United Nations Daily Highlights, 02-06-12

United Nations Daily Highlights Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

From: The United Nations Home Page at <http://www.un.org> - email: unnews@un.org

OF THE NOON BRIEFING

BY

STEPHANE DUJARRIC

ASSOCIATE SPOKESMAN FOR THE SECRETARY-GENERAL

OF THE UNITED NATIONS

UN HEADQUARTERS, NEW YORK

Wednesday, June 12, 2002

SECURITY COUNCIL DEBATES DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO

The Security Council was briefed today in closed consultations by the Secretary-Generals Special Representative for the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Amos Ngongi. He introduced the Secretary-Generals latest report on the UN mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC).

[In that report, the Secretary-General said that if the UN Mission was to be able to protect civilians under threat of physical violence, it would be necessary for the Security Council to consider adjusting the strength of the mission including a reconfiguration and re-equipping of contingents.]

A draft resolution on this subject was introduced by France.

Consultations on the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and "other matters" was scheduled to resume at 3:30 p.m.

KOSOVO MARKS THIRD ANNIVERSARY OF UN/KFOR PRESENCE

The Secretary-Generals Special Representative for Kosovo, Michael Steiner, made a statement today on the occasion of the third anniversary of the arrival of the UN mission (UNMIK) and KFOR.

Steiner said there is much to be proud of and listed among them the following:

There are signs of continuing reconstruction and great personal energy. This is the result of peoples initiative but its also result of more than $2 billion committed by international donors.

Kosovo no longer lives on donations alone: 93 percent of this years Euro 374 million Kosovo Consolidated Budget will come from locally generated revenues, with only 7 percent coming from donors.

There are 420,000 children attending nearly 1200 schools. There are also some 15,000 students who are pursuing higher education in two universities.

The crime rate has fallen dramaticallyfrom 245 murders in 2000, to 118 in 2001, to only 30 so far in the first half of this year.

I n other news from Kosovo, members of the Kosovo Government today took the oath of office thus marking the completion of the government.

LOYA JIRGA LIKELY TO VOTE WEDNESDAY FOR AFGHAN HEAD OF STATE

The Loya Jirga, which aims to elect the Transitional Government for Afghanistan for the next two years, has entered its second day. The main agenda today is to elect the Bureau of the Loya Jirga, which will be composed of a Chairman, two vice Chairmen and two Secretaries. The actual voting will start in a few moments.

This morning, the delegates discussed the election procedure. A number of names were introduced for different positions.

Throughout the day, many people took the floor, including candidates for the Bureau. The debates ranged from political concerns for the future of the country to the logistical arrangement of the Loya Jirga.

The election of the head of the state is likely to take place Thursday.

ANNAN TO MEET WITH UN MIDDLE EAST COORDINATOR

Secretary-General Kofi Annan arrived back in New York last night.

He is scheduled to meet with Terje Roed-Larsen, the UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process this afternoon. Larsen is expected to attend the Middle East "Quartet" meeting of the United States, the European Union, Russia and the United Nations in Washington, D.C. That meeting is scheduled for Friday.

ANGOLA: UN ENVOY DISCUSSES NEED FOR INCREASE IN HUMANITARIAN AID

The Secretary-Generals Special Advisor on Africa, Ibrahim Gambari, is continuing his mission in Angola, including discussion on ways to provide increased humanitarian assistance to populations in need.

Gambari met with the Angolan Minister of External Relations, Joao Bernardo De Miranda, Tuesday. Speaking to reporters at the end of the meeting, Gambari said he informed the minister of the objectives of his mission to Angola and the two discussed the new ways of providing and increasing humanitarian assistance to the populations.

Gambari also had a meeting with the National Commission for Social and Productive Reintegration of Demobilized and Displaced People. The Commission's main objective is to coordinate the Governments efforts in the process of social reintegration of the demobilized troops resulting from the peace accords signed by Angola.

According to a fact sheet prepared by Gambari, the priority in this present phase is to overcome the humanitarian crisis. The conditions of those in newly accessible areas, which number about 800,000, are particularly worrying. Humanitarian agencies now estimate that up to 3 million people require immediate assistance.

UNIT SET UP TO TACKLE SMALL ARMS PROLIFERATION IN CENTRAL AFRICA

The UN Development Programme (UNDP) has set up a unit addressing the proliferation of small arms and light weapons (SALW) in the Great Lakes Region. The Small Arms Proliferation Project and its technical support unit are now operational and based in Nairobi, Kenya.

UNDP says that in the past few years, there has been a dramatic increase in the availability, accumulation and uncontrolled proliferation of small arms and light weapons in the Great Lakes region of Central Africa . This state of affairs has raised a number of humanitarian, developmental and security challenges in the region.

Ultimately and fundamentally, the aim of the project is to motivate groups to surrender arms in exchange for support in successfully reintegrating into civilian life, and to render civilian life a more attractive and viable alternative to that of a rebel.

ANNAN RECOMMENDS EXTENSION OF MISSION IN BOSNIA UNTIL END OF YEAR

The Secretary-Generals report on the UN Mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina (UNMIBH) is out on the racks today.

In it he notes the missions achievements towards the goal of completing its core mandate by the end of 2002, including the process of reform of the Police services.

The Secretary-General flags two core projects that will require additional support for their completion this year.

The first is the establishment of the Police Commissioner post in the Federation.

The second is the deployment of the State Border Service (SBS). He said delays in completing the deployment of the SBS caused by lack of funding would negatively affect the fight against illegal immigration, organized crime and terrorism in Europe.

While the missions core mandate will be completed by the end of 2002, the systemic weakness of the rule of law in Bosnia and Herzegovina will require continued international attention. There will be a need for monitoring of and assistance to the local police to preserve what the mission has achieved and to ensure further progress towards the rule of law. This will be the task of the European Union follow-on mission, he stated.

In conclusion, he recommends that the Security Council extend the mandate at an authorized strength of 1,600 monitors, to be reduced after the October 5 elections to 460, until December 31, 2002.

FOOD SUMMIT TOLD THE WORLD HAS MEANS TO END HUNGER AND POVERTY

Jeffrey Sachs, the Secretary-Generals Special Advisor on the Millennium Development Goals addressed the "World Food Summit: Five Years Later," in Rome today. He said, The world has the means and the know-how to end hunger and poverty but it has lacked the ability to move from words to actions.

He went on to say that there is no excuse for further lack of progress in fighting hunger and poverty. He suggested that if rich countries would provide investment to agriculture in poor countries, the rural poor would be able to grow out of poverty and have a better future. He said that donor countries would have to put aside five cents out of each $100 of their Gross National Product to finance the $24 billion estimated by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) for its recently launched Anti-Hunger Programme. The programme would save millions of people from starvation and death.

WHO INVESTIGATES POSSIBLE EBOLA IN REPUBLIC OF CONGO

Teams from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Ministry of Health of the Republic of the Congo are investigating six suspected cases, including five deaths, of acute haemorrhagic fever syndrome in the Mbombo district of the country, near to the border with Gabon.

Samples are being sent to the Centre International de Recherches Médicales (International Centre for Medical Research) in Gabon for verification. A team from the Ecosystèmes Forestiers dAfrique Centrale (Central African Forest Ecosystems) has also been sent to the area to investigate the deaths of wild animals.

OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS

The Report of the Commission on Population and Development to the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) was issued today. The report contains a summary of the 35th Session of the Commission, which took place 1-5 April 2002 in New York. During the session, the Commission adopted one resolution calling on the Population Division of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) to continue its programmes on reproductive rights and health and HIV/AIDS in collaboration with other relevant UN bodies.

The United Nations Childrens Fund (UNICEF) today announced renowned Nigerian musician Femi Anikulapo-Kuti as its newest Special Representative who will help it further broaden its outreach towards young people, especially on HIV/AIDS. Kuti has used his popularity as one of the stars of Afro-beat music to send clear and strong messages on preventing HIV/AIDS to young people in Nigeria and around the world.

Luxembourg today became the first country to sign the UN Convention on the Assignment of Receivables in International Trade.