United Nations Daily Highlights, 05-02-09

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

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE SPOKESMAN'S NOON BRIEFING

BY MARIE OKABE

ASSOCIATE

SPOKESWOMAN FOR THE SECRETARY-GENERAL

UN HEADQUARTERS, NEW YORK

Wednesday, February 9, 2005

ANNAN CALLS ON SECURITY COUNCIL FOR SUPPORT IN FIGHT AGAINST

SEXUAL ABUSE IN PEACEKEEPING OPERATIONS

The

Secretary-General has written to the

Security Council on the

UN Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC), regarding the allegations

of sexual exploitation and misconduct there.

In it, the Secretary-General notes that Council members join him in recognizing the tremendous contributions and sacrifices made by UN peacekeepers, and that its important that the peacekeepers know that we stand together in honour of their heroic efforts.

The Secretary-General also mentions the multi-disciplinary team sent to the Mission by the

UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO), led by Assistant Secretary-General

Angela Kane, which is currently conducting further investigations there.

MONUC itself has taken a number of measures to eliminate inappropriate behaviour, and these include a strict no-fraternization policy and a curfew for military contingents.

DPKO has also organized a task-force here at UN Headquarters to undertake a series of initiatives including the forceful promulgation of the UNs Standards of Conduct expected of all peacekeepers.

The Secretary-General also alerts Council members that the expectation in the short-term will be measured not by a decrease in allegations on the contrary, therell likely be an increase.

The Secretary-General appeals to Council members to help strengthen MONUCs capacity to conduct self-monitoring and enforcement programmes specifically, he says the Mission still requires at least another 100 military police, as well as French-speaking qualified investigators.

The Secretary-General ends his letter with a reaffirmation of his

personal commitment to remain vigilant on this issue, and with an assurance that the United Nations will work tirelessly to restore faith in UN peacekeeping as one of the worlds most noble callings.

ANNAN TO MEET WITH BRITISH PRIME MINISTER

AND DELIVER SPEECH IN LONDON TOMORROW

Secretary-General Kofi Annan is today in London, where he will conduct internal meetings, including with his Special Representative for

Iraq,

Ashraf Qazi.

Tomorrow, the Secretary-General will meet with British Prime Minister Tony Blair and other senior officials, and will also make a speech on his 2005 agenda for both development and security.

U.N. MISSION HELPS INCREASE POWER PLANTS CAPACITY IN BASRAH, IRAQ

The

UN Assistance Mission in Iraq has delivered another shipment of equipment and spare parts worth almost $900,000 to the Hartha Power Station in

Basrah.

The equipment comes as part of a project to increase the plants capacity and the reliability of the power supply.

The Mission has also helped distribute some seven million liters of water to more than 70,000 internally displaced persons in Fallujah.

Also,

UNESCO today

made an urgent plea for the release of French newspaper reporter Florence Aubenas and her Iraqi interpreter Hussein Hanoun al-Saadi who have been missing in Iraq since January 5.

SECURITY COUNCIL READY TO SUPPORT A FULL-FLEDGED PEACEKEEPING

OPERATION IN SUDAN

There are no meetings or consultations of the

Security Council scheduled for today.

The Security Council concluded its meeting on

Sudan yesterday when the Security Council

President, Ambassador Joel Adechi of Benin, gave a

statement to the press expressing the Councils readiness to establish a full-fledged peacekeeping operation to support the 9 January peace agreement.

Council members, he added, remain gravely concerned by the dire situation prevailing in Darfur and call upon the parties to do their utmost to bring the conflict in Darfur to an end as quickly as possible through a sustainable political settlement.

Security Council members also condemned the serious crimes under international law, which had been committed in Darfur as described in the International Commission of Inquiry, and stressed their determination to tackle impunity and to ensure that the perpetrators are brought to justice.

U.N. MISSION REPORTS CONTINUING INSECURITY IN DARFUR

The

UN Mission in Sudan reports continuing insecurity on the ground in

Darfur.

The Mission notes that monitors from the African Union and from humanitarian agencies last week found seven villages in South Darfur that had been totally burnt, and three others abandoned, as a result of the recent violence there. Relief agencies are in the process of determining humanitarian needs.

Meanwhile, the Secretary-Generals Special Representative for Sudan,

Jan Pronk, is expected back in Khartoum on Friday, and is then scheduled to head to NDjamena, Chad, to attend the meeting of the Cease-fire Joint Commission there on February 15-16.

U.N. OFFICIALS HAVE TWO WEEKS TO RESPOND TO CHARGE LETTERS

Regarding proceedings against two UN staff members named in the interim

report of the

Independent Inquiry Committee, Benon Sevan and Joseph Stephanides, the two charge letters have been sent outlining the case against them. Should they so wish, they have two weeks to respond to the charges.

Afterwards the

Secretary-General will decide on what action to take.

Asked about why the United Nations was reluctant to send anyone to Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. to talk about the oil-for-food programme, the Spokeswoman said that UN staff were cooperating with Congress as far as they can, and that they were cooperating with the investigation being conducted by the Independent Inquiry Committee.

She noted that in terms of cooperating with Congress, the Secretary-Generals Chef de Cabinet, Mark Malloch Brown, was spending the day in Washington, D.C., today to meet lawmakers and that he was "in listening mode."

U.N. SPECIAL ENVOY CONTINUES MEETINGS WITH LEBANESE LEADERS

The Secretary-Generals Special Envoy for the Implementation of

resolution 1559,

Terje Roed-Larsen, continued his visit to Beirut today.

Following meetings with an array of senior Lebanese government officials, Roed-Larsen further met with several prominent politicians, including former President Amin Gemayel, and former Prime Ministers Salim Hoss and Rafic Harriri.

He also held discussions with several members of Parliament including Walid Jumblat, Nassib Lahoud and Najib Mikati.

Larsens mission has been characterized by a spirit of dialogue and cooperation.

Tomorrow he heads for Damascus, where he is scheduled to meet Syrian President Bashir al-Assad. He will wrap up his visit to the region on Friday.

U.N. MISSION CONCERNED ABOUT RISING INSECURITY IN PARTS OF COTE DIVOIRE

The

UN Operation in Cote dIvoire today

expressed its concerns at the rising insecurity in certain parts of that country, and particularly in the commercial capital of Abidjan.

In order to put a stop to this increased level of criminal activities, the military and civilian police components of the UN mission have been carrying out joint patrols with the Ivorian Defence Forces.

The Mission appeals to the competent authorities to support the disarming and demobilization of armed groups, in conformity with

Security Council resolutions

1528 and

1572.

ANNAN CONDEMNED KILLING OF SENIOR TAMIL TIGER LEADER IN SRI LANKA

In a

statement issued late yesterday, the

Secretary-General condemned the killings of a senior political leader of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelams Eastern Province Division and several colleagues traveling with him when their vehicle came under attack in Sri Lanka on Monday evening.

The Secretary-General urges all parties to exercise calm and restraint so as to avoid actions that could disrupt the Cease-fire Agreement of February 2002 or the long-term interest of peace in Sri Lanka.

WORLD METEOROLOGICAL ORGANIZATION RESPONDS TO REPORTED FRAUD CASE

Asked about news reports of a corruption investigation at the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), the Spokeswoman said that the WMO is a specialized agency which is part of the UN family, but it has its own rules and regulations. She added that the WMO Secretariat answers, not to the UN Secretary-General but to the agencys governing assembly comprised of 187 member states, and that the WMOs Secretary-General is elected by the governing assembly and not by the UNs Secretary-General.

Having said that, the Spokeswoman said, WMO says the story first appeared in the media in December 2003; that the fraud was uncovered in July 2003 by WMO personnel; an internal investigation was launched, and the suspected staff member was suspended with pay until September 2003.

He was then dismissed in when it became clear there was criminal activity; since there was criminal activity, the staff members immunity was lifted and the case was forwarded to Swiss Judicial authorities. The Swiss have issued an arrest warrant for him through Interpol. He has not been found yet.

The staff members so-called widow never got a penny from the Organization.

Reforms relating to integrity, efficiency and transparency were instituted in Jan. 2004 by the new head of the organization.

OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS

UNICEF DELIVERS EDUCATIONAL SUPPLIES TO CHILDREN IN GAZA: The

United Nations Childrens Fund, or UNICEF, yesterday

delivered School-in-a-Box kits to some 10,000 children in impoverished areas in the Gaza Strip. The kits contain, among other things, exercise books, pencils and erasers. Also included in the distribution were psychosocial-related supplies for some 800 children in Khan Younis, an area recently affected by serious turmoil.

U.N. AGENCY SEEKS TO PROTECT REFUGEES FROM SEXUAL VIOLENCE IN KENYA: The

Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and its partners in Kenya have

launched a project to strengthen existing actions to prevent and respond to sexual and gender-based violence against refugees. Kenya hosts some 240,000 refugees in its northwest at Kakuma camp, and in the east at Dadaab camp.