United Nations Daily Highlights, 08-03-25

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

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NOON BRIEFING

BY MICHELE MONTAS

SPOKESPERSON FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL BAN KI-MOON

UN HEADQUARTERS, NEW YORK

Tuesday, March 25, 2008

BAN KI-MOON DEEPLY CONCERNED BY PROSPECT OF RENEWED MIDDLE EAST VIOLENCE

The Security Council is holding an open debate on the Middle East today. Briefing the Council this morning, the Secretary-General said he was deeply concerned about the prospect of renewed violence in Gaza and southern Israel, and what this would mean both for the civilian populations in the conflict zone and for the peace process we are all trying to advance.

He added that the peace process is too important to be allowed to lose momentum through inaction or indifference, or to be overwhelmed by violence.

Also briefing the Council was Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs B. Lynn Pascoe. He said he regretted that, over the past month, continuing efforts to advance the political process were once again overshadowed by violence, high numbers of civilian casualties and a lack of concrete improvements on the ground. But he added that the very fact that the political process between Israelis and Palestinians is continuing is extremely important.

Pascoe also said the international community and all regional parties should give strong support to efforts to bring about a cessation of violence in and around Gaza and a reopening of crossings, in an atmosphere where the security concerns of the Palestinians, Israel and Egypt are addressed.

On Lebanon, he said the country continues to be in the grip of a deep political crisis. The longer the stalemate continues, the greater the chance for the situation to deteriorate further, both politically and in terms of the security situation.

SLAVE TRADE ONE OF THE GREATEST ATROCITIES IN HISTORY

The first annual commemoration of the International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade got underway this morning in Conference Room One. There have been performances by musicians, dancers and other artists from across Africa and the Caribbean, as well as a keynote speech from UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador Harry Belafonte.

The Secretary-General, in his remarks, called the transatlantic slave trade one of the greatest atrocities in history, one which left a terrible legacy that continues to dehumanize and oppress people around the world to this day.

To atone for this crime, he said, we must honour the slave trades victims by remembering their struggle and making sure that no person is deprived of liberty, dignity and human rights, including in our time as a result of forced labour and human trafficking. He added that countries that prospered from the slave trade must also examine the origins of present-day social inequality and work to unravel mistrust between communities.

40 U.N STAFF MEMBERS STILL UNDER ARREST, DETAINED OR MISSING

Today is also the International Day of Solidarity with Detained and Missing Staff Members here at the UN. And the Secretary-General, in a message marking the occasion, says there are still 40 UN staff members under arrest, detained or missing today. Most of them are national staff.

The Secretary-General also pays tribute to the victims of the December 11th, 2007, bombing of the UN offices in Algiers. He pledges to make paramount the safety and security of UN staff and to seek cooperation at the highest levels to achieve this goal.

He added that he will also demand that Member States prosecute crimes against the UN and urged Member States which have not yet done so to sign up to Convention on the Safety of UN and Associated Personnel.

SECRETARY-GENERAL URGES WORLD COMMUNITY TO HELP CONSOLIDATE LIBERIAS POST-CONFLICT GAINS

In his latest report on Liberia, now out on the racks, the Secretary-General notes that the overall political situation there remains stable, and the economy is growing briskly. Progress has been made in reforming the security sector, regaining control of natural resources and consolidating Government authority throughout the country, he says.

But more progress is needed on legal and judicial reforms, the reintegration of war-affected populations and the extension of the rule of law throughout the country, he says. In addition, significant challenges remain to be addressed, including pervasive poverty, food insecurity, corruption, high unemployment, poor infrastructure, and inadequate basic services.

The Secretary-General appeals to international donors to support Liberia in these efforts.

ONE MILLION SOUTHERN AFRICANS HIT BY FLOODS, CYCLONES

Nearly one million people in Southern Africa have been affected this year by weather-related events, such as cyclones and heavy flooding. That is according to the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, which says Madagascar, Mozambique and Malawi have been the worst hit.

UN agencies are continuing their relief efforts throughout the region. A US$36 million Madagascar Flash Appeal launched three weeks ago has been roughly one-third funded. But the US$89 million requested through the Southern African Region Preparedness and Response Plan 2008, which was launched in early February, has only been about 15 per cent funded.

GHANA SHOULD STOP FORCIBLY DEPORTING LIBERIAN REFUGEES

The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) today urged Ghana to cease forcible removals of Liberian refugees, two days after the Ghanaian authorities deported 16 Liberians, 13 of whom were registered by UNHCR as refugees.

The Refugee Agency regrets the deportation of the group of refugees on Sunday and hopes that its ongoing negotiations with the Ghanaian authorities will help to resolve the situation of several hundred Liberians refugees who are in detention.

UNHCR is also engaged in the effort to resettle Bhutanese refugees, who had been living in Nepal, to live in the United States.

IN HISTORIC MILESTONE, SOMALIA IS AGAIN POLIO-FREE

Somalia is again polio-free, according to an

announcement today by the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, which is spearheaded in part by UNICEF and the World Health Organization (WHO).

The Initiative said the use of innovative approaches tailored to conflict areas was pivotal in stopping polio in Somalia. These included increased community involvement and the effective use of certain vaccines that could immunize children in insecure areas with several doses, within a short period of time.

According to WHO, this truly historic achievement shows that polio can be eradicated everywhere, even in the most challenging and difficult settings.

POTATO MAY BE THE FOOD OF THE FUTURE

With cereal prices soaring worldwide, potatoes require less land to produce more food than maize, wheat or rice. That could make the potato the food of the future, according to some scientists.

Harnessing the potatos potential for agriculture, the economy and food security, especially in the worlds poorest countries, is the focus of a four-day international conference that opened today in Cusco, Peru. The event is part of the UN International Year of the Potato.

OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS

GREECE AND F.Y.R. MACEDONIA CONTINUE TALKS IN DISPUTE OVER NAME: The Secretary-Generals Personal Envoy for Greece and The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Matthew Nimetz, will be holding continued discussions with the parties on the name issue this afternoon here at UN Headquarters.

SPOKESPERSON CONFIRMS TEMPORARY HEAD OF CYPRUS MISSION: Asked who will replace Michael Moller as the Secretary-Generals Special Representative for Cyprus, the Spokeswoman confirmed that Elizabeth Spehar will serve as interim head of the UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) pending the naming of a new Special Representative. Spehar is the Director of the Americas and Europe Division in the UN's Department of Political Affairs, Montas said.

SECRETARY-GENERAL TO PHONE NEW PAKISTAN PRIME MINISTER TODAY: Asked about the Secretary-Generals response to the swearing-in of a democratically-elected Prime Minister in Pakistan, the Spokeswoman said that the Secretary-General would speak by phone with Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani in the next few hours.

SECRETARY-GENERAL HAS RECEIVED NEPALS INVITATION TO VISIT: Asked about a letter from the Government of Nepal inviting him to visit the country in April, the Spokeswoman confirmed that the letter has been received and is under consideration.