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UN DAILY NEWS from the
UNITED NATIONS NEWS SERVICE
28 April, 2008 =========================================================================
SECURITY COUNCIL URGES PERPETRATORS OF KABUL ATTACK BE BROUGHT TO JUSTICE
The Security Council has strongly condemned yesterday’s terrorist attack on an official ceremony in the Afghan capital, Kabul, which was attended by President Hamid Karzai and other dignitaries, and urged that those responsible for this “reprehensible” act be brought to justice.
Mr. Karzai – who has survived three assassination attempts in recent years – escaped uninjured in the attack, which claimed the lives of two Parliament members and injured nine others, including two Afghan National Police officers.
While expressing their condolences to the families of the victims as well as to the people and Government of Afghanistan, members of the Council “underlined the need to bring perpetrators, organizers, financiers, and sponsors of this reprehensible act of terrorism to justice,” and urged all States to cooperate with the Afghan authorities in this regard.
In a statement read out to the press by Ambassador Dumisani Kumalo of South Africa, which holds the rotating presidency of the 15-member body for April, the Council noted that the Taliban had claimed responsibility for the attack.
It went on to stress that “no terrorist act can reverse the path to peace, democracy and reconstruction in Afghanistan which is supported by the people and the Government of Afghanistan and the international community.”
The incident also sparked outrage from Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon who, in a statement issued yesterday by his spokesperson, stressed that “the attack against the legitimate institutions of the Afghan state and the Afghan people is unacceptable.”
Mr. Ban also lauded the country’s security forces for their quick response to the attack which averted more deaths and for protecting Afghan officials and foreign diplomats at the event.
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SECRETARY-GENERAL URGES ISRAEL TO EXERCISE RESTRAINT AFTER LATEST VIOLENCE IN GAZA
Condemning today’s loss of civilian life in the Gaza Strip – including the “tragic” deaths of a mother and four of her children – Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon appealed to Israel to exercise maximum care and restraint.
In a statement issued by his spokesperson, Mr. Ban reminded the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) “of its responsibility to protect civilians under international humanitarian law during its military operations.”
The Secretary-General spoke out against the continuing attacks and rockets fired by Hamas today against Israel, calling on it and other militant groups to end such acts of terrorism. He also noted that they should not use Gaza as a base of operations.
“The mounting loss of civilian life in and around Gaza is deeply worrying,” Mr. Ban said, appealing for the situation to calm down immediately.
In a related development, the Palestinian Petrol Association today delivered 55,000 litres of diesel to the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), according to the Office of the UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process (UNSCO).
Today’s supply will allow UNRWA, which has not been able to deliver food supplies for the past three days, to resume its distribution for roughly six days.
However, the agency warned that the fuel delivery does not address the wider humanitarian problems in Gaza; the lack of diesel has impacted doctors’ commutes to hospitals and the ability of teachers and students to reach schools. Additionally, crops are not being irrigated, while cooking gas shortages have forced almost half of Gaza’s 47 bakeries to shut down operations.
UNSCO said that in a bid to come up with a proper distribution plan and the resumption of all services in Gaza, the Petrol Association is seeking a commitment from the Israeli Government for sufficient fuel supplies.
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ALARMED BY POST-ELECTION VIOLENCE IN ZIMBABWE, UN RIGHTS CHIEF URGES RESTRAINT
The United Nations human rights chief, alarmed at reports of continuing post-election hostilities in Zimbabwe, has called on the country’s political leaders to restrain their supporters and renounce the use of threats, intimidation and violence against opponents.
The humanitarian and political situation has worsened in Zimbabwe following the 29 March presidential election, in which the incumbent Robert Mugabe was challenged by Morgan Tsvangirai, leader of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC). The results of that poll have still not been announced.
“I am particularly concerned about reports of threats, intimidation, abuse and violence directed against NGOs [non-governmental organizations], election monitors, human rights defenders and other representatives of civil society,” UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour said in a statement issued on Sunday.
“The information I have received suggests an emerging pattern of political violence inflicted mainly, but not exclusively, on rural supporters of the opposition MDC party,” stated Ms. Arbour. “However, there are also some reports of MDC supporters resorting to violence and intimidation.”
The High Commissioner warned that if serious and systematic human rights violations persist, they will threaten efforts to resolve the current political crisis.
“If tolerance and respect for human rights continue their steep decline, the consequences will be grave for all Zimbabweans, and lead to further problems for neighbouring States,” she said.
Mr. Tsvangirai has appealed to the UN and the African Union to intervene in the situation in Zimbabwe. Meeting with Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon last week in Accra, during the UN chief’s official visit to Ghana, Mr. Tsvangirai lamented the lack of progress with the Southern African Development Community, which held a summit on the crisis earlier this month.
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UN PLAYING ENHANCED ROLE IN IRAQ, POLITICAL CHIEF TELLS SECURITY COUNCIL
The international community has a duty and an interest in showing sustained commitment to helping to bring peace and prosperity to Iraq as the country undergoes “a painful transition,” the senior United Nations political official told the Security Council today.
Briefing Council members on his recent visit to Iraq, Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs B. Lynn Pascoe said he was “absolutely convinced that the United Nations is doing its best…. the United Nations is playing an enhanced role in Iraq.”
He said Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has increased the world body’s presence in Baghdad to 140 and the number of international staff in Erbil to 40, while still taking strict measures to deal with the security situation.
The UN has also re-established its presence in Basra and is considering expanding its presence in the cities of Najaf, Ramadi and Kirkuk. An outreach programme that places national liaison officers in each governor’s office has deployed nine officers so far.
“UNAMI [the UN Assistance Mission in Iraq] and the Country Team have also adopted an area-based approach that expands activities where circumstances are more permissible,” Mr. Pascoe said, adding that the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has a “valuable presence” in the national capital as well.
The Under-Secretary-General detailed some of the UN assistance, such as field visits to help Iraqis resolve internal disputed territories, support for the holding of provincial elections scheduled for October and aid to refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs). In his briefing Mr. Pascoe – who last week also attended the regional meeting, in Kuwait, of Iraq and its neighbours – commended the Secretary-General’s Special Representative Staffan de Mistura and his staff for their dedication and esprit de corps.
“Several times during my visit, I was reminded of the risks that our staff face when the alarm systems sounded and instructed staff to take cover from the threat of indirect fire. We remain deeply conscious of the security threat and are constantly upgrading our mitigating measures in order to enhance the safety of our personnel in Iraq.”
While the UN remains grateful of Council members’ support of UNAMI’s work, he urged Member States to provide additional financial and logistical resources for the mission.
“Iraq is going through a political transition,” Mr. Pascoe stressed at the start of today’s open debate on the issue in the Council.
“The challenges of national reconciliation, reconstruction and development after decades of dictatorship and war are massive. I was impressed, however, by the seriousness and commitment of the Government of Iraq to address these challenges with a view to ending the suffering and achieving a tangible improvement in the lives of the Iraqi people. This is a long-term endeavour that requires the sustained support of the international community.”
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PROLONGED PRESIDENTIAL STAND-OFF IN LEBANON MUST END, UN REPORT STRESSES
Lebanon’s people “have a unique opportunity to open a new chapter in their difficult history” and they and their political representatives must rise to the occasion and elect a president without any preconditions other than those outlined in the national constitution, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon says in his latest report on the troubled country.
“Such an election would signify a major milestone on the road towards the full re-assertion of Lebanon’s sovereignty, territorial integrity, unity and political independence, as is the goal of resolution 1559,” Mr. Ban writes, referring to the Security Council resolution from 2004 that calls for free and fair presidential elections without interference from foreign influences.
The Lebanese Parliament has been unable to agree on a president for months, with the top office having been vacant since last November, despite repeated scheduled plans to conduct a vote.
“I regret that, despite the numerous calls of the Lebanese people and the international community, such an election has still not taken place in Lebanon,” Mr. Ban says in the report, published today.
“I firmly believe that the leaders of Lebanon must think first and foremost about the future of their country and transcend sectarian and individual interests. Parliament, which has not met in more than a year, must be allowed to convene urgently to fulfil its constitutional duties in order to elect a president without further delay.”
He adds that free and fair elections must be held immediately, warning that further delay will only complicate the adoption of electoral laws and the holding of parliamentary polls on schedule next year.
The Secretary-General also states that, “three years after Syria’s military withdrawal from Lebanon, [the] time has come for a re-definition and formalization of ties between the two historically close neighbours, in mutual respect for their sovereignty, territorial integrity and political independence.”
He calls on the two countries to establish full diplomatic relations and delineate their shared border, especially in the Shab’a Farms area, to promote the normalization of relations. In addition, the issue of Lebanese detainees in Syrian custody should also be tackled.
Turning to the disbanding of militias operating in Lebanese territory, the report says it is high time “to set aside this remaining vestige of the past” and disarm and disband all such remaining groups.
“Hizbollah’s maintenance of a paramilitary capacity poses a key challenge to the Government’s monopoly on the legitimate use of force.”
But it notes that the disarming and disbanding process should occur “through an inclusive political dialogue that addresses the political and economic interests of all the Lebanese.”
The report also voices concern about the continued challenges posed by the conditions inside Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon.
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UN GARDENING SCHEME PROVIDES FRESH START FOR AFGHAN WOMEN, EX-COMBATANTS
A United Nations gardening and literacy project for Afghan women and ex-combatants seeks to pave the way to peace and prosperity in the war-torn nation.
Aimed at reversing environmental damage wrought by decades of conflict, uncontrolled grazing and illegal logging, the Green Afghanistan Initiative (GAIN) – run by six UN agencies, led by the World Food Programme (WFP) – will give participants the chance to make a fresh start through literacy classes and setting up their own nurseries to generate an income.
“These nurseries are making a huge difference to the lives of ordinary Afghan people and also to our environment,” said Obaidulla Ghafouri, the programme’s coordinator, at the GAIN's Heart centre, noting that rural communities and farmers’ livelihoods have been impacted by deforestation.
He noted that the nurseries provide regular jobs for ex-combatants and also for women, who can support their families with income earned while attending literacy classes.
More than 500 GAIN nurseries have been set up throughout Afghanistan since 2005, and by the end of this year, more than 5 million plant saplings will have been grown and over 1 million trees planted.
The country is prone to desertification, and this has been exacerbated by limited rainfall, mismanagement, abuse of natural resources, droughts, floods and population growth.
GAIN-backed provincial re-forestation centres – seeking to boost public awareness on the issue – will be established, serving as both agricultural knowledge centres and high-yield nurseries.
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UN PROMOTES PEACEBUILDING IN KENYA AFTER ELECTION CRISIS
United Nations Volunteers (UNV) and the UN Development Programme (UNDP) have brought together 120 national leaders from around Kenya for a peacebuilding workshop following the violence and unrest that broke out after the country’s recent election.
Kenyans from the sports, music, media and education professions took part in the training, as well as members of faith organizations. The aim of the workshop, which ended on Saturday, was to promote community dialogue in collaboration with the Government.
Volunteer leaders from the workshop will use their skills to carry out conflict resolution in their own communities, as well as to promote control of small arms and to provide humanitarian relief.
Jeremiah Kemboi, a 32-year-old marathon runner, said that holding dialogues with his fellow athletes would contribute to peace and reconciliation. “I look forward to using my skills as a team leader to urge athletes to broker peace among the villages and the internally displaced persons [IDPs] from Nyakinyua farm close to my village Usamala,” he said.
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DR CONGO: UN CONDEMNS ATTACK WHICH LEAVES EIGHT CIVILIANS WOUNDED
The United Nations mission to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC) today condemned what it called a “criminal attack” on a lorry transporting civilians in the country’s South Kivu province, which left eight civilians injured, three of them seriously.
The attack took place shortly before midday today, 60 kilometres northwest of the provincial capital Bukavu. Seven masked assailants, wearing civilian clothes, opened fire on the lorry before ransacking it. Government soldiers from a nearby military post arrived on the scene shortly afterwards and forced the attackers to flee after a twenty-minute fire-fight.
Pakistani peacekeeping troops with MONUC arrived 45 minutes later, evacuated the three most seriously wounded to a hospital in Bukavu and treated the others on site.
MONUC has launched a search for the assailants and called on all illegal armed groups in both South and North Kivu provinces to cease their attacks on civilian populations and to lay down their arms.
The east of DRC has been plagued in recent years by violence committed by rival armed groups.
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SECRETARY-GENERAL BAN CHAIRS MEETING OF TOP OFFICIALS FROM ACROSS THE UN
The current global food crisis triggered by soaring prices, the safety and security of United Nations personnel and climate change dominated talks today involving Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and other senior officials from the world body.
The topics were discussed at the spring session of the Chief Executives Board, which brings together the heads of the world body’s various entities for regular meetings, in Bern, the Swiss capital, where Mr. Ban is on an official visit.
At a panel in Vienna last Friday, the Secretary-General stressed the urgency of tackling the food issue, noting that it is “very closely interlinked with development issues, climate change, food prices, our fight against disease and other equally important areas.”
He noted that the food crisis has hurt the world’s poorest and pushed 100 million people further into poverty, impeding the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), eight targets to slash a host of social ills by 2015.
“This has been a global challenge, so we need to address it in a collective way – globally,” Mr. Ban said in his remarks to a forum entitled “The United Nations and the European Union: Joining Forces for the Challenges of the 21st Century.”
Also participating in the events were Foreign Minister Ursula Plassnik of Austria and Dimitrij Rupel, Foreign Minister of Slovenia, which currently holds the EU’s rotating presidency.
Speaking to reporters in Vienna, the Secretary-General said that as a short-run response to the food crises, all humanitarian crises must be addressed.
“In the longer term, the international community, particularly the leaders of the international community, should sit down together on an urgent basis and address how we can, first of all, improve these economic systems, distributions systems, as well as how we can promote the improved production of agricultural products,” he added.
Later today, Mr. Ban is scheduled to meet with Pascal Couchepin, the President of Switzerland.
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GUINEA-BISSAU: UN FUND TO SPEND $6 MILLION ON PEACEBUILDING EFFORTS
The United Nations Peacebuilding Fund, set up to help countries emerging from conflict avoid relapsing into violence, has agreed to provide Guinea-Bissau with $6 million to support the Government’s efforts relating to the upcoming legislative elections, security sector reform, the judiciary, the police and youth employment.
Senior UN peacebuilding officials have provisionally approved Guinea-Bissau’s Interim Priority Plan on priority issues for funding. This follows Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s decision last month to declare Guinea-Bissau eligible for support from the Fund following the request of the Peacebuilding Commission.
A National Steering Committee co-chaired by the Secretary-General’s Representative in Guinea-Bissau, Shola Omoregie, was sworn in earlier this month, coinciding with the visit to the country of a delegation from the Peacebuilding Commission. Bringing together representatives of the UN, the Government, bilateral and multilateral donors and civil society, the Committee is tasked with overseeing the selection of projects and the allocation of funding.
Set up last year by the Secretary-General, the Peacebuilding Fund is designed to serve as a bridge between the phases of conflict and recovery, a period when other forms of financing are often not available to struggling nations. So far more than $248 million have been committed.
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UN OFFICIALS DENY COVER-UP OVER PEACEKEEPER PROBE IN DR CONGO
The United Nations has rebutted allegations that there was a cover-up of an internal investigation into alleged misconduct by UN peacekeepers working in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
Senior UN officials said that while the UN took the allegations very seriously, it believed the reports were misleading and false, and neglected to mention a number of important factors. Where allegations had been substantiated, action had been taken with the countries concerned, they added.
The reports, initially aired by the BBC, alleged that Pakistani troops with the mission to the DRC (known as MONUC) had engaged in illegal gold trafficking and re-arming of a militia group in eastern DRC, that the UN’s investigation into the case had been blocked for fear of alienating Pakistan, and that Indian troops were involved in illegally buying gold and using a UN helicopter to effect an exchange of ivory for ammunition.
A spokesperson for the Secretary-General, Marie Okabe, told a media briefing that the allegation that the UN had sought to cover up charges of weapons trafficking because of political sensitivities was false. She said the UN was following up with the Member States in question on the disciplinary action they had taken on the basis of the UN’s internal investigation.
Ms. Okabe said much of the information in the latest reports was based on hearsay or came from sources, including militia leaders, whose integrity and motivations were “highly questionable,” as they themselves had been arrested and imprisoned by UN peacekeepers.
The head of the UN’s Department of Peacekeeping Operations, Jean-Marie Guéhenno, addressed the allegations in detail in a letter to the BBC, saying there was no evidence for many of the charges, and that UN investigators had taken action against those involved when they had been able to substantiate allegations of misconduct.
Mr. Guéhenno said that while it was impossible to have no incidents of abuse among more than 110,000 UN peacekeepers, the UN was committed to zero tolerance, zero complacency and zero impunity. He added that the UN had asked the governments of Pakistan and India to take appropriate action against military personnel who were implicated in wrongdoing, and was waiting to hear what measures had been taken.
“We are committed to working with our partners in the troop and police contributing communities… to address incidents of misconduct when they do occur and to ensure that the unacceptable actions of a few do not undermine the good work being done by so many,” Mr. Guéhenno said.
Answering journalists’ questions, a senior official from the UN’s Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS) said that investigators had followed up every allegation against MONUC peacekeepers, but had been unable to substantiate most of them. He added that in some cases, investigators had interviewed the sources cited by the BBC, but had been given different information.
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KOSOVO DUO FACING TRIAL AT UN TRIBUNAL OVER ALLEGED INTIMIDATION OF WITNESS
Kosovo’s ex-minister for culture, youth and sport and a former newspaper editor will appear tomorrow before the United Nations International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) after being charged with contempt of court for allegedly trying to intimidate a witness in a war crimes trial.
Astrit Haraqija and Bajrush Morina are accused by prosecutors – in an indictment filed in January and made public by the ICTY on Friday – of attempting to persuade a protected witness with the codename PW not to testify against Ramush Haradinaj, the former prime minister of Kosovo.
Mr. Haradinaj, who was a prominent commander of the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) during the conflict with Serb forces in 1998-99, was acquitted by the ICTY earlier this month of a series of charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity, including murder, rape, torture, abduction, cruel treatment, imprisonment and the forced deportation of Serbian and Kosovar Roma civilians.
When they announced the verdict, the judges said the tribunal had encountered many difficulties in securing testimony from witnesses during the trials of Mr. Haradinaj and his two co-accused.
The indictment released on Friday states that Mr. Haraqija, a former minister of culture, youth and sport in Kosovo, was one of the three co-founders of the “Defence Committee for Ramush Haradinaj.” Mr. Morina was his employee, working as a political adviser, and then also as a part-time editor at Bota Sot, a Kosovo newspaper.
PW was granted protective measures in 2005 and early last year his unredacted witness statements were disclosed by prosecutors to the defence teams of Mr. Haradinaj and his co-accused.
The indictment alleges that after learning of the identity of the witness last July, Mr. Haraqija instructed Mr. Morina to travel to PW’s country of residence to persuade him not to testify, and that Mr. Morina met with the witness on 10-11 July in a trip paid for by the ministry.
PW eventually did testify at the trial, according to the indictment.
Meanwhile, a former senior Bosnian Croat figure, Jadranko Prlić, facing trial on war crimes charges has been granted temporary provisional leave by the ICTY on humanitarian grounds. On Friday the tribunal agreed to release Mr. Prlić until the start of his defence case, scheduled for Monday.
Mr. Prlic and five other co-accused, all former high-level leaders in the Bosnian Croat wartime entity known as Herceg-Bosna, stand accused of war crimes committed in 1992 and 1993 against Bosnian Muslims and other non-Croats in south-western and central Bosnia and Herzegovina, especially the municipalities of Prozor, Gornji Vakuf, Jablanica, Mostar, Ljubuški, Stolac, Capljina and Vareš.
The many charges include murder, rape, unlawful deportation, imprisonment, cruel treatment, unlawful labour, the wanton destruction of cities, towns and villages, and persecutions on political, racial or religious grounds.
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UN TO ASSIST AFRICAN FARMERS THREATENED BY CLIMATE CHANGE
Some 10,000 farmers in five African countries, where crops are expected to be badly affected by climate change, are to receive help from the United Nations World Meteorological Organization (WMO) in the form of low-cost rain gauge equipment and roving seminars provided by agricultural experts.
With the help of Spain, WMO will distribute the rain gauges to volunteer farmers in Burkina Faso, Mali, Mauritania, Niger and Senegal, and train them in using rainfall data to plan sowing, fertilizer application and harvesting. The goal of the roving seminars is to support farmers’ self-reliance by supplying them with information on weather and climate risk management.
In West Africa, the area suitable for agriculture, the length of the growing season, and crop yields, especially along the margins of arid and semi-arid areas, are all expected to decrease, according to projections by the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). In some African countries, yield from rain-fed farming could be reduced by up to 50 per cent by 2020.
The assistance plan was announced on Friday after a meeting in Niamey, Niger, which was organized by WMO and the State Meteorological Agency of Spain.
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TRIAL OF CONGOLESE DEFENDANT ‘CRUCIAL STEP’ TO END IMPUNITY – SENIOR UN OFFICIAL
The trial of Thomas Lubanga Dyilo, who has been charged by the International Criminal Court (ICC) with recruiting child soldiers in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), will be “a crucial step in the fight against impunity and will have a decisive deterrent effect against perpetrators of this outrageous crime against humanity,” according to the United Nations Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict.
Mr. Lubanga is the founder and leader of the Union of Congolese Patriots in the Ituri region of DRC. He will be tried for the conscription and enlistment of children under the age of 15, and the use of children for active participation in hostilities.
Special Representative Radhika Coomaraswamy spoke today after submitting a legal brief to the court, which is located in The Hague in the Netherlands.
The brief contains observations on the definition of “conscripting and enlisting” children and on the interpretation of the term “participation in hostilities.” Ms. Coomaraswamy is urging a case by case approach with a broad definition of the terms in order to capture the true reality of what has happened in DRC.
The trial of Mr. Lubanga will be the first to be held by the court, and is set to begin in June.
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BIOFUEL PRODUCTION IS ‘CRIMINAL PATH’ LEADING TO GLOBAL FOOD CRISIS – UN EXPERT
The United States and the European Union have taken a “criminal path” by contributing to an explosive rise in global food prices through using food crops to produce biofuels, according to the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the right to food.
Speaking at a press conference today in Geneva, Jean Ziegler said that fuel policies pursued by the US and the EU were one of the main causes of the current worldwide food crisis. Mr. Ziegler said that last year the US used a third of its corn crop to create biofuels, while the European Union is planning to have 10 per cent of its petrol supplied by biofuels. The Special Rapporteur has called for a five-year moratorium on the production of biofuels.
Mr. Ziegler also said that speculation on international markets was behind 30 per cent of the increase in food prices. He said that companies such as Cargill, which controls a quarter of all cereal production, have enormous power over the market. He added that hedge funds are also making huge profits from raw materials markets, and called for new financial regulations to prevent such speculation.
The Special Rapporteur warned of worsening food riots and a “horrifying” increase in deaths by starvation before reforms could take effect. Mr. Ziegler was speaking before a meeting today in Bern, Switzerland, between Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and the heads of key UN agencies.
Meanwhile, speaking in Rome today, a nutritionist with the UN World Food Programme (WFP), said that “global price rises mean that food is literally being taken out of the mouths of hungry children whose parents can no longer afford to feed them.”
Andrew Thorne-Lyman said that even temporarily depriving children of the nutrients they need to grow and thrive can leave permanent scars in terms of stunting their physical growth and intellectual potential. He said that families in the developing world are “finding their buying power has been slashed by food price rises, meaning that they can buy less food or food which isn’t as nutritious.”
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ASIA-PACIFIC MUST ENCOURAGE SUSTAINABLE, EFFICIENT ENERGY USE – BAN KI-MOON
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today called on Asia-Pacific countries to promote the sustainable and efficient use of energy, given the backdrop of surging oil prices and the health problems caused by traditional fuels.
“The Asia-Pacific is lagging behind in providing access to energy services,” Mr. Ban said in a message to the ministerial segment of the 64th session of the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), delivered by its Executive Secretary Noeleen Heyzer.
He pointed out that 1.7 billion people in the region rely on traditional biomass fuels – the largest number of victims from indoor air pollution caused by burning these fuels is in the Asia-Pacific – and 1 billion lacking access to electricity.
The Secretary-General stressed that while climbing energy prices have dominated the news, their impact on people is often forgotten.
“The victims are very poor people who have no access to affordable and reliable energy supply to meet their daily subsistence requirements,” he observed. “They pay a much higher price – in terms of failing health; lost opportunities for education or employment, especially for girls and women; and degraded environment.”
With per capita energy consumption more than doubling between 1990 and 2004 in the Asia-Pacific region – outpacing the rest of the world – Mr. Ban appealed to attendees to encourage more efficient use of energy, better management, cleaner production and consumption.
During the session, some 350 government officials, business leaders and civil society representatives are meeting today as part of the annual Asia-Pacific Business Forum with the theme, “Energy Security: Opportunities through Regional Energy Cooperation and Public-Private Partnerships.”
Discussions at this one-day meeting are expected to culminate in policy recommendations which will be conveyed to a Ministerial Round Table on energy security and sustainable development on 28 April.
In a study prepared for the Commission session entitled “Energy Security and Sustainable Development in Asia and the Pacific,” ESCAP stressed how energy deprivation in the region’s developing countries impacts poverty reduction efforts and impedes the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), eight anti-poverty targets.
The report warned that the Asia-Pacific cannot rely on continuing increases in its energy supply to spur its economic growth. If the region’s energy needs continue growing at the current rate, it will account for half of the world’s energy demand by 2030, 80 per cent of which will be for oil, coal and other fossil fuels, which will result in massive carbon emissions.
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