baskets containing basic foodstuffs on Tuesday and Wednesday. At least 150,000 people are expected to benefit over the next month. UN High Commissioner for Refugees has opened a new distribution warehouse in Douma in the capital, after an earlier distribution site was closed down. “The idea is that we centralize the assistance we offer to refugees living in Damascus. We are effectively offering a field service to refugees so that they can collect food and financial assistance from the same place where they can meet community service staff and protection officers,” said UNHCR Senior Programme Officer Ayman Gharaibeh. A total of 4.7 million Iraqis have been uprooted as a result of the crisis in their country. Of these over 2 million are living as refugees in neighbouring countries – mostly Syria and Jordan – while 2.7 million are internally displaced inside Iraq. Rising food and fuel prices, the seasonal rise in rents and diminishing savings are resulting in more and more Iraqi refugees becoming reliant upon assistance from the UNHCR and other humanitarian organizations. A former gold merchant called Mohamed told UNHCR that food assistance was now his only source of support. “We can’t work, can’t travel, can’t dream. At least keep me alive and, please, don’t ever delay this distribution again,” he said. But UNHCR says it is facing a major challenge in meeting the growing needs. The agency has only received half of the funds it needs for its operations in Syria this year. Without additional funds, outreach work with the Iraqi population is likely to be limited. 2008-06-26 00:00:00.000
DARFUR: UN ENVOY DOUBTFUL PARTIES ARE WILLING TO ENTER SERIOUS NEGOTIATIONS New York, Jun 24 2008 8:00PM There is reason to seriously question whether the parties to the Darfur conflict are ready to negotiate and make the compromises necessary for a peace deal to end the brutal five-year conflict in western Sudan, a senior United Nations envoy told the Security Council today. Jan Eliasson, the Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Darfur, told a Council briefing that the environment in the region had deteriorated, despite the persistent efforts of the UN and the African Union to bring the Government and the many splintered rebel groups to the peace table. “We now urgently have to mobilize all available political energy inside and outside Sudan to, first of all, stop [the] escalation and reach a cessation of hostilities and, secondly, to lay a foundation for serious peace talks for Darfur,” he said. Mr. Eliasson said “a new generation in Sudan may be doomed to a life in conflict, despair and poverty” and become radicalized in camps unless the international community does more to end the crisis. “But, at the end of the day, we will not make progress unless the Sudanese themselves show seriousness, political will, and a focused commitment to peace. It is for them to accept responsibility and finally accept the outstanding issues.” He said that some of the rebel movements have been engaged in power struggles and infighting and have been “preoccupied with formulating preconditions for talks and using rhetoric often distant from reality.” The envoy added that it was important to realize that the movements have a “great and genuine lack of trust in the Government of Sudan,” noting that continued attacks against civilians and resettlement on land owned by IDPs does “not foster an atmosphere of confidence.” Mr. Eliasson and his AU counterpart, Salim Ahmed Salim, briefed the Council on the latest developments inside Darfur, as well as on the most recent report of Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on the hybrid UN-AU peacekeeping force to the region (UNAMID). That report concludes that ongoing violence has hindered the full deployment of UNAMID, which is supposed to have around 26,000 troops, police officers and military observers at full capacity but currently has closer to 10,000 such people in place. The mission struggles to carry out its mandate by continuing patrols, escorts and the protection of humanitarian convoys, despite limited resources, according to the report. The situation is exacerbated by the continuing civilian displacement across Darfur, where rebels have been fighting Government forces and allied Janjaweed militiamen since 2003. In May alone, about 40,000 people had to flee their homes, taking the total so far this year to 190,000. Overall, more than 2.7 million people are living either as internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Sudan or as refugees in neighbouring eastern Chad. The report notes that the security situation remains fragile, with numerous instances of armed banditry and attacks on aid convoys, as well as the gathering of forces along the Sudanese-Chadian border for possible future clashes. It expresses particular concern at the attack by a column of 200 to 300 vehicles with the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) on Omdurman, near the Sudanese capital Khartoum, in early May, which led to deadly clashes in the area. In the report Mr. Ban also reiterates his call for the parties to lay down their weapons and begin negotiations, stressing that peace in Darfur has an impact on both the successful implementation of the 2005 comprehensive peace agreement (CPA) ending the north-south civil war in Sudan and wider regional stability. 2008-06-24 00:00:00.000
BAN CALLS FOR MORE COHERENT UN EFFORTS TO HELP STATES EMERGING FROM CONFLICT New York, Jun 23 2008 8:00PM The United Nations must streamline its presence in countries emerging from conflict so that it is better placed to help them make progress on the political, security, developmental or human rights fronts and not lapse back into war or chaos, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon told the Peacebuilding Commission today. Speaking to the closing meeting of the Commission’s second session, Mr. Ban said “a UN system-wide culture of coordination and coherence” was necessary to ensure that efforts to support struggling States are more integrated and effective. “It is in this way that the UN can provide effective leadership for global efforts in response to post-conflict situations,” he said, stressing that the UN’s Peacebuilding Support Office (PBSO) can play a crucial role in this endeavour. Mr. Ban said it was important that the international community invest generously in national capacities to ensure that peace becomes sustainable. “Viable States require local institutions capable of delivering basic services and providing security, justice and political stability.” The Secretary-General said he backed the approach to streamline the Commission’s methodologies so that it can support a large number of countries than it does currently. The 31-member body, set up at the end of 2005, has four countries on its agenda: Burundi, Sierra Leone, Guinea-Bissau and, as of earlier this month, the Central African Republic (CAR). It is tasked with marshalling resources from around the world and providing strategic advice to post-conflict countries. 2008-06-23 00:00:00.000
BAN VOICES CONCERN AFTER OPPOSITION PULLS OUT OF VIOLENCE-RIDDEN ZIMBABWE POLLS New York, Jun 22 2008 8:00PM Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has expressed his concern over the political impasse in Zimbabwe, calling today's withdrawal of the opposition leader from next week's presidential run-off election a "deeply distressing" development that does not bode well for democracy in the Southern African nation. "The Secretary-General deeply regrets that, despite the repeated appeals of the international community, the Government of Zimbabwe has failed to put in place the conditions necessary for free and fair run-off elections," according to a statement issued today by Mr. Ban's spokesperson. "The circumstances that led to the withdrawal of Opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai today from the Presidential elections represents a deeply distressing development that does not bode well for the future of democracy in Zimbabwe," the statement added. Zimbabwe has been beset by deadly political violence since the first round of the presidential election on 29 March. Mr. Ban had been calling for an immediate end to the hostilities, cautioning that the ongoing violence threatened the credibility of the 27 June run-off, in which Mr. Tsvangirai, of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), was set to face President Robert Mugabe. "The campaign of violence and intimidation that has marred this election has done a great disservice to the people of the country and must end immediately," today's statement stressed once again, adding that the UN stands ready to work "urgently" with the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the African Union to help resolve this political impasse. In addition, UN Assistant Secretary-General for Political Affairs Haile Menkerios, who was sent by Mr. Ban to Zimbabwe last week in an attempt to reduce political tensions ahead of the run-off, remains in the region to assist. 2008-06-22 00:00:00.000
KOSOVO PROPOSAL IS A ‘PRACTICAL AND WORKABLE SOLUTION,’ BAN TELLS SECURITY COUNCIL New York, Jun 20 2008 2:00PM The proposal to reconfigure the United Nations’ presence in Kosovo is “a practical and workable solution” to one of the world’s most intractable issues, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said today, warning that reaching a mutually acceptable settlement will not be easy. Addressing a Security Council debate on Kosovo, a week after unveiling plans to adjust the profile and structure of the UN Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo Mr. Ban said he had rarely encountered such a delicate or divisive issue during his 40-year diplomatic career. “Legally, politically and morally, it is a landscape of enormous complexity and sensitivity that required the exercise of extraordinary objectivity and balance,” he said, adding that such developments this year as the declaration of independence in February and the Kosovo Serb community’s overwhelming rejection of a new constitution in Pristina have brought lasting changes to the situation. “It is my assessment that, taken together, these developments have created a profoundly new reality in which UNMIK is no longer able to perform as effectively as in the past the vast majority of its tasks as an interim administration. This needs to be acknowledged as a fact of life.” Under Mr. Ban’s plan, the UN is neutral on the question of Kosovo’s status. The European Union would also play an enhanced operational role in the area of rule of law under a UN “umbrella” headed by the Secretary-General’s Special Representative and in line with the 1999 Security Council resolution that established UNMIK. A reconfigured and restructured UNMIK would continue to carry out many functions, including those related to a dialogue with Serbia on provisions in six areas: police, courts, customs, transport and infrastructure, boundaries and Serbian patrimony. To lead this new phase, Mr. Ban said he intends to appoint Lamberto Zannier of Italy to be his new Special Representative, succeeding Joachim Rücker. “He will help to carry forward the vision I have presented in my report, and to lead a new phase of dialogue, and he will be scrupulously balanced in his approach.” Mr. Zannier is currently on secondment from the Italian Government to the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) as director of its conflict prevention centre, and has worked closely with the UN system since joining the Italian foreign ministry in 1978. The Secretary-General stressed to the Council that his package of changes is aimed at finding “an operational modus vivendi to help move Kosovo a few steps back from the brink of further conflict.” He said he now awaited the reaction of Council members and the other participants in today’s debate, saying that dialogue was critically important for all of Kosovo’s communities. “The package is a practical and workable solution – a concrete and sustainable response to a complex and difficult situation. It is founded on the imperative, overriding need, as I said, to maintain international peace and security and stability in Kosovo and the region, while responding and adapting to changing circumstances on the ground.” UNMIK has been in place since mid-1999 after NATO forces drove Yugoslav troops out of Kosovo, where ethnic Albanians outnumber Serbs and other minorities by nine to one, that year amid deadly inter-communal fighting. On 17 February this year, the Assembly of Kosovo’s Provisional Institutions of Self-Government adopted a resolution declaring independence from Serbia. 2008-06-20 00:00:00.000
MYANMAR: UN FOOD AGENCY APPEALS FOR FUNDING TO KEEP AID
HELICOPTERS
FLYING
New York, Jun 20 2008 11:00AM
The United Nations World Food
Programme ) says it
is critically short of funds to keep a fleet of ten helicopters in the
air in Myanmar, where they are playing a critical role in delivering
relief supplies to the 2.4 million survivors of Cyclone Nargis.
“WFP is leading the way in moving life-saving supplies to distressed
communities by boat, truck and air – but it will all grind to a halt by
the end of this month unless we get additional funding now,” said Chris
Kaye, WFP Country Director for Myanmar.
To date, only just over half of the $50 million required for the
logistical operation has been secured and WFP says that much of this money
has already been spent on barges, boats, rivercraft and basic
infrastructure needed to reach cyclone survivors in remote, hard-hit
villages
across the Ayeyarwady Delta.
The devastation means that the only way of bringing relief to the
survivors is by air or by waterborne craft, which are both costly
operations.
The helicopters have been able to provide additional relief items,
including water tanks and purification tablets, to people living in the
worst affected areas, reaching 60 locations.
“The helicopters have reached several villages which had received no
help at all during the six weeks since the cyclone struck,” Mr. Kaye
said.
WFP’s overall emergency operation to provide food assistance to 750,000
people in Myanmar is also struggling for funds, after receiving only
45 per cent of the $69.5 million required.
Currently there is only sufficient funding to provide one month’s
ration of rice to 750,000 people.
To date, a total of 676,000 people in the Delta have received food
assistance from WFP.
Besides WFP-supplied food, consisting mostly of high-energy biscuits
and rice, helicopter flights have delivered relief supplies for the UN
Children’s Fund and other aid agencies.
Additional flights have deployed teams of humanitarian workers who are
carrying out an assessment of the impact of Cyclone Nargis across the
Delta – a joint project between the UN, the Association of Southeast
Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the Government of Myanmar.
The helicopters have also carried out two medical evacuations of Delta
inhabitants, including airlifting a small child suffering from serious
dengue fever from Bogale to Yangon.
“These helicopters show how the UN can bring immediate help to the
people of Myanmar,” said Erika Joergensen, WFP Deputy Regional Director.
“We appeal to donors to maintain their generosity towards WFP’s
emergency logistics and telecommunications operations, which our fellow
humanitarian agencies depend on to save lives.”
2008-06-20 00:00:00.000
________________
BAN KI-MOON TO VISIT MYANMAR TO SPEED UP HUMANITARIAN RELIEF
OPERATIONS
New York, May 18 2008 6:00PM
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon will
travel to Myanmar this week to try to accelerate relief efforts in the
wake
of the devastation wreaked by Cyclone Nargis, which may have killed
more than 100,000 people and uprooted the lives of 2.5 million others.
Mr. Ban's spokesperson Michele Montas announced today that Mr. Ban is
scheduled to arrive in Myanmar on Wednesday for a three-day visit in
which he will tour the areas most affected by the cyclone -- especially
the Irrawaddy delta in the south of the country -- and travel to Yangon,
the most populous city.
He will also hold meetings with senior officials in the Government of
Myanmar, she said, emphasizing that the UN remained willing to work with
authorities to try to improve the speed and distribution of relief
aid. It is not yet confirmed which officials he will meet.
"The whole purpose of the trip? is to accelerate the pace of disaster
relief. He hopes his presence can really make things go faster," said
Ms. Montas.
She added that although the situation in the affected region remained
dire, it was "not too late to try to save more people." Millions of
people are either homeless or have seen their homes become badly damaged
as
a result of the cyclone and subsequent tidal surge.
Mr. Ban and other senior UN officials, including Emergency Relief
Coordinator John Holmes, have voiced repeated concern that there has been
slow progress in sending both aid and humanitarian workers to the areas
most affected by the cyclone, which struck on the night of 2 May.
Mr. Holmes, who is also Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian
Affairs, arrived in Myanmar today to conduct his own assessment of the
situation, and Ms. Montas said the coordination of help on the ground was
now
better than he had anticipated. Mr. Holmes is due to brief Mr. Ban in
Bangkok, the capital of neighbouring Thailand, before the
Secretary-General arrives in Myanmar.
Some UN aid officials are inside Myanmar, working with an emergency
team from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and others to
try to bring humanitarian relief.
Mr. Ban and ASEAN officials have also agreed on holding a high-level
pledging conference shortly to generate funds for further relief
operations.
2008-05-18 00:00:00.000
UNICEF RUSHES EMERGENCY RELIEF TO QUAKE VICTIMS IN CHINA
New York, May
18 2008 6:00PM
The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) is rushing
to send emergency relief supplies to the centre of China's Sichuan
province, the area most devastated by last Monday's catastrophic
earthquake.
The first aid, comprising 1,000 tents, 15,000 blankets and 60,000
school kits, are expected to arrive in quake-affected areas over the next
24
hours, UNICEF reported today from Beijing, with medicines, water,
sanitation materials and health equipment to follow soon after.
Yin Yin Nwe, UNICEF Representative in China, said the agency staff were
doing their utmost to help Chinese authorities to care for and protect
children affected by the massive temblor.
"It is truly encouraging to see how the whole country has rallied in
support of the Government's relief response," Dr. Nwe said, adding that
the relief situation had become critical.
"We need to move as fast as possible, with no delays, to speed
life-saving medicines, vaccinations, water purification tablets, oral
rehydration salts, obstetrics and surgical kits, water containers and the
like.
Families trying to cope will require basic materials like collapsible
water containers, soap [and] tarpaulins to survive after losing
everything."
The UN World Health Organization (WHO) has stressed that preventing
outbreaks of communicable diseases has become the key public health issue,
and it is working closely with the national health ministry to offer
aid, supplies and guidance.
"The main needs now are water, sanitation and food," said WHO's
Representative to China, Hans Troedsson. "Ensuring supply of food and safe
drinking water and trying to restore good sanitation are critical because
these are the basic transmission routes for communicable diseases."
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon announced in a statement on Friday that
up to $7 million will be released from the Central Emergency Response
Fund (CERF) to support UN relief efforts.
State media reports that the official death toll has risen to 28,881,
with some 14,000 others still trapped under debris and rubble and more
than 198,000 others injured. An estimated 3.3 million homes have been
destroyed and 15.6 million others have been partially damaged.
The quake measured 7.8 on the Richter scale when it struck
south-western China on Monday afternoon, just before 2:30 local time. At
least
4,400 aftershocks have since been recorded, including 146 measuring 4 or
higher on the Richter scale.
2008-05-18 00:00:00.000
FOCUS IN MYANMAR ON SAVING LIVES, NOT POLITICS, BAN KI-MOON TELLS
ASSEMBLY
New York, May 16 2008 5:00PM
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon says
the United Nations is concerned with saving lives, not with politics, as
he tries to ramp up aid efforts following Cyclone Nargis which struck
Myanmar and has severely affected up to 2.5 million people.
Addressing members of the General Assembly,
Mr. Ban said, “I want to emphasize that this is not the time for
politics. Our concern right now is to save lives – to help the Government
of
Myanmar and its people.”
He said that he had asked UN Emergency Relief Coordinator
John
Holmes to deliver a third letter to Myanmar’s leadership with the aim
of discussing how the world body can assist the Government’s immediate
and longer-term relief effort. He added that unless more aid gets into
the country quickly, “we face the risk of an outbreak of infectious
diseases that could dramatically worsen today’s crisis.”
Mr. Ban. said he hoped that the meeting of the Association of Southeast
Asian Nations (ASEAN) next week, and a further high-level pledging
conference that he has proposed for 24 or 25 May, would help mobilize
resources in response to the crisis in Myanmar, as was the case in
response
to the Indian Ocean tsunami in 2004.
Turning to the China earthquake, the Secretary-General described it as
a “humanitarian catastrophe, no less serious than Cyclone Nargis.”
He commended the Beijing authorities for their fast and effective
action and expressed his sincere condolences to the victims and their
families. Mr. Ban added that, while fully confident in the Chinese
Government’s capacity to manage the crisis, the UN has offered resources
from its
Central Emergency Response Fund
and is
dispatching experts from rescue and relief operations.
The Secretary-General also said that the current global food crisis
“demands urgent, coordinated action by the international community,” and
noted the work carried out earlier this week by the international task
force on the food crisis which he chairs. He said the task force is
working hard to bring together a comprehensive plan in time for the summit
on world food security in Rome, scheduled for early June. He called the
summit one of the most important events planned for 2008.
Mr. Ban also signalled that he was personally increasing his engagement
for a successful agreement on climate change at the UN Framework
Convention on Climate Change, which
is set to take place in Copenhagen in December. The Secretary-General
committed himself to raising global awareness on the importance of an
effective climate change agreement that all nations can embrace. He also
said he would lead by example by reducing the climate footprint at the
UN.
Mr. Ban’s office earlier announced that he would be unable to attend
Harvard University near Boston in the United States to give a speech next
week because of commitments related to the current major humanitarian
disasters.
2008-05-16 00:00:00.000
COLLAPSED BUILDINGS ARE LEADING CAUSE OF DEATH IN EARTHQUAKES, SAYS
UN
New York, May 16 2008 10:00AM
When earthquakes strike, collapsed
buildings claim the largest number of lives, as made evident by tremors in
Pakistan in 2005, Iran in 2003 and most recently in China earlier this
week, the United Nations agency tasked with minimizing the threat posed
by natural disasters
said today.
Hundreds of thousands of buildings – including many schools – caved in
when Monday’s deadly earthquake measuring about 7.9 on the Richter
scale struck Sichuan province in south-west China.
“We know how to make buildings more resistant to earthquakes, but this
knowledge is still not yet well disseminated among decision-makers who
enforce building codes for houses, schools and hospitals” says Salvano
Briceño, Director of the UN International Strategy for Disaster
Reduction (ISDR).
“Schools, hospitals and other critical infrastructure need to be
systematically upgraded and retrofitted in earthquake-prone areas if we
want
to save lives,” he added. “Vulnerability to earthquakes is still a main
cause of death during disasters.”
The Director is currently in Islamabad, Pakistan, for the three-day
International Conference on School Safety, wrapping up today, which aims
to identify actions to enhance safety in schools in the region.
Participants visited Balakot in Pakistan’s North West Frontier Province,
the
site of the 2005 earthquake.
ISDR, the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
and the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) joined forces for a global
2006-2007 campaign called “Disaster risk reduction begins at school” in a
bid
to promote school safety, while the UN World Health Organization (WHO)
and the World Bank have partnered in a 2008-2009 campaign to encourage
safety in hospitals and health facilities.
“There are still too many poorly designed and constructed buildings in
earthquake-prone areas, and too many people dying because of it,” Mr.
Briceño noted.
TEA CONSUMPTION MUST BE BOOSTED TO MATCH SUPPLY, UN SAYS
New York, May
14 2008 10:00AM
Boosting demand for tea is crucial to ensure price
stability and returns to developing country producers, according to new
report by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization
“Expanding consumption in producing countries could ease supply
pressure at the world level and improve tea prices in the long run,” said
the
study, prepared for the Intergovernmental Group on Tea whose three-day
meeting kicks off today in Hangzhou, China.
Global tea production has continued to surge, rising 3 per cent in
2006, mainly due to record crops in China, Viet Nam and India.
Meanwhile, demand has not matched supply, with consumption only
increasing 1 per cent, marking a slowdown from the 2.7 per cent growth
rate
from the previous decade.
Despite the vigourous economic growth in major tea producing countries,
their per capita consumption lags behind. While Russians consume 1.26
kg and the British 2.2 kg annually, Indians take in 0.65 kg and Chinese
only 0.53 kg per year.
The FAO report also stressed that enforcing minimum quality standards
for tea – though reaching agreement on such benchmarks is complicated –
will spur demand.
2008-05-14 00:00:00.000
FRUSTRATION GROWING OVER LACK OF ACCESS TO MYANMAR CYCLONE VICTIMS –
UN
New York, May 8 2008 3:00PM
The United Nations humanitarian chief
today voiced disappointment at the limited progress made in gaining
access to Myanmar, where some 1.5 million people are believed to be
severely
affected by the recent cyclone and the situation is becoming
“increasingly desperate.”
Cyclone Nargis, which made landfall in the Irrawaddy delta region on
Friday, left tens of thousands of people dead in its wake and hundreds of
thousands without shelter. The storm, which also hit Myanmar’s largest
city Yangon later that same night, tore down trees and power lines and
caused widespread flooding.
“There’s a real danger that an even worse tragedy may unfold if we
cannot get the aid that’s desperately needed in quickly,” John Holmes,
Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and UN Emergency Relief
Coordinator, told journalists.
He said that while there had been a little bit of progress in gaining
access to the country since he last briefed the press yesterday, much
more was needed in terms of the granting of visas and easing of
regulations, given the “increasingly desperate situation” on the ground.
“Frustrations have been growing that this humanitarian response is
being held back because of difficulties of access in different ways,” he
said, noting that many visas are still pending.
Mr. Holmes reported that two members of the UN Disaster Assessment and
Coordination team that is supposed to travel to Myanmar to coordinate
relief efforts
together with the national authorities are now in Yangon. However, two
other members were not allowed in when they arrived “for reasons which
we are still trying to establish.”
Since yesterday, the authorities have agreed that customs charges and
clearances should be waived for aid delivery, he said, adding that it is
not clear whether that has been made fully operational on the ground.
“I do appeal very strongly indeed to the Government of Myanmar both to
step up their own relief efforts to help people on the ground and to
change their attitude completely to the efforts that we are making to get
these relief supplies in.”
He added that Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is attempting to talk to
Senior General Than Shwe to urge him to facilitate access.
In a related development, Mr. Ban has noted the Government’s decision
to proceed with the constitutional referendum scheduled for 10 May,
while postponing it in some of the areas most affected by the cyclone.
“Due to the scope of the disaster facing Myanmar today, however, the
Secretary-General believes that it may be prudent to focus instead on
mobilizing all available resources and capacity for the emergency response
efforts,” his spokesperson said in a
statement.
In terms of humanitarian aid getting through, Mr. Holmes reported that
the UN World Food Programme was able to get four flights containing
relief supplies into Yangon today.
There are now more than 40 tons of high energy biscuits available on the
ground in Yangon which will be distributed as soon as possible to those
that need them.
In addition, the UN Children’s Fund is in the process of sending 3 million
water purification tablets –
enough to provide clean water to 200,000 people for a week – and have
pre-positioned emergency supplies, including enough family health kits for
155,000 people.
2008-05-08 00:00:00.000
UN SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT MEETING FOCUSES ON BOOSTING GLOBAL FOOD
SUPPLY
New York, May 5 2008 8:00PM
The United Nations Commission on
Sustainable Development (CSD) kicked off a two-week
meeting
today, closely examining the issues underpinning the current food crisis.
“The international community has only belatedly recognized this food
crisis, threatening much of humanity,” said Sha Zukang,
Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs.
He called for long-term planning and analysis of deeper problems that
have threatened food security to determine how to avoid such a crisis in
the future.
“The basic problem is that agricultural productivity growth has been
slowing since the 1970s, even as demand for food has been accelerating,”
Mr. Sha said.
The current session – running until 16 May – launches a two-year cycle
seeking to tackle topics – including agriculture, land use, rural
development, desertification and drought – that are key to boosting the
world’s food supply while addressing problems pertaining to poverty,
hunger
and the environment.
Government officials, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and civil
society representatives are among those who will take part in the
meeting, and over 50 government ministers are expected to take part in the
high level segment from 14-16 May.
2008-05-05 00:00:00.000
UN REFUGEE AGENCY DEPLORES DEATHS OF FOUR REFUGEES AFTER
EXPULSION BY
TURKEY
New York, Apr 25 2008 3:00PM
The United Nations refugee agency
is seeking clarification from Turkey after 18 refugees were forced to
cross a fast-flowing river on the Turkish-Iraqi border, leading to the
deaths of four by drowning.
The incident took place on Wednesday at an unpatrolled stretch of the
border in Sirnak province in south-eastern Turkey.
According to witnesses interviewed by the UN High Commissioner for
Refugees , the
Turkish authorities had earlier attempted to forcibly deport 60 people of
various nationalities to Iraq at an official border crossing. The Iraqi
border authorities allowed 42 Iraqis to enter the country but refused
to admit 18 Iranian and Syrian nationals. Turkish police then took the
18, including five Iranians whose refugee status had been recognized by
UNHCR, to an area where a river runs along the border, and forced them
to swim across.
Witnesses said that four people, including a refugee from Iran, were
swept away by the strong river current and drowned. Their bodies could
not be recovered. UNHCR is in contact with the surviving refugees through
its office in Erbil in northern Iraq and reports that they are deeply
traumatized.
UNHCR had previously asked the Turkish Government not to deport the
five Iranian refugees, who had all been detained after attempting to cross
into Greece in an irregular manner. The UN refugee agency had said
that it did not consider Iraq a safe country of asylum for these refugees.
2008-04-25 00:00:00.000
HUNDREDS FLEE NEW VIOLENCE IN STRIFE-TORN REGION OF DR CONGO, UN AGENCY SAYS New York, Apr 24 2008 6:00PM Renewed fighting in the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s (DRC) North Kivu province today has forced the United Nations refugee agency to halt the distribution of aid to internally displaced persons and to call off a drive to register newly displaced people in the Rutshuru area. The UN High Commissioner for Refugees suspended operations after reports of new fighting between Government soldiers and fighters from the rebel Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR) near the Kinyandoni Anglican IDP site in North Kivu. Clashes on Saturday and Sunday left at least one woman dead. UNHCR field staff reported that IDPs were continuing to flock to sites around Kiwanja. The majority is sheltering in public buildings and most new arrivals are women and children. Some said their homes had been destroyed and their possessions looted, while some parents said they had lost touch with their children. The UN agency said that “medical assistance is of vital importance,” and added that suspected cases of cholera had been reported. The hundreds fleeing in recent days have added to an estimated existing IDP population of 860,000 in North Kivu, which lies next to the border with Rwanda and Uganda. The displacement in the Rutshuru area, some 70 kilometres north of the provincial capital, Goma, comes three months after the signing of an accord in Goma between the Government and rival armed groups aimed at bringing lasting peace to the DRC’s far east after more than a decade of conflict. Despite the accord, tensions have remained high. A peace agreement in 2003 formally brought years of war to a close, but fighting flared again in North Kivu that same year. An estimated 1.3 million IDPs remain in the DRC, while 350,000 Congolese have fled to other countries. 2008-04-24 00:00:00.000
BEIJING GAMES FOCUS OF TALKS AS UN OFFICIAL MEETS HEAD OF OLYMPIC COMMITTEE New York, Apr 23 2008 3:00PM The United Nations Special Adviser on Sport for Development and Peace and the head of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) have pledged to ensure that this summer’s Games in Beijing, China, are celebrated in a spirit of friendship and respect. During their meeting at the Committee’s headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland, Wilfried Lemke and IOC President Jacques Rogge agreed to continue collaboration in the lead-up to the Beijing Olympic and Paralympic Games 2008 and beyond. Mr. Lemke voiced his concern about the “challenging international backdrop which the Olympic Games have been drawn into in recent weeks,” according to a news release issued following yesterday’s meeting. “I hope that the Beijing 2008 Olympic and Paralympic Games will leave a lasting legacy in China and beyond,” he stated, adding that “the spirit of the Olympic Games requires mutual understanding with a spirit of friendship and solidarity.” Dr. Rogge noted that “by choosing to award the Games to China in July 2001, one fifth of humanity would be hosting the world’s biggest sporting event.” He added that the Games are an opportunity to remember and encourage the changes that China has made over a short period, including initiatives and laws directly related to its hosting of the Games, such as new media laws, and environmental, education and sports programmes. The talks also focused on the long-standing partnership between the IOC and the UN, which was highlighted during Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s visit to the Committee’s headquarters earlier this year. The two organizations agreed to boost their cooperation in areas such peacebuilding, the fight against doping and environmental protection, as well as explore new areas of joint activities such as the Youth Olympic Games. The Special Adviser also met with Jordi Serra, Executive Director of the International Table Tennis Federation based in Renens, Switzerland. Several activities are being planned to harness the sport – which will be featured at the Beijing Games – as a vehicle to bring people together and promote world peace. Appointed last month by Mr. Ban, Mr. Lemke succeeds former Swiss President Adolf Ogi in the efforts to strengthen the relationship between the UN and the world of sport. 2008-04-23 00:00:00.000
AT FIVE-YEAR MARK, DARFUR CRISIS IS ONLY WORSENING – UN AID CHIEF New York, Apr 22 2008 5:00PM Five years after fighting first erupted in Darfur between Sudanese Government forces and rebel groups, the world has still not found a durable solution to the suffering of millions of people in the region, the United Nations humanitarian chief told the Security Council today, warning the situation will only deteriorate unless urgent measures are taken. John Holmes, the Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, told a Council meeting that he was saddened and angry to inform them that the situation inside Darfur had only worsened in the past 12 months, despite the efforts of the international community. “We continue to see the goalposts receding, to the point where peace in Darfur seems further away today than ever,” he said in a statement. “Further progress in the deployment of UNAMID [the hybrid UN-African Union peacekeeping force], equipped to protect civilians and improve security, will help. “But only an end to all violence and concrete steps towards a political settlement will make the fundamental difference needed, as the rebel movements themselves above all need to recognize. Otherwise the reality is that the people of Darfur face a continued steady deterioration of their conditions of life and their chances of lasting recovery.” Mr. Holmes said as many as 300,000 people are now estimated to have died in Darfur since early 2003, when rebels began fighting Government forces and allied militiamen. This figure includes deaths from disease, malnutrition and reduced life expectancy, as well as from direct combat. Aside from the death toll, more than 2.7 million Darfurians have been displaced by the fighting, the vast majority still living within the arid region on Sudan’s western flank. Around 260,000 refugees have had to flee to the east of neighbouring Chad. In his briefing to the Council, Rodolphe Adada, the AU-UN Joint Special Representative for Darfur, said it was disturbing that while the region has remained near the top of the international agenda, this attention had not been matched with the necessary action to provide UNAMID with the means to accomplish the tasks assigned to it. The Council authorized the deployment of UNAMID last year to take over from an under-resourced AU force, and the operation began work at the start of this year. But so far only around 10,000 of the roughly 26,000 uniformed personnel have been deployed. Speaking to reporters outside the Council, Mr. Adada said that up to 80 per cent of the entire UNAMID force could be deployed by the end of this year if donor countries do more to help out, whether by providing troops or equipment. He called on the Council to redouble its efforts to assist the mission and he also read out an update on efforts to broker a political settlement by the UN and AU envoys to the peace process, Jan Eliasson and Salim Ahmed Salim. Mr. Adada said logistical challenges are one of the biggest problems, with the mission lacking the infrastructure at the moment to house the thousands of staff expected at full deployment. He said UN and AU officials were working hard to try to accelerate deployment and to make the most of the available resources – including fresh water – in the parched and landlocked region. 2008-04-22 00:00:00.000
SECURITY COUNCIL URGES NEPALESE TO RESPECT ELECTORAL OUTCOME AFTER PEACEFUL VOTE New York, Apr 21 2008 6:00PM The Security Council today congratulated the people of Nepal on the “largely peaceful” Constituent Assembly election held on 10 April, and urged them to abide by the outcome of the historic polls. In a statement read out to the press by Ambassador Dumisani Kumalo of South Africa, which holds the Council’s rotating presidency for April, the 15-member body urged all Nepalese parties “to respect the will of the people and the rule of law in the coming weeks as the results are being counted.” The UN Mission in Nepal ) today confirmed that the country’s Election Commission declared results in 239 of 240 constituencies in the first-past-the-post vote, and in 232 constituencies in the proportional representation race. Final results from both races are expected tomorrow, after which the Commission will take a few days to tabulate the results and allot seats in the Constituent Assembly to all eligible political parties. Once elected, the Constituent Assembly will be tasked with drafting a new constitution for Nepal, which has emerged from a decade-long civil war that claimed an estimated 13,000 lives before the Government and Maoist rebels signed a peace accord in 2006. The Secretary-General’s Special Representative in Nepal, Ian Martin, <" that even before all results are in, it is clear that the Constituent Assembly is going to reflect Nepal’s diverse population better than any previous body. “Rather than inviting political conflict, this is an opportunity to develop an inclusive and participatory process for making key decisions about the future of Nepal,” he said in an interview with the Nepali national daily Gorkhapatra. He added that all political parties have indicated that they accept the election results as the basis for forming the Constituent Assembly, as well as a new government to administer the country during the period it takes to draw up the new constitution. “But we must remember this peace process is not yet complete by any means,” Mr. Martin noted. “The Constituent Assembly election was a very important moment in it, but there are major issues still to be addressed.” 2008-04-21 00:00:00.000
SECRETARY-GENERAL BAN WARNS AGAINST IMPULSES TOWARDS PROTECTIONISM New York, Apr 20 2008 4:00PM The forces of trade and globalization that have driven a "virtuous cycle" of economic prosperity around the world in the last two decades must be allowed to continue or the current crisis in poor countries over soaring food prices will only worsen, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon told a major gathering of trade and development officials today. Speaking in Accra, Ghana, at the opening of the twelfth UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), Mr. Ban warned that neither the food crisis nor the chance that some regions may be poised for a slowdown should be used by governments as an excuse to turn towards protectionism. "International grain markets must remain open and functioning normally," he said. "Beggar Thy Neighbour food wars cannot, in the long run, help anyone. "Ultimately, our task is to ensure that the virtuous cycle goes on and its benefits extend as broadly as possible -- most especially to those who have so far missed out. More trade, not less, will get us out of the hole we're in." Mr. Ban said the world was "living through one of the most extraordinary economic transformations in history," with the global economy growing in size from $23 trillion in 1990 to $53 trillion in 2007 and trade increasing by 133 per cent over the same period. "Developing nations have generated more than half this growth. They now account for nearly 40 per cent of world trade -- half of it among themselves. Once-poor countries have become engines of growth for others, lifting hundreds of millions of people out of poverty." But the Secretary-General added that the global economic boom of the past two decades has passed by the poorest of the world's poor. "We cannot leave the 'bottom billion' to flounder. We cannot neglect their real and pressing needs. We need fresh thinking, fresh approaches." Protests and riots have broken out around the world recently over the surging cost of many basic foods and agricultural staples, such as rice, wheat and corn. Mr. Ban said the reasons for the crisis were complex, and included not only the increased production of biofuels, but also the higher oil prices lifting both overall transport costs and fertilizer costs and the rising consumption, especially in Asia, that was boosting worldwide demand for many foods. "One thing is certain: for the past three years, the world has consumed more food than it produces. Grain stocks are at their lowest in 30 years. The situation is unsustainable." Mr. Ban told the conference that immediate steps must be taken to guarantee the world's food security, starting by ensuring the UN World Food Programme (WFP) has the additional $755 million it needs to cover the rising costs of its existing emergency operations. In the long-term, he said, agricultural production must be expanded, especially in the developing world and sub-Saharan Africa. "Simply improving market efficiency can have a huge effect. Roughly a third of the world's food shortages, according to the WFP, are the result of bottlenecks in local markets and distribution systems." Welcoming the World Bank's plans to increase its agricultural lending in Africa from $400 million to $800 million next year, the Secretary-General said the rest of the international community must take similar measures to alleviate the problems of the developing world. He also stressed a need for a successful conclusion to the current Doha round of trade liberalization talks. "At a minimum, that would mean opening new and significant markets for agricultural and non-agricultural exports and services from low-income developing countries. "It is time for wealthier nations to rethink old-fashioned programmes of agricultural subsidies. Economists agree that they inhibit trade and disproportionately penalize poorer nations, contributing to the current emergency. If we cannot scrap these relics today, in an era of high prices, then when can we?" In addition Mr. Ban called for aid and official development assistance (ODA) from affluent nations to be channelled towards projects that boost local industry and production capacity, such as roads, schools and health-care systems. Resource-rich developing nations should also benefit more from the global boom in commodity prices, he said. The Secretary-General's visit to Ghana is the first stop on a four-nation tour of West Africa that will also take him to Liberia, Burkina Faso and Côte d'Ivoire. Speaking to reporters on his arrival yesterday in Accra, he said that, apart from the food crisis, he would also raise the subjects of several political situations -- especially those in Zimbabwe, Kenya, the Darfur region of Sudan and Côte d'Ivoire -- during his meetings with political leaders. 2008-04-20 00:00:00.000
DARFUR: UN, AFRICAN UNION ENVOYS HOLD FRESH TALKS WITH LEADERS OF REBEL GROUPS New York, Apr 19 2008 6:00PM The United Nations and African Union envoys spearheading efforts to devise a durable political settlement to the five-year conflict in Darfur have held several days of talks in the Sudanese region with representatives of the groups and movements that have not signed previous peace accords. Jan Eliasson of the UN and Salim Ahmed Salim of the AU met with Khalil Ibrahim, the leader of the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM), in a rebel-controlled area of West Darfur yesterday. A day earlier the two envoys -- accompanied by military officers from the hybrid UN-AU peacekeeping force known as UNAMID -- held consultations in North Darfur state with members of the Abdul Wahid movement of the Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM). Mr. Eliasson and Mr. Salim discussed the primacy of the political process and the urgent need to cut the level of violence, better protect civilians and ensure greater humanitarian access during the talks with the two groups. Today the Special Envoys are scheduled to meet representatives of the Sudanese Government in Khartoum, the capital. Mr. Eliasson and Mr. Salim have repeatedly reiterated their calls for the parties to the Darfur conflict, which have claimed more than 200,000 lives and displaced nearly 2.5 million others since 2003, to end all violence and prepare for substantive talks aimed at devising a durable peace. The parties cannot fight and prepare for peace talks at the same time, the envoys have said, stressing that a reduction is violence is vital if progress is to be made on the political front. 2008-04-19 00:00:00.000
DELEGATION FROM UN PEACEBUILDING COMMISSION BEGINS VISIT TO BURUNDI New York, Apr 19 2008 6:00PM A delegation from the United Nations Peacebuilding Commission, set up to help prevent post-conflict countries from sliding back into war and misrule, travels today to Burundi on a six-day mission to examine how to help the struggling African nation move forward. The eight-member delegation is expected to meet with Burundian Government officials, representatives of regional groups such as the African Union and the Conference on the Great Lakes Region, civil society, women's groups, the media, religious leaders, human rights advocates, members of the private sector and others. In a statement the commission said the team aims to make a first-hand assessment of the situation on the ground by Burundi, where a comprehensive ceasefire agreement was signed in 2006 after years of civil war but sporadic fighting has continued. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon issued a statement yesterday voicing concern over the latest developments after an outbreak of deadly fighting between Government forces and members of the rebel Palipehutu-FNL group in and around the capital, Bujumbura, this week. The delegation is also hoping to review the preparations made so far by Burundi since the Peacebuilding Commission agreed to take on the country as one of its areas of focus. 2008-04-19 00:00:00.000
HAITI FACING ‘EXPLOSIVE SITUATION’ BECAUSE OF FOOD CRISIS, UN OFFICIAL WARNS New York, Apr 18 2008 7:00PM Haiti will remain in an extremely precarious economic and humanitarian situation unless it receives an urgent injection of funds to widen emergency feeding operations, extend existing job programmes and jump-start agricultural activity, a senior United Nations official to the impoverished Caribbean country has warned. Joël Boutroue, the Humanitarian and Resident Coordinator for Haiti, told the UN News Centre in an interview that while the security situation had stabilized somewhat this week following recent deadly protests over sharp rise in the price of basic foods, daily living conditions are still dire for many Haitians. “If we don’t react very strongly, then we could find ourselves in a very difficult state,” he said. “The level of poverty, combined with the lack of coping mechanisms for the poorest Haitians, means we have the potential for a very explosive situation.” In the past thousands of Haitians have fled their homeland because of economic or political problems, and the Coordinator said it was vital that the international community, as well as the Government and the country’s civil society and private sector, work together to prevent a repeat. He noted that the price of rice has fallen slightly from its peak and President René Préval has outlined to the nation a series of measures he hopes to introduce to alleviate the situation. The Government, in consultation with the UN, is also devising a plan of action for tackling the crisis that has struck worldwide this year, but hit Haiti – already the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere – particularly hard. A major international appeal is expected to launch within the next week. Mr. Boutroue said Haiti has suffered especially because of its poor environment: few forests, infertile or low-quality soil, a lack of irrigation, polluted canals and waterways and a predominance of tiny farms means agricultural activity is limited. The country also has few factories, unemployment is estimated at around 60 to 70 per cent and more than half the population lives on less than $1 a day. Mr. Boutroue, who is also the Secretary-General’s Deputy Special Representative in Haiti, called for a series of short- and long-term measures to bring Haiti back from the brink. These include expanding the existing labour-intensive job programmes that focus particularly on rehabilitating the environment, such as the management of watersheds, so that more agricultural and other economic activity can take place. It also includes widening the current targeted food distribution schemes, such as the communal kitchens in poor neighbourhoods and the school feeding operations. Earlier this week the UN World Food Programme announced it will distribute an additional 8,000 tons of food to people in need. Agriculture can also be jump-started, the envoy said, by providing – either free of charge or at a subsidized rate – fertilizers, seeds, tools and other equipment. He stressed that many of these activities, including the UN feeding programmes, have the capacity to be expanded rapidly, but he added that a boost should also “inject some more dynamism” into the country and its Government ministries. 2008-04-18 00:00:00.000
THREAT OF FLOODS AND LANDSLIDES IN TAJIKISTAN PROMPTS UN HUMANITARIAN APPEAL New York, Apr 17 2008 4:00PM The United Nations’ humanitarian wing is urgently appealing for $1.4 million so that it can buy and pre-position emergency water, sanitation and cooking items for up to 1,500 households in Tajikistan, which faces the threat of floods and landslides after a severe winter across much of Central Asia. The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs says the likelihood of floods and landslides in upcoming weeks remains high following weeks of heavy snow and intense rains. OCHA is also reporting that Tajikistan could be hit by a locust infestation over more than 150,000 hectares of land because a combination of favourable weather conditions and incomplete spraying last year has led to a larger than normal amount of locusts’ eggs developing to adult stage. “The pest is developing quicker and earlier than usual and action is extremely time-sensitive,” according to a situation report issued by OCHA yesterday. The Food and Agriculture Organization ) is calling for $500,000 to cover the cost of pesticides and equipment, warning that unless those funds are received within the next week, it may not be able to avert a major outbreak. 2008-04-17 00:00:00.000
SECURITY COUNCIL WELCOMES SIGNS OF PROGRESS TOWARDS REUNIFICATION OF CYPRUS New York, Apr 17 2008 8:00PM Welcoming the recent agreement between the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot leaders, the Security Council today voiced hope that the two sides can build enough trust and momentum in their peace process to lead eventually to the reunification of Cyprus. In a presidential statement, Council members said they are encouraged by the imminent launch of the working groups and technical committees, which are designed to prepare for the ground for full-fledged negotiations under UN auspices on a comprehensive and durable settlement. “The Security Council looks forward to the results of this preparatory process within the three-month timeline agreed by the two leaders, which it is hoped will build trust, momentum and a sense of common interest in the search for a just and lasting solution,” Ambassador Dumisani Kumalo of South Africa, which holds the rotating Council presidency this month, said in the statement. He also observed that the recent opening of the Ledra Street crossing in Nicosia was an indication of the political will on both sides to tackle issues that have obstructed progress in the past, and called for more such confidence-building measures to be introduced. “The Security Council reaffirms its commitment to the reunification of Cyprus based on a bicommunal, bizonal federation and political equality, as set out in the relevant Security Council resolutions, and its willingness to support the efforts of the Secretary-General to this end.” The UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus has been in place on the Mediterranean island since 1964 following the outbreak of intercommunal violence, and it is tasked with preventing a recurrence of fighting, contributing to a return to normal conditions and the maintenance of law and order. 2008-04-17 00:00:00.000
STATUS QUO IN WESTERN SAHARA NEGOTIATIONS UNACCEPTABLE – LATEST UN REPORT New York, Apr 16 2008 7:00PM Consolidating the status quo is not an acceptable outcome to the current process of negotiations over Western Sahara, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon says in his latest report on the long-running dispute between Morocco and the Frente Polisario. Mr. Ban writes that while he welcomes the two parties’ commitment – outlined in a communiqué last month – to continue their negotiations, so far there was no sign of any breakthrough in the dispute. “Momentum can only be maintained by trying to find a way out of the current political impasse through realism and a spirit of compromise from both parties,” he states, in the first report issued since UN-led talks were held in Manhasset, New York, last month. Mr. Ban recommends that the Security Council stress to both Morocco and the Frente Polisario that they enter into “a more intensive and substantive phase of negotiations” without any preconditions. He also voices concern about the humanitarian situation of the Western Saharan refugees, many of whom have been living in camps in the Tindouf area of neighbouring Algeria for years. “I am particularly pleased that Morocco and the Frente Polisario have agreed at the talks held at Manhasset… to explore the establishment of family visits by land, in addition to the existing programme by air. This has the potential to significantly increase the number of beneficiaries able to visit their relatives from whom they have been separated for so long.” He also notes the recent progress made in clearing mines and explosive remnants of war in Western Sahara. Morocco holds that its position over Western Sahara should be recognized, while the Frente Polisario contends that the Territory’s final status should be decided in a referendum that includes independence as an option. The UN Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara has been in place since 1991 to monitor the ceasefire between the two sides. 2008-04-16 00:00:00.000
EASTERN DR CONGO WILL REMAIN FOCUS OF MISSION’S RESOURCES, UN ENVOY SAYS New York, Apr 15 2008 7:00PM The United Nations peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has made solid progress in trying to stabilize the volatile east of the country, but the continued presence of armed rebels and militias means the region will remain the overwhelming focus of its operations for some time, its chief told reporters today. Alan Doss, the Secretary-General’s Special Representative to the DRC and the head of the mission, known as MONUC, said as much as 90 to 92 per cent of the total number of blue helmets are deployed across the east of the vast country, which is trying to rebuild after years of misrule and civil war. Nearly two out of every three MONUC peacekeepers are based in either of two provinces, North Kivu and South Kivu, where the fighting and violence has been the worst in recent years but two recent accords were signed. Mr. Doss – who briefed the Security Council earlier today on the latest mission report – said the mission was making relative progress in restoring State authority to areas formerly controlled by rebels or other irregular armed groups, especially in the Ituri district of North Kivu. A large proportion of the DRC, which is as big as Western Europe, remains at peace, he said, although they are still burdened by enormous challenges, such as human rights violations, high infant and maternal mortality, and what he described as an epidemic of sexual violence. “This is a problem of immense dimensions,” he stressed, noting the lack of a meaningful criminal justice system in many parts of the country and the widespread culture of impunity, including for members of the Congolese national security and defence forces who commit such violations. He said the presence of the notorious rebel group from northern Uganda, the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA), in the borderlands area was another concern, as no one knew of their intentions in the DRC. Mr. Doss said it was also important to remain vigilant about the threats posed in the east by such armed groups as the Rwandan Interahamwe and the Forces Démocratiques de la Libération du Rwanda (FDLR). MONUC is consulting with both the Rwandan and the Congolese Governments to try to persuade the groups to disarm and repatriate, he added, saying it was vital for the countries of the region to work together, particularly given the porous nature of the borders. 2008-04-15 00:00:00.000
UN MISSION IN HAITI DECRIES MURDER OF ONE OF ITS POLICE OFFICERS New York, Apr 14 2008 1:00PM The United Nations peacekeeping mission in Haiti has strongly condemned Saturday’s murder of a Nigerian police officer serving with its operation, which took place two days after another gun attack on UN blue helmets amid continuing violent unrest in the impoverished Caribbean country because of a recent spike in food prices. The officer, a 36-year-old father, was with three other members of his formed police unit (FPU) near the cathedral in the Bel-Air district of the capital, Port-au-Prince, when he was dragged from his car and shot dead execution-style, according to the mission ). The mission said it has already opened an inquiry into the killing in collaboration with Haitian police officers. MINUSTAH “will pursue the authors of this abject crime with the strongest determination,” it added. Last Thursday, three UN peacekeepers from Sri Lanka were shot while on patrol in the capital, but their injuries are not considered life-threatening. The attacks have occurred during a time of widespread public protests against the rising cost of living in Haiti, the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere. On Saturday members of the national Senate voted to dismiss Prime Minister Jacques-Edouard Alexis. In a separate statement MINUSTAH said it hoped a new government could be quickly formed and Haiti could return to its efforts to rebuild after years of misrule and suffering. “The reform process must continue. At the same time, Haitians must work together to consolidate the stability and the progress which they have realised.” 2008-04-14 00:00:00.000
BAN KI-MOON URGES IMMEDIATE AND LONG-TERM STEPS TO FIGHT ESCALATING FOOD CRISIS New York, Apr 14 2008 1:00PM Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today called for both immediate and long-term measures to tackle the growing global food crisis, warning that it could not only push millions of people deeper into poverty but also have larger political and security implications. “The rapidly escalating crisis of food availability around the world has reached emergency proportions,” he told a joint meeting in New York of the UN Economic and Social Council ECOSOC), the Bretton Woods institutions, the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the UN Conference on Trade and Development “We need not only short-term emergency measures to meet urgent critical needs and avert starvation in many regions across the world, but also a significant increase in long-term productivity in food grain production, he said, citing the recent steep rise in prices and World Bank warnings that the crisis could mean “seven lost years” in the fight against global poverty. “The international community will also need to take urgent and concerted action in order to avert the larger political and security implications of this growing crisis. The UN needs to examine ways to lead a process for the immediate and longer-term responses to this global problem,” he added. Turning to the meeting’s five key themes, Mr. Ban called for building consensus around measures on development financing that would lead to more stable and predictable long-term resource flows to developing countries. He noted that middle-income countries need better market access to foster their comparative advantages as well as technical assistance and knowledge sharing to help address critical gaps in their development processes, such as improving infrastructure, integrating into world financial markets and tackling persistent pockets of poverty and growing inequality. Thirdly, citing trade as an engine of growth for the poorest economies, he appealed for increased investment and technology transfer from donors to help the least developed countries to broaden their exports through diversification and economic capacity-building, thus bolstering “aid for trade” support. He also called for “innovative and robust regulation to protect financial systems and sustain continued growth and expansion,” warning that regulatory checks and balances have failed to keep pace with the “enormous growth” of recent years. “The current turmoil in world markets demonstrates that this gap is unsustainable,” he declared. Finally he noted that long-term global economic growth and sustainable development is imperiled by climate change. “Developing countries need external assistance – especially better technology and increased financing – to rise to this challenge,” he said, calling on the world community to use the run-up to a major climate change conference in 2010 to implement new ways to finance adaptation and mitigation measures in developing nations. 2008-04-14 00:00:00.000
SECRETARY-GENERAL SETS OUT FOUR OPTIONS FOR UN MISSION IN ETHIOPIA AND ERITREA New York, Apr 11 2008 7:00PM Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has outlined four options for the future of the United Nations Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea ), including the possibility of axing the mission, because of restrictions imposed by Eritrea on its side of the disputed border. In a special ">report on UNMEE, released today, Mr. Ban warns that none of the options are ideal as they all bear serious risks and would not resolve the impasse created by the Eritrean restrictions. Ending the mission could result in a return to open hostilities, for example, he says. “Yet the prevailing circumstances seriously limit the available courses of action,” the Secretary-General writes. One option is for the mission to resume unchanged, so long as Eritrea lifts all restrictions, resumes fuel supplies to UNMEE and allows it to perform the tasks envisaged in the cessation of hostilities agreement in 2000 that ended the last border war. A second option is to terminate the mission altogether, while another option would be to deploy a small observer mission to only the border area to try to defuse tensions between the armed forces of Ethiopia and Eritrea. The final option would be to set up liaison offices in the two capitals, Addis Ababa and Asmara, to allow the UN to remain ready to help the parties implement their peace agreement from 2000, including the demarcation of the border. Mr. Ban outlines the advantages and disadvantages of all the options, and calls on Security Council members to decide as quickly as possible on the best way to go forward. He also urges Ethiopia and Eritrea, “in the interest of regional peace and security, to take into account the serious consequences of the continued stalemate and accept the assistance of the Security Council and my good offices in fully implementing the agreements they have entered into.” Mr. Ban says he will submit a further report to the Council before 31 July, when the current mandate of UNMEE is due to expire, detailing his ongoing consultations with all the parties. 2008-04-11 00:00:00.000
PROLONGED DRY SPELLS COULD WORSEN FOOD SITUATION IN ZIMBABWE, WARNS UN AGENCY New York, Apr 10 2008 11:00AM An already precarious food security situation in Zimbabwe could get worse, as very dry weather in several provinces will likely lead to serious damage to the upcoming maize harvest, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)warned today. The agency reports that several provinces have not had rain since February, which will affect maize growth and yields that will be harvested in May/June. In addition to the dry weather, farmers have faced shortages of fertilizer, seed, fuel, and tillage power this season. They also suffered flood-related damages in several districts earlier in the season, resulting from heavy rains in December and January. Zimbabwe already faces a “critical” food security situation – primarily due to the lack of access to food – which is only getting worse due to the country’s exorbitant inflation rate – above 100,000 per cent in December 2007. “With dwindling foreign exchange reserves and shrinking purchasing power, another year of low cereal production would severely affect the food security condition for a significant part of the population unless substantial assistance is provided,” FAO said in a news release. In addition, Zimbabwe is one of several countries expected to be hit the hardest by the global spike in food prices, according to the UN World Food Programme 2008-04-10 00:00:00.000
PLIGHT OF DISPLACED IN CHAD, CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC WORRIES SECURITY COUNCIL New York, Apr 9 2008 5:00PM Condemning continued armed activity of rebel groups in eastern Chad, members of the Security Council today expressed their concern over the humanitarian situation in that region and the neighbouring north-eastern Central African Republic (CAR), as the number of displaced persons continues to swell. Council members also welcomed progress in setting up the mission in the two countries, known as MINURCAT and its European support force, EUFOR, said Ambassador Dumisani Kumalo of South Africa, Council President for April, in a press statement after a briefing by Assistant Secretary General Edmond Mulet. “They stressed that the full deployment of MINURCAT and EUFOR Chad/CAR will contribute to the protection of vulnerable civilian populations and to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian assistance, pursuant to resolution 1778 (2007),” he said. They also encouraged Member States to support those deployments through contributing necessary personnel and assets. The innovative, multi-dimensional MINURCAT was set up by the Security Council last September to help protect civilians and facilitate humanitarian aid to thousands of people uprooted due to insecurity in the northeast of the CAR and eastern Chad and in the neighbouring Darfur region of Sudan. It was mandated to comprise 300 police and 50 military liaison officers, as well as civilian staff, focusing on the areas of civil affairs, human rights and the rule of law. The strength as of 1 April stood at 163 international and 64 national staff, according to the latest report of Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. Deployment was delayed when Chadian rebels advanced from the area of the border with Sudan in a bid to take Chad’s capital, N’Djamena, in early February. Though the rebels were eventually driven out of the city, street fighting left many dead and UN staff were evacuated. Also in early February, about 10,000 people from West Darfur sought refuge in eastern Chad following a series of deadly air and land attacks by the Sudanese Government and its allied militia. In addition, the Prime Minister of the CAR resigned in January and in the subsequent period many thousands fled their villages due to raids by armed groups, with many making their way to Chad. In his statement today, Mr. Kumalo said Council members strongly urged Sudan and Chad to meet the obligations of their 13 March agreement on reducing border tensions and encouraged the countries of the region to get actively involved in the follow-up. They also encouraged authorities in Chad and CAR to continue their efforts to promote inclusive political dialogue in their countries, he said. 2008-04-09 00:00:00.000
SECRETARY-GENERAL APPOINTS FIRST MEMBERS OF INTERNAL JUSTICE ADVISORY UNIT FOR UN New York, Apr 8 2008 7:00PM Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today approved the appointment of the first members of a new body that will advise on the first overhaul of the United Nations’ internal justice system in 60 years, as outlined by the General Assembly. The five-member Internal Justice Council will consist of a staff representative, a management representative and two distinguished external jurists, one nominated by the staff and one by management, all of whom were approved today. The fifth member, the chair, will be a distinguished juror chosen by these four. The two members nominated by staff, following a process inclusive of all staff unions, are Jenny Clift of Australia, a Vienna-based senior legal officer with the International Trade Law Division of the Office of Legal Affairs (OLA), and Geoffrey Robertson of the United Kingdom and Australia, who served as the first President of the UN Special Court for Sierra Leone (SCSL). The two members nominated by management are Maria Vicien-Milburn of Argentina, Director of the General Legal Division of the OLA, and Sinha Basnayake of Sri Lanka, who previously served in the same position and has since served the Organization in various advisory capacities on legal and administrative issues. The General Assembly decided to reshape the Organization’s justice system after a 2006 panel concluded that the administration of justice in the UN “fails to meet many basic standards of due process established in international human rights instruments.” In helping to redress that situation, the Internal Justice Council will advise the body on suitable candidates for the positions of judges on the future UN Dispute Tribunal and the UN Appeals Tribunal. Modelled on similar mechanisms at other international public organizations, it is also tasked with drafting a code of conduct for the judges, and for providing its views on the implementation of the new system to the Assembly. 2008-04-08 00:00:00.000
GULF STATES PLAY VITAL ROLE IN GLOBAL RELIEF EFFORTS, SAYS UN HUMANITARIAN CHIEF New York, Apr 8 2008 3:00PM The top United Nations humanitarian official has lauded the contributions of Persian Gulf countries to relief efforts around the world, and called for boosting ties between them and the world body to better meet today’s growing challenges. “In many countries across the globe, the combined humanitarian efforts of Gulf countries have made a life-saving difference, reaching communities that, at times, the UN and other aid actors could not,” stated Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs John Holmes, who is currently on a four-nation tour of the region. In his keynote address to the fifth annual Dubai International Humanitarian Aid & Development (DIHAD) conference, Mr. Holmes pointed out that member countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) have given nearly $500 million and pledged a further $320 million in humanitarian aid over the past three years. Mr. Holmes, who is also Emergency Relief Coordinator, noted that the global demand for humanitarian assistance is likely to grow dramatically in the coming years, owing to ongoing internal and civil conflicts, more frequent and intense natural disasters and the rise in food and energy prices. “If we are to meet the growing array of humanitarian needs, we must work together more cohesively not only to respond to crises, but also to reduce their impact before they happen,” he stated, stressing the need to strengthen the partnership between the UN and Gulf nations. Doing so will not only reinforce current activities, “but also help build a more fully-representative and universally accepted humanitarian movement that is better equipped to meet the challenges of both man and nature in the 21st century,” said Mr. Holmes. “Without this balance, there is a risk that humanitarian assistance will continue to be viewed as a Western enterprise,” he added. In addition to the United Arab Emirates, Mr. Holmes – who is travelling together with UN Special Humanitarian Envoy Abdul Aziz Arrukban – is visiting Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Qatar. Also today at the DIHAD Conference, the UN World Food Programme (WFP) unveiled the Arabic version of its popular humanitarian video game that teaches children about global hunger. Some six million people around the world have already played “Food Force,” which is designed for children aged eight to 13. In a race against time, players join a virtual team of WFP experts to get food to the needy in an emergency situation. WFP’s Deputy Executive Director John Powell noted that it is fitting that the game is being launched in Dubai, “an essential logistics hub for the entire humanitarian community, and especially for WFP as one of the leaders in this field.” Launched in 2005, as the world’s first humanitarian video game, Food Force is available as a free internet download from www.food-force.com. 2008-04-08 00:00:00.000
UN HUMAN RIGHTS BODY BEGINS FIRST-EVER EXAMINATION OF ALL COUNTRIES’ RECORDS New York, Apr 7 2008 5:00PM The Universal Periodic Review, a new mechanism to examine the human rights record of every United Nations Member State, was launched today at the Human Rights Council in Geneva. Over the next two weeks, a first group of 16 countries – starting with Bahrain and Ecuador – will have their records scrutinized, as part of the Review, one of the reforms which differentiate the Council from the Commission on Human Rights, which it succeeded in 2006. The Review meetings will feature interactive discussions between the States in question and a working group comprises all of the Council’s 47 members, according to a UN spokesperson. The discussions will be based on national reports and information from a variety of sources, including treaty bodies, Special Rapporteurs – independent experts on specific topics that report to the Council – non-governmental organizations, national human rights institutions and academics. Algeria, Argentina, Brazil, Czech Republic, Finland, India, Indonesia, Morocco, the Netherlands, the Philippines, Poland, South Africa, Tunisia and the United Kingdom are the other countries being reviewed over the next two weeks. Under the Review’s work plans, 48 countries are scheduled to be reviewed each year, so that the UN’s complete membership of 192 countries will be reviewed once every four years. Last month, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon urged the Council to assure that all countries were scrutinized equally. “The Review must reaffirm that just as human rights are universal, so is our collective respect for them and our commitment to them,” he said. 2008-04-07 00:00:00.000
CLIMATE CHANGE WILL TAKE HEAVY TOLL ON HUMAN HEALTH – UN OFFICIALS New York, Apr 7 2008 11:00AM Top United Nations officials have warned that global warming and its effects, including a rise in air and sea temperatures and extreme weather patterns, endanger not only the planet but also pose a major threat to human health. In his message marking this year’s World Health Day, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon noted that, in addition to causing more frequent and more severe storms, heat waves, droughts and floods, climate change jeopardizes the quality and availability of water and food,