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| PHOTOGRAPHIC EXHIBITION PAYS TRIBUTE TO FORMER UN CHIEF U THANT October 27, 2009 at 7:10 pm |
| PHOTOGRAPHIC EXHIBITION PAYS TRIBUTE TO FORMER UN CHIEF U THANT New York, Oct 27 2009 7:10PM The greatest legacy of the former United Nations chief U Thant is his belief in the dignity of the individual, a senior official with the world body said tonight as he helped open a photographic exhibition dedicated to the Organization's third Secretary-General.Kiyo Akasaka, the Under-Secretary-General for Communications and Public Information, told the opening of the exhibit – which is being staged at the Stamford campus of the University of Connecticut in the United States – that U Thant was a visionary who had realized that the UN "needed to meet the needs and hopes of peoples everywhere. "He created, or laid the foundations for, many of the institutions that we have today working to alleviate poverty, to protect the environment, and to safeguard health," Mr. Akasaka said, adding that U Thant had steered the UN through "a period of great change" during his tenure between 1961 and 1971. "He tackled a broad range of challenges, from successfully concluding the Congo operation, to easing tensions during the Cuban missile crisis, helping to reach a peaceful end to the Viet Nam War, and advocating for the end of apartheid in South Africa." Mr. Akasaka also noted that U Thant presided over "an intense period of decolonization and the birth of new nations across Asia and Africa" and stood firmly for the independence during a period of deep Cold War tensions. But he stressed that the most important impact of U Thant, who also served as a diplomat from Myanmar, was "his belief in the dignity of the individual, and the need to place the well-being of the individual at the centre of all of our efforts." In his last report as Secretary-General, U Thant wrote that "the worth of the individual human being is the most unique and precious of all our assets and must be the beginning and end of all our efforts. Governments, systems, ideologies and institutions come and go, but humanity remains." Mr. Akasaka observed that "these words embody the spirit of the United Nations and continue to serve as our guiding light today." This year also marks the centenary of the birth of U Thant, who died in 1974. Oct 27 2009 7:10PM ________________ For more details go to UN News Centre at http://www.un.org/news To change your profile or unsubscribe go to: http://www.un.org/apps/news/email/ |
| UN HUMAN RIGHTS EXPERT VOICES CONCERN OVER TREATMENT OF CHILD MIGRANTS October 27, 2009 at 7:10 pm |
| UN HUMAN RIGHTS EXPERT VOICES CONCERN OVER TREATMENT OF CHILD MIGRANTS New York, Oct 27 2009 7:10PM Child migrants remain especially vulnerable to human rights abuses as they try, with or without their parents, to cross international borders in search of better lives, a United Nations independent expert has warned.Jorge Bustamante, the Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants, yesterday presented his latest report on his work to the General Assembly at UN Headquarters in New York, saying that children are vulnerable at all stages of the migration process. Children often fall prey to trans-national organized crime syndicates who engage in such exploitative practices as smuggling, human trafficking and contemporary forms of slavery, Mr. Bustamante noted. "The lack of specific provisions on children in most migration laws and the failure to take into account the specific conditions and needs of migrant children in public policies" only exacerbates these problems for child migrants and leaves them exposed to further abuses, the Special Rapporteur said. He said children are increasingly part of mass population movements of refugees, asylum-seekers and economic migration flows and are at risk whether they travel with their parents, become separated or are unaccompanied. Girls are the most vulnerable of all as they are often the targets of gender-based discrimination and violence, as well as sexual abuse. In his report Mr. Bustamante, who serves in an unpaid and independent capacity, called on States worldwide to undertake "a serious and in-depth approach" to tackle racism, xenophobia and related forms of intolerance, which he noted continue to affect the lives of millions of migrants each day. Oct 27 2009 7:10PM ________________ For more details go to UN News Centre at http://www.un.org/news To change your profile or unsubscribe go to: http://www.un.org/apps/news/email/ |
| UN-BACKED PROJECT SEEKS TO ENSURE MEDICINES REACH NEEDY IN TIME OF CRISES October 27, 2009 at 7:10 pm |
| UN-BACKED PROJECT SEEKS TO ENSURE MEDICINES REACH NEEDY IN TIME OF CRISES New York, Oct 27 2009 7:10PM The ability to safely deliver medicines during humanitarian crises around the world is just as crucial as being able to procure them, and a new United Nations-backed initiative has been launched to deal with improving that essential supply chain."Searing heat, long distances, damaged infrastructure and insecurity are among many challenges facing humanitarians trying to treat people affected by war and natural disasters," the UN World Health Organization (<"http://www.who.int/en/">WHO) said in a news release issued today on the project it has launched with sister UN agencies and other international partners. The initiative – a Certification in Humanitarian Medical Logistics Practices (MedLog) – will train experienced logisticians and medical specialists to better handle the supply of vaccines, anti-virals and other drugs to ensure that medicines will be both delivered and administered more effectively to people in need. Many logisticians work in the humanitarian sector, but not all are trained in how to best handle the supply of medicines. In many crises, tons of medicines are wasted due to improper handling; many are perishable and should be delivered appropriately within a "cold chain," a temperature-controlled supply chain used to ensure their quality. If not, they may not be usable by health staff – a loss in both human and economic terms. The distance learning course is being conducted by the Fritz Institute and the Chartered Institute of Transport and Logistics (CILT UK) within their Humanitarian Logistics Certification Programme. It can be completed within six months and students receive guidance from a professional logistician. Special emphasis is placed on preventing the introduction of counterfeit or substandard drugs to the supply chain. "In many emergencies, I have noticed gaps in terms of handling the logistics needs of medical supplies," Fred Urlep, a logistician with WHO's Health Action in Crises Cluster, said, noting that during the Cyclone Nargis crisis in Myanmar in 2008, an air bridge was set up between Bangkok and Yangon to provide essential needs. "Medical supplies from some NGOs (non-governmental organizations) and partners were transiting in Bangkok but no facilities were provided for specific drugs that required handling via a cold chain. Fortunately we intervened and helped establish a cold chain to avoid losses of medical supplies." Key partners involved in the course are WHO, the UN World Food Programme (<"http://www.wfp.org/">WFP), the UN Children's Fund (<"http://www.unicef.org/">UNICEF), International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), International Federation of the Red Cross (IFRC) and Médecins Sans Frontières-Switzerland. Three global learning institutions helped develop the course - the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport-UK (United Kingdom), People Development Group and the Logistics Learning Alliance. Funding for the course has been provided by the UK Department for International Development (DFID), the European Community Humanitarian Aid Department (ECHO), and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). Oct 27 2009 7:10PM ________________ For more details go to UN News Centre at http://www.un.org/news To change your profile or unsubscribe go to: http://www.un.org/apps/news/email/ |
| HIZBOLLAH MUST DISARM TO ENSURE LEBANON'S SOVEREIGNTY, BAN WARNS October 27, 2009 at 6:10 pm |
| HIZBOLLAH MUST DISARM TO ENSURE LEBANON'S SOVEREIGNTY, BAN WARNS New York, Oct 27 2009 6:10PM Disbanding militias in Lebanon – especially Hizbollah, which fought a war with Israel in 2006 – is "of vital importance" to the country's democracy and sovereignty, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon writes in a new <"http://www.un.org/Docs/journal/asp/ws.asp?m=s/2009/542">report, where he voices satisfaction at progress made towards stability."The threats posed by the existence of militias outside the control of the State, especially Hizbollah's vast paramilitary infrastructure, cannot be overstated," he writes, calling on the militant group's leaders to transform into a purely political Lebanese party. "For this reason, I appeal to all parties, inside and outside of Lebanon, to halt immediately all efforts to transfer or acquire weapons and to build paramilitary capacities outside the authority of the State," he adds, noting "with deep concern" that Hizbollah leaders have publicly spoken of the support it provides to Palestinian militants, including military assistance. The report, the latest on implementation of Security Council <"http://www.un.org/Docs/journal/asp/ws.asp?m=s/res/1559(2004)">Resolution 1559 of 2004 calling for free and fair elections, an end to foreign interference and disbanding of all militias, calls Hizbollah's arsenal a direct challenge to the sovereignty of the Lebanese State and cites Palestinian militias as "another serious threat." Mr. Ban also notes that Israel, violating Lebanon's sovereignty and relevant Security Council resolutions, continues to fly into Lebanese air space, has still not withdrawn from the northern part of the town of Ghajar, and that diplomatic efforts to resolve Shab'a Farms, another disputed area, have not yet yielded any positive results. "I deplore these violations and call on Israel to cease such overflights," he writes. He also notes that conditions of hardship inside Palestinian refugee camps are strengthening radical groups and calls for improving the living conditions of the refugees "in the best interest of the wider security situation in the country." On the positive side, Mr. Ban cited the highest voter turnout in Lebanese history in recent parliamentary elections, which was hailed as a major success with international and local observers deeming them free and fair despite shortfalls. He also noted the opening of full diplomatic relations between Lebanon and Syria, which for years maintained troops in its smaller neighbour, with embassies in each other's capitals for the first time since their independence. But despite his efforts to encourage both countries to begin the full delineation of their common border, little tangible progress has been made, he reports. Mr. Ban's Special Envoy on the implementation of resolution 1559, Terje Roed-Larsen, briefed the Security Council on the contents of the report today. Oct 27 2009 6:10PM ________________ For more details go to UN News Centre at http://www.un.org/news To change your profile or unsubscribe go to: http://www.un.org/apps/news/email/ |
| FRESH ROUND OF TRIBAL CLASHES IN DARFUR CLAIMS 10 LIVES, AFRICAN-UN MISSION REPORTS October 27, 2009 at 5:10 pm |
| FRESH ROUND OF TRIBAL CLASHES IN DARFUR CLAIMS 10 LIVES, AFRICAN-UN MISSION REPORTS New York, Oct 27 2009 5:10PM At least 10 people have been killed in a new round of inter-tribal clashes in Darfur, the joint African Union-United Nations peacekeeping force to the war-scarred region of western Sudan reported today.The mission, known as <"http://www.un.org/Depts/dpko/missions/unamid/">UNAMID, said 10 members of the Birgid tribe died after clashing yesterday with Zaghawa tribesmen near Shangil Tobaya, a town about 70 kilometres from El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur state. Twelve other Birgids were injured as a result of the clashes and they are being treated either at UNAMID medical facilities or a clinic run by the non-governmental organization (NGO) known as Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF). Yesterday's clashes occurred less than a week after two people were killed when Birgids and Zaghawas engaged in fighting, also near Shangil Tobaya. UNAMID has attributed the recent fighting to disputes over access to water, a particularly precious commodity in Darfur, an arid and landlocked region. The mission is sending an assessment team to the area tomorrow comprising military officers, police officers and humanitarian, human rights, security, civil affairs and protection officials. UNAMID has been in place across Darfur since the start of last year to try to quell the fighting and humanitarian suffering that has engulfed the region since 2003. At least 300,000 people are estimated to have died from the conflict and another 2.7 million people remain displaced from their homes. Oct 27 2009 5:10PM ________________ For more details go to UN News Centre at http://www.un.org/news To change your profile or unsubscribe go to: http://www.un.org/apps/news/email/ |
| UN EXPERT STRESSES ROLE OF STATES IN PROMOTING RELIGIOUS TOLERANCE October 27, 2009 at 5:10 pm |
| UN EXPERT STRESSES ROLE OF STATES IN PROMOTING RELIGIOUS TOLERANCE New York, Oct 27 2009 5:10PM Governments have a central role to play in either preventing or contributing to religious friction, an independent United Nations expert said today, noting that a State's commitments to non-discrimination, as well as its policies and messages, can promote tolerance. Asma Jahangir, the UN Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief, told a news conference in New York that there are preventive measures governments can take to avoid further polarization on the basis of religion before it erupts into violence. She also noted that while governments are talking about issues such as defamation of religion, there is "less addressing of the issue of religious incitement to violence, discrimination and hatred." In her presentation to the General Assembly last Friday, Ms. Jahangir discussed warning signs and prevention, as well as how religion is being used for political purposes. "It is quite clear that as long as discrimination on religious grounds persists at the national or global levels, tensions will deepen and, indeed, also be exploited by various religious, political as well as militant forces," she had told delegates. Ms. Jahangir added today that governments must meet this challenge with political announcements or messages that are "in the right direction." While policies are one tool in the hands of governments to deal with the issue, she noted that they also have at their disposal political statements, education and inter-faith dialogues, as well as bringing young people together for discussions on each other's religions, among others. A related issue is the indoctrination of children into hating other religions, she said. "The government has an obligation under the Convention on the Rights of the Child to protect children from this kind of mental abuse." She also discussed how women have become central to the prohibition or the allowing of religious symbols. "There are countries that simply will punish women if they do not wear a headscarf and there are other countries where women, if she wears a headscarf, will be penalized or sanctioned," the Special Rapporteur pointed out. "It has to be balanced," she said, noting that this is an issue related to freedom of expression, as long as that right is not impinging on the rights of others. In addition, she raised the issue of using technology for incitement to violence, and what capacity States have to tackle this in a way that does not impinge on the freedom of expression. Oct 27 2009 5:10PM ________________ For more details go to UN News Centre at http://www.un.org/news To change your profile or unsubscribe go to: http://www.un.org/apps/news/email/ |
| Breaking News: Pilots who overshot airport lose licenses October 27, 2009 at 5:06 pm |
| To view this email as a web page, go here. | ***USATODAY.com Breaking News*** | WASHINGTON (AP) - The FAA has revoked the licenses of the two Northwest pilots who overflew the Minneapolis-St. Paul airport. |
| | For more on this story, go to http://www.usatoday.com.
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| UN CALLS ON ISRAEL TO HALT DEMOLITION OF PALESTINIAN HOMES October 27, 2009 at 4:10 pm |
| UN CALLS ON ISRAEL TO HALT DEMOLITION OF PALESTINIAN HOMES New York, Oct 27 2009 4:10PM The United Nations today called on Israel to immediately halt forced evictions and demolitions of Palestinian homes in East Jerusalem, warning that as many as 60,000 people there may be at risk of forced evictions, demolitions and displacement.Israeli authorities demolished the homes of six Palestinian families – 26 people, including 10 children – in East Jerusalem today. This brings the number displaced through forced evictions or house demolitions in the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt) to 600, half of them children, since the beginning of the year, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (<"http://ochaonline.un.org/">OCHA) reported. At least 500 more have been affected by partial demolitions of their homes or livelihoods. "Such actions run counter to international law and have a serious and long-term negative impact on Palestinian families and communities," OCHA said. "The UN reiterates its call for an immediate and unconditional halt to such actions and urges the State of Israel to protect the civilian population in oPt from further displacement and dispossession." Israel occupied the occupied Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem, in the 1967 war and annexed the latter in a move not recognized internationally. According to Israeli authorities house demolitions are carried out on homes that have been built without official building permits, rendering them "illegal." But, OCHA said, "lack of adequate planning combined with strict administrative requirements and high fees makes it extremely difficult for Palestinian residents to obtain such permits, leaving them no choice but to build 'illegally' to provide shelter for their families. Palestinian families who move outside the municipal boundaries risk losing their Jerusalem ID [identity] cards, and with it the right to live in and access the city." According to conservative estimates, as many as 60,000 Palestinians in East Jerusalem may be at risk of forced evictions, demolitions and displacement. "Many others are facing mounting pressure to leave the city as a result of extensive physical, legal and administrative restrictions that affect every aspect of their daily lives," OCHA concluded. Oct 27 2009 4:10PM ________________ For more details go to UN News Centre at http://www.un.org/news To change your profile or unsubscribe go to: http://www.un.org/apps/news/email/ |
| CLIMATE CHANGE TOPS THE AGENDA OF BAN'S VISIT TO UNITED KINGDOM AND GREECE October 27, 2009 at 4:10 pm |
| CLIMATE CHANGE TOPS THE AGENDA OF BAN'S VISIT TO UNITED KINGDOM AND GREECE New York, Oct 27 2009 4:10PM Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon will travel next week to the United Kingdom and Greece to spotlight the issue of climate change, just weeks before countries will gather in Copenhagen to try to reach agreement on a wide-ranging pact to cut greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to the effects of global warming.Mr. Ban will deliver a keynote address next Tuesday at Windsor Castle, just outside London, to a gathering of religious leaders on the role that faiths can play in tackling the problems caused by climate change. The gathering, hosted by Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, will hear from the religious leaders on their long-term plans to deal with climate change, according to information released by the United Nations today. Mr. Ban has called climate change "the defining issue of our era" and stressed the need for a successful outcome at the summit to be held in December in the Danish capital. While in London Mr. Ban will also meet UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown and attend an event at the headquarters of the International Maritime Organization (<"http://www.imo.org/">IMO) to honour people who have taken part in efforts to suppress piracy off the coast of Somalia and in the Gulf of Aden. The Secretary-General will then travel to Greece to help open the third Global Forum on Migration and Development, which is taking place in the capital, Athens. He will also address a special session of the Greek Parliament and meet with senior Government officials, including Prime Minister George Papandreou and President Karolos Papoulias. Oct 27 2009 4:10PM ________________ For more details go to UN News Centre at http://www.un.org/news To change your profile or unsubscribe go to: http://www.un.org/apps/news/email/ |
| FIVE HEALTH RISKS HOLD THE KEY TO BOOSTING LIFE EXPECTANCY BY FIVE YEARS – UN REPORT October 27, 2009 at 4:10 pm |
| FIVE HEALTH RISKS HOLD THE KEY TO BOOSTING LIFE EXPECTANCY BY FIVE YEARS – UN REPORT New York, Oct 27 2009 4:10PM Addressing five critical risk factors – underweight childhood, unsafe sex, alcohol use, lack of safe water, sanitation and hygiene, and high blood pressure – could add almost five years to global life expectancy, according to a new United Nations <"http://www.who.int/healthinfo/global_burden_disease/global_health_risks/en/index.html">report.These five factors are responsible for one quarter of the 60 million deaths estimated to occur annually, said the UN World Health Organization (<"http://www.who.int/en/">WHO), which published "Global Health Risks." A health risk is defined in the report as "a factor that raises the probability of adverse health outcomes." It looked at 24 of them which are a mixture of environmental, behavioural and physiological factors – such as air pollution, tobacco use and poor nutrition – and estimated their effects on deaths, diseases and injuries by region, age, sex and country income for the year 2004. The report also pointed to the combined effect of multiple risk factors, noting that many deaths and diseases are caused by more than one risk factor and may be prevented by reducing any of the risk factors responsible for them. For example, eight risk factors alone account for over 75 per cent of cases of coronary heart disease, the leading cause of deaths worldwide. These are alcohol consumption, high blood glucose, tobacco use, high blood pressure, high body mass index, high cholesterol, low fruit and vegetable intake and physical inactivity. WHO added that most of these deaths occur in developing countries. "Understanding the relative importance of health risk factors helps governments to figure out which health policies they want to pursue," <"http://www.who.int/mediacentre/news/releases/2009/health_risks_report_20091027/en/index.html">said Colin Mathers, Coordinator for Mortality and Burden of Disease at WHO. "In many countries there is a complex mix of risk factors," he added. "Countries can combine this type of evidence along with information about policies and their costs to decide how to set their health agenda." The report also found, among others, that more than a third of the global child deaths can be attributed to a few nutritional risk factors such as underweight childhood, inadequate breastfeeding and zinc deficiency. Also, unhealthy and unsafe environments cause one in four child deaths worldwide. In addition, 71 per cent of lung cancer deaths are caused by tobacco smoking, while obesity and being overweight causes more deaths worldwide than being underweight. Oct 27 2009 4:10PM ________________ For more details go to UN News Centre at http://www.un.org/news To change your profile or unsubscribe go to: http://www.un.org/apps/news/email/ |
| SCORES OF THOUSANDS OF INDONESIAN QUAKE VICTIMS RECEIVE UN AID October 27, 2009 at 4:10 pm |
| SCORES OF THOUSANDS OF INDONESIAN QUAKE VICTIMS RECEIVE UN AID New York, Oct 27 2009 4:10PM United Nations agencies continue to aid scores of thousands of Indonesians after last month's 7.9-magnitude earthquake ravaged parts of western Sumatra island, leaving nearly 200,000 households in need of emergency shelter and other assistance.The UN World Food Programme (<"http://www.wfp.org/">WFP), targeting children under five as well as pregnant or lactating mothers and primary school children, has so aided more than 68,000 people, distributing distributed 25 metric tons of biscuits between 21 and 25 October, for a total of 178 metric tons of biscuits and noodles since the disaster struck. The UN Population Fund (<"http://www.unfpa.org/public/">UNFPA) is currently assisting some 30,000 women and girls of reproductive age in the worst affected areas, including over 1,650 pregnant women. Early food and nutrition assessments reveal approximately 38,000 households, or 190,000 people, in the most affected areas are experiencing temporary shortages of staple foods such as rice, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (<"http://ochaonline.un.org/">OCHA) reported. The Government estimates that rehabilitation and reconstruction will cost $745 million after the quake and aftershocks on 30 September triggered landslides, wiping out entire villages, killing an estimated 1,117 people, injuring 1,214 others and affecting is 1.2 million. Funding for emergency water trucking is urgently needed for the next two months. Only 20 percent Padang City's population is connected to the water network, and an estimated 650,000 people rely on trucking or bottled water for daily supplies. The West Sumatra Humanitarian Response Plan, launched on 9 October in partnership with the Government, is seeking $38.1 million for emergency needs to be addressed within 90 days. The UN Central Emergency Response Fund (<"http://cerf.un.org/">CERF) has already allocated nearly $7. Additional donor contributions for several non-governmental organizations (NGOs) have been reported, raising the funding total to nearly $12 million. Oct 27 2009 4:10PM ________________ For more details go to UN News Centre at http://www.un.org/news To change your profile or unsubscribe go to: http://www.un.org/apps/news/email/ |
| CYPRUS TALKS ON FEDERAL GOVERNMENT CONTINUE UNDER UN AUSPICES October 27, 2009 at 4:10 pm |
| CYPRUS TALKS ON FEDERAL GOVERNMENT CONTINUE UNDER UN AUSPICES New York, Oct 27 2009 4:10PM Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot leaders held further discussions today on the shape of a federal government of a future bi-communal republic as United Nations-backed talks to unify the Mediterranean island picked up pace.Greek Cypriot leader Dimitris Christofias and Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat had "a good open discussion" about the competencies of such a government, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's Special Adviser on Cyprus Alexander Downer told reporters. The two have accelerated the pace of their meetings to twice a week this month in the talks to reunify the island, where UN peacekeepers have been deployed since 1964 to prevent inter-communal fighting. They will meet again twice next week to discuss property matters which Mr. Downer called "one of the very difficult issues." Representatives of the two sides will also meet on Thursday to discuss the question of property. Oct 27 2009 4:10PM ________________ For more details go to UN News Centre at http://www.un.org/news To change your profile or unsubscribe go to: http://www.un.org/apps/news/email/ |
| POLLS AND REFERENDUMS REMAIN KEY OBSTACLES IN SUDANESE PEACE PACT, SAYS BAN October 27, 2009 at 4:10 pm |
| POLLS AND REFERENDUMS REMAIN KEY OBSTACLES IN SUDANESE PEACE PACT, SAYS BAN New York, Oct 27 2009 4:10PM The holding of elections and referendums are among the key milestones of the peace agreement ending the long-running north-south civil war in Sudan that have yet to be reached, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said in a new <"http://www.un.org/Docs/journal/asp/ws.asp?m=s/2009/545">report, calling on the parties to enhance their partnership in tackling the final obstacles.The outstanding issues are "highly sensitive and will have the greatest impact on Sudanese political life," Mr. Ban wrote in the publication made public today. The key to implementing the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) is the relationship between its signatories, the National Congress Party (NCP) and the Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM), he said. "The Agreement must be implemented in spirit as well as the letter if the immense work undertaken is to be sustainable," he stressed, calling on the sides to boost their cooperation. Next year's elections, the first multi-party polls in decades, must be seen as part of a larger process of democratic transformation, requiring a long-term commitment by all parties, the Secretary-General underscored, adding that it is vital that the polls are credible in the eyes of the Sudanese people. "Coming to an agreement on how to proceed with elections will also allow the parties to give the requisite attention to preparations for the referendums in 2011," the report said. But Mr. Ban voiced concern over the delays for the referendums in southern Sudan and the oil-rich area of Abyei, which threaten their quality and credibility. Further, post-referendum arrangements must be decided upon to ensure a lasting peace. Another matter of concern is the apparent targeting of unarmed civilians during tribal attacks and counter-attacks, as well as reports of widespread arms proliferation in southern Sudan, the report said, urging the Government of Southern Sudan to bolster efforts to end recurring justice and bring to justice those behind the attacks. "A humanitarian crisis, as a result of growing insecurity, risks undermining the implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement and reversing gains achieved in the south," the publication, Mr. Ban's latest report on the UN peacekeeping mission in Sudan, or <"http://unmis.unmissions.org/">UNMIS, stressed. "The coming 18 months will pose enormous challenges for the people of the Sudan, and how those challenges are met will largely determine the future of the country," the Secretary-General highlighted. He appealed to the Security Council, which will discuss this report tomorrow, along with the international community and others to step up efforts to ensure the implementation of the CPA to allow the Sudanese people "can take a critical step toward the realization of political equality, economic development and human rights." Oct 27 2009 4:10PM ________________ For more details go to UN News Centre at http://www.un.org/news To change your profile or unsubscribe go to: http://www.un.org/apps/news/email/ |
| SOMALIA: UN SEEKS MORE FUNDS FOR SOCIAL SERVICES TO AID TRANSITIONAL GOVERNMENT October 27, 2009 at 3:10 pm |
| SOMALIA: UN SEEKS MORE FUNDS FOR SOCIAL SERVICES TO AID TRANSITIONAL GOVERNMENT New York, Oct 27 2009 3:10PM The United Nations will be seeking more funds for Somalia for both security and social services, the top United Nations political officer said today, citing a sense that progress is being made in a country devastated by factional fighting and without a central authority for nearly 20 years."Nobody obviously wants to sound overly optimistic about Somalia at any time, but the fact is that the strategy is in place and that it is moving forward," Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs B. Lynn Pascoe told a news conference in New York on his return from a visit to Eastern and Southern Africa. "The most important thing to mention is that the TFG (Transitional Federal Government) has certainly, under the new leadership after Sheikh Sharif [Sheikh Ahmed] was elected president [in January], gone way out of its way in trying to be inclusive and trying to bring people in." Most of the various groups that were in opposition or out have joined the Government, although two main extremist Islamist groups are still fighting, he added, citing the fact that the TFG now has a plan of how it wants to move forward. "I think that anyone who looks at Somalia would not call the situation there anything but fragile, but unlike a few months ago when everyone was making dire predictions that the Government was going to fall, that it was going to be taken over, I don't think people are making any of that assumption at the moment," he said. "There are serious threats to be dealt with, there is no question about that, and it's going to take a very long time to move the process forward," he added, stressing that funding is a serious problem. "I would guess that we will be asking for more money and more assistance in the months ahead. Clearly they're going to need it both for security and also for the social services the Government needs to provide. One of the difficulties about Somalia, of course, is that without the aid and the assistance for real development aid, then it's very hard for the Government to show what it's doing." On security, Mr. Pascoe noted improvements in the African Union (AU) peacekeeping mission in Somalia (known as AMISOM). "Again the stories on AMISOM a year or so ago were how it was all falling apart, how dire the situation was," he said, but AMISOM has been doing well recently, with support from the UN Department of Field Services and food and logistics support also coming. "This has had a real in effect in the confidence of the forces there," he added, noting that Burundi and Uganda are putting in more battalions, others are talking of joining the force and a process is in place for reaching the target strength of 8,000. It now numbers 5,000. "What I found very encouraging myself in talking to both the Ugandans and the Burundians and with the AU people is that you didn't have that kind of level of discouragement that you had a year or so back, that they now really can see a path forward," he said. During his visit Mr. Pascoe co-chaired a high-level meeting in Nairobi, Kenya, on implementing the peace pact between the TFG and some of its Islamist militant opponents. Oct 27 2009 3:10PM ________________ For more details go to UN News Centre at http://www.un.org/news To change your profile or unsubscribe go to: http://www.un.org/apps/news/email/ |
| UN'S POST-STORM AID EFFORTS IN THE PHILIPPINES FOCUS ON ASSISTING FARMERS October 27, 2009 at 3:10 pm |
| UN'S POST-STORM AID EFFORTS IN THE PHILIPPINES FOCUS ON ASSISTING FARMERS New York, Oct 27 2009 3:10PM Helping farmers rebuild their livelihoods has become one of the priorities of relief and recovery efforts in the wake of the recent deadly typhoons that pummelled the Philippines, the United Nations humanitarian wing reported today as it called on donors to step up funding for its appeal.So far $22.4 million has been received – or just 30 per cent of the $74 million that the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (<"http://ochaonline.un.org/">OCHA) and its aid partners requested in the flash appeal issued following Typhoon Ketsana (also known as Ondoy) and Typhoon Parma. The two storms over the past month have collectively killed more than 500 people, displaced thousands of others and left a trail of destruction among homes, schools and critical farmland across the Asian archipelago. OCHA reported today that a joint preliminary assessment by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (<"http://www.fao.org/">FAO) and Filipino agricultural authorities estimates that between 100,000 and 120,000 farming households lost all of their production and assets as a result of the storms. Emergency supplies of rice, vegetable seeds and fertilizers and the repair of damaged small-scale irrigation systems should be the highest priorities ahead of the expected dry season in November and December, according to the assessment. OCHA warned that if extra support is not provided to the farmers, the next harvest season will be significantly affected and many households will struggle to ensure there is enough food. The UN World Food Programme (<"http://www.wfp.org/">WFP) is also using the joint agricultural assessment to determine its strategy for providing food assistance for the next five months. The agency is in the process of dispatching 4,800 tons of rice and another 10,000 tons are expected to follow soon. One of the other major concerns of aid agencies in the Philippines is the rise in the number of cases of leptospirosis, a waterborne disease, and a team of experts from the Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network has arrived in Manila, the capital, after a request from the UN World Health Organization (<"http://www.who.int/">WHO) and national health officials. Oct 27 2009 3:10PM ________________ For more details go to UN News Centre at http://www.un.org/news To change your profile or unsubscribe go to: http://www.un.org/apps/news/email/ |
| UN LAUNCHES PHONE-BASED FOOD VOUCHER SCHEME FOR IRAQI REFUGEES IN SYRIA October 27, 2009 at 2:10 pm |
| UN LAUNCHES PHONE-BASED FOOD VOUCHER SCHEME FOR IRAQI REFUGEES IN SYRIA New York, Oct 27 2009 2:10PM Food vouchers can now be sent to Iraqi refugee families living in Syria via text message, thanks to a new pilot project by the United Nations World Food Programme (<"http://www.wfp.org/news/news-release/wfp-launches-mobile-phone-based-food-voucher-pilot-iraqi-refugees-syria">WFP).The scheme will allow refugees living in the Syrian capital, Damascus, to receive codes for virtual food vouchers on their mobile telephones which they can use to purchase rice, wheat, lentils, cheese, eggs and other items that cannot be distributed in conventional aid baskets. "This pilot project will allow WFP to meet the needs of refugees living in a city where food is available but they are unable to afford it," said Daly Belgasmi, the agency's Regional Director for the Middle East, Central Asia and Eastern Europe. Each of the 1,000 Iraqi families will receive one voucher per person, worth $22, every two months. After each transaction, they will receive updated balances by text message. "People will no longer need to queue at food distribution points or travel long distances to distribution centres," according to WFP Syria Country Director Muhannad Hadi. "They will also be able to have a more diversified diet, based on their own personal choices and preferences." Although phone messages and smart cards have been used in the past to transfer cash to those in need, this is believed to be the first time food vouchers have been distributed utilizing cell phone technology. Syria's Ministry of Economy and Trade will provide food items through its stores in the Jaramana and Sayeda Zeinab neighbourhoods in Damascus, where most Iraqi refugees live. The mobile phone service provider MTN donated SIM cards for the project, which is set to run for four months but could be extended depending on the success of the pilot programme. There are currently over 1.2 million uprooted Iraqis in Syria, according to Government figures, of whom 130,000 regularly receive food aid and other assistance from WFP and the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (<"http://www.unhcr.org/cgi-bin/texis/vtx/home">UNHCR). Oct 27 2009 2:10PM ________________ For more details go to UN News Centre at http://www.un.org/news To change your profile or unsubscribe go to: http://www.un.org/apps/news/email/ |
| Entertainment news: Music lovers take a spin through DJ school October 27, 2009 at 1:16 pm |
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| IVORIAN PARTIES CONTINUING TO REARM DESPITE EMBARGO, SAYS UN REPORT October 27, 2009 at 1:10 pm |
| IVORIAN PARTIES CONTINUING TO REARM DESPITE EMBARGO, SAYS UN REPORT New York, Oct 27 2009 1:10PM Both sides in Côte d'Ivoire, which has been divided for more than seven years between the Government-controlled south and the rebel Forces Nouvelles-held north, are violating the arms embargo imposed on the country, according to a new United Nations report."Despite the arms embargo, northern and southern Ivorian parties are rearming or re-equipping with related materiel," the Group of Experts monitoring sanctions on the country said in its latest report to the Security Council. The Group, set up in 2005, noted that the northern part of the country bears more resemblance to a warlord economy than to a functioning government administration. Largely independent military 'zone commanders' of the Force Nouvelles control and exploit natural resources, providing both motive and means to sustain territorial control in northern Côte d'Ivoire, it stated. The Government also faces potentially violent political opposition in the south of the country, which has prompted it to begin re-equipping some of its security forces with riot-control equipment and could prompt efforts to import arms and related materiel in the near future. The Group identified seven separate cases in which the Government and the Forces Nouvelles acquired arms and related materiel in breach of the sanctions regime. It is particularly concerned by the systematic transfer of weapons and ammunition from neighbouring Burkina Faso to the Forces Nouvelles-controlled north of the country, which may be linked to cocoa smuggling. Military aircraft belonging to the Government of Côte d'Ivoire remain largely inoperable, but the Group remains vigilant to the potential for foreign-assisted rehabilitation or acquisition of air assets. On diamonds, the Group noted that the absence of effective border controls allows the rough diamond trade in Côte d'Ivoire to extend, almost seamlessly, into Burkina Faso and Mali. There is also concern that Ivorian diamonds may be illegally exported through Guinea and Liberia. The Government of Côte d'Ivoire has not introduced the necessary regulatory measures to prevent the import or export of items prohibited by the sanctions regime, the Group stated. In addition, the experts voice concern two of the three individuals subject to assets freezes and travel bans continue to access and accrue revenues despite the sanctions imposed on them. The country is currently preparing for the holding of the long-awaited and much-delayed presidential elections, one of many reunification tasks set out in the 2007 blueprint for political reconciliation known as the Ouagadougou Agreement. Over 6.5 million Ivorians have been identified and registered ahead of the polls, originally scheduled for as far back as 2005 and now planned for 29 November. The UN Operation in Côte d'Ivoire (<"http://www.un.org/depts/dpko/missions/unoci/">UNOCI), which is providing logistical support for the holding of the elections, has been calling on the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) to publish the provisional electoral list. The mission said last week that despite the delay in publishing the list, progress has been made in other areas. Twenty candidatures for the presidential election had been received by the IEC, heavy and sensitive electoral equipment had been positioned in Abidjan and Yamoussoukro, and a joint international observation group had been established. Oct 27 2009 1:10PM ________________ For more details go to UN News Centre at http://www.un.org/news To change your profile or unsubscribe go to: http://www.un.org/apps/news/email/ |
| WORLD MUST RECOMMIT TO SLASH MATERNAL MORTALITY AS GOAL LAGS FAR BEHIND – UN October 27, 2009 at 1:10 pm |
| WORLD MUST RECOMMIT TO SLASH MATERNAL MORTALITY AS GOAL LAGS FAR BEHIND – UN New York, Oct 27 2009 1:10PM The target of slashing maternal mortality and ensuring universal access to reproductive health is the furthest from success of all the Millennium Development Goals (<"http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals/">MDGs) the world set itself in 2000, a senior United Nations official has warned, calling for renewed political will, funding and international solidarity."Women are dying because for too many years, women's lives, dreams and rights have not been given the priority attention they deserve," UN Population Fund (<"http://www.unfpa.org/public/News/pid/4116">UNFPA) Executive Director Thoraya Ahmed Obaid yesterday told a high-level meeting in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on maternal health, the fifth of eight MDGs, slated for achievement by 2015. "Maternal death and disability is one of the greatest moral, human rights and development challenges of our time. We are here in Addis to say that no woman should die giving life and no woman should die from unsafe abortion." An estimated 500,000 women globally die each year while giving birth, and Ms. Obaid called maternal mortality "the world's largest health inequity" with the poor having the least access to needed services. She laid out an action plan based on three points: life and death is a political decision; leadership and resources will determine success or failure; and solidarity and partnership are the only way forward. "I say life and death is a political decision because we know what works and needs to be done. And with just five years remaining in the countdown to 2015, we need urgent action," she stressed, calling for scaling up a comprehensive package of sexual and reproductive health information, supplies and services, including safe delivery with skilled attendance at birth and emergency obstetric care. On resources, she noted that during this decade funding for reproductive health has remained at the same level while that for other health areas increased substantially. "Today, I call on governments, organizations and financial institutions, in the North and in the South, to recommit and invest in sexual and reproductive health, including family planning, as an urgent priority," she said. "It would cost the world $23 billion per year to stop women from having unintended pregnancies and dying in childbirth, and to save millions of newborns. This amounts to less than 10 days of global military spending. Instead, the world loses $15 billion in productivity each year by allowing mothers and newborns to die." On solidarity and partnership, she noted that governments and partners agreed for the first time 15 years ago at the International Conference on Population and Development that everyone has the right to sexual and reproductive health. "But as we all know, we have an unfinished agenda. We still have a long way to go and we need to go faster. And solidarity and partnership, maximizing our common ground and minimizing our differences, will propel us further ahead," she stressed. Oct 27 2009 1:10PM ________________ For more details go to UN News Centre at http://www.un.org/news To change your profile or unsubscribe go to: http://www.un.org/apps/news/email/ |
| Daily Travel News: Big and tall fliers face serious squeeze October 27, 2009 at 12:29 pm |
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