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UN DAILY NEWS from the
UNITED NATIONS NEWS SERVICE
13 June, 2008 =========================================================================
PLAN TO RECONFIGURE UN PRESENCE IN KOSOVO ‘LEAST OBJECTIONABLE’ OPTION – BAN
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said today that while his proposal to reconfigure the world body’s presence in Kosovo, giving the European Union an enhanced role, may not please everyone, it was the “least objectionable” option.
“I am well aware that this package may not fully satisfy all sides,” Mr. Ban told reporters in London after his meeting with British Prime Minister Gordon Brown.
“Yet it is my honest belief, after considerable time discussing this issue with all concerned parties, that what I have proposed will prove to be the least objectionable course to all, and can offer us a way forward,” he added.
In the wake of Kosovo’s decision earlier this year to declare its independence from Serbia, Mr. Ban has submitted to the Security Council plans to adjust the mandate of the UN Interim Administration in Kosovo (UNMIK).
Under his proposal, the EU would play an enhanced operational role in the rule of law area under a UN “umbrella” headed by his Special Representative, in line with the original 1999 resolution that established the mission.
The Secretary-General has written to both President Boris Tadic in Belgrade and Fatmir Sejdiu in Pristina to inform them of the plans.
Mr. Ban said he discussed the proposals with Mr. Brown today, as well as with other key stakeholders yesterday while in Paris for the International Conference in Support of Afghanistan.
“My aim has been to pursue a modus vivendi that is acceptable to the parties and would be supported by the key international stakeholders. I sincerely believe that this package achieves that goal,” the Secretary-General stated.
While in London, Mr. Ban met with British Foreign Minister David Miliband. In addition, the Secretary-General and his wife, Ban Soon-taek, had an audience with Queen Elizabeth II.
In an address to the UN Association of the UK, Mr. Ban also stressed the central role of the Organization in world affairs, highlighting the UN’s work on climate change, global health, terrorism, disarmament and non-proliferation.
“I am convinced that if we do not collaborate on these four global challenges now, they will escalate to global threats of irreversible proportions in the future,” he told the gathering, held at the Royal Geographical Society.
“These issues differ qualitatively from all other matters of global concern because: they endanger all countries – rich and poor – and all people; they cross borders and are highly contagious; and they can only be resolved with action by all nations and all peoples,” the Secretary-General said.
He added that today’s complex and global challenges represent exactly the environment in which the UN should thrive since no country can resolve these problems on its own. “They signal a world where the United Nations can, and must, grow and take on new roles, develop and deliver on new fronts,” he said.
Mr. Ban heads to Jeddah on Saturday for a meeting with Saudi King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud, before returning to the UK on Sunday for further talks with British officials and to mark the 60th anniversary of the London-based International Maritime Organization.
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UN AGENCY DEPLORES KILLING OF FOOD CONVOY DRIVER IN SOUTHERN SOMALIA
The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has condemned the murder of one of its truck drivers who was gunned down yesterday in southern Somalia while delivering food aid, the third incident of its kind this year.
Hassan Abdi, who was part of a convoy of WFP-contracted trucks carrying 328 metric tons of food from Mogadishu to Bay and Bakool regions, was killed by gunmen shortly after dawn near the village of Leego.
“We strongly condemn this attack on personnel and trucks delivering life-saving food,” said WFP’s Deputy Country Director Denise Brown. “Our condolences go to the family of Hassan Abdi.”
Ms. Brown noted that Somalia is one of the most difficult places for humanitarian agencies to operate, and it appears to be getting more dangerous.
“We urge all parties to ensure the safe passage of humanitarian staff and cargo across the country, especially at a time when we are trying to feed more people and need to double food deliveries,” she added.
The humanitarian situation in the country – which has not had a functioning government since 1991 – has been getting worse in recent months due to rising insecurity, soaring food prices and a worsening drought. It is estimated that up to 3.5 million people – almost half the population – may require food aid during the course of this year.
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COMMITMENTS ON HIV/AIDS MUST BE MATCHED BY ACTIONS – ASSEMBLY PRESIDENT
The world’s renewed momentum to tackle the HIV/AIDS pandemic must be matched by accelerated efforts to implement commitments to obtain universal access to prevention, treatment and care by 2010, General Assembly President Srgjan Kerim says after wrapping up a high-level meeting on the issue.
In his closing remarks last night to the three-day meeting, held at UN Headquarters in New York, Mr. Kerim stressed the need for leadership and political accountability, saying Member States need to sustain and scale up the progress they have made so far.
“We must not lose the momentum of our global response,” he said. “For every two people that begin HIV treatment, there are five new HIV/AIDS infections.”
More than 160 Member States and observers took part in this week’s debate, which reviewed the progress towards the internationally agreed goal to achieve universal access to care, prevention and treatment by 2010.
Mr. Kerim said it was vital to remember that HIV/AIDS was a public health issue as well as a development issue, and that the disease is among the biggest threats to sustained economic developments in some countries, especially in sub-Saharan Africa.
“An effective response to the pandemic must therefore become a central feature of all our development efforts. This means that strengthening public health systems, including by stemming the brain drain, must go hand in hand with an effective national strategy to combat HIV/AIDS.”
Human rights and gender equality must be at the core of an effective response to the pandemic, he added.
“The rights of people living with AIDS, and other vulnerable groups, must be protected, including women’s rights to make informed decisions about their sexual health.”
The Assembly President also called for much better access to prevention, treatment and support services, especially for at-risk populations such as sex workers, men who have sex with men, injecting drug users and transgender people.
Peter Piot, Executive Director of the Joint UN Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), said the meeting highlighted the collective consensus “that there is still so much to do.
“We must capitalize on the commitment to urgently scale up services,” Dr. Piot said. “UNAIDS will continue to support countries in maintaining an exceptional, long-term response to the epidemic.”
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HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS ZIMBABWEAN CHILDREN AT RISK AFTER AID BAN – UNICEF
The health of hundreds of thousands of Zimbabwean children is in jeopardy because of last week’s decision by the country’s authorities to ban non-governmental organizations (NGOs) from distributing aid, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) warned today.
“The situation in the last week has certainly got a lot worse for Zimbabwe’s children because so many hundreds of thousands of them are dependent on aid,” UNICEF spokesperson James Elder said.
UNICEF had been providing support to more than 185,000 orphans in the impoverished Southern African country but it has suspended its programmes in the wake of the Government decision on 5 June to ban aid distribution.
Many Zimbabweans were already suffering from food shortages and rampant inflation and the situation has been exacerbated by the violence plaguing the country ahead of the presidential run-off election between incumbent Robert Mugabe and opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai, which is scheduled for 27 June.
“Many of those children are now seeing horrendous levels of violence that are sweeping through rural areas,” Mr. Elder said. “This is something that UNICEF has repeatedly made its objection to.
“We’ve got several weeks now of great uncertainty. It’s winter – it’s a time that children can ill-afford to be held hostage to any type of politicking.”
UNICEF’s warning echoes that of UN Emergency Relief Coordinator John Holmes, who briefed the Security Council yesterday “on what is a very worrying and very serious and deteriorating humanitarian in Zimbabwe.”
Estimating that up to 4 million people – or about a third of the national population – are now in need of aid, Mr. Holmes urged Zimbabwe to rescind its decision to suspend the NGO aid distribution.
“I hope it will prove to be temporary,” he told reporters after the briefing. “There are some indications from the Government of Zimbabwe that it will be temporary and that they might even relax it in some ways, but we need to see that translated into practice. If it went on longer than the immediate pre-electoral run-off period, the consequences could be very serious indeed.”
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, speaking to journalists in London after a meeting there with British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, stressed the need to end the violence engulfing Zimbabwe.
“When I had a meeting with President [Robert] Mugabe last week in Rome, I emphasized the importance of ensuring that there would be no further violence, and that this forthcoming presidential run-off election should be held in a most transparent and fair and convincing and credible way, and I urged him to take all necessary measures to ensure that,” Mr. Ban said.
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UN FOOD AGENCY LAUNCHES FOUR-YEAR PLAN FOR GLOBAL FOOD CRISIS
The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has announced a new four-year strategic plan to tackle soaring levels of hunger caused by the global food crisis.
“This strategic plan marks a revolution in food aid that supports local markets in breaking the cycle of hunger,” Josette Sheeran, WFP’s Executive Director said today.
“I call this our 80-80-80 solution,” she told WFP’s Board members gathered in Rome this week. “80 per cent of our cash for food is spent in the developing world, 80 per cent of our ground transport is procured in the developing world, and 80 per cent of our staff is hired locally in the developing world.”
WFP spends more than $2 billion a year on food, transport and staff in the developing world.
The new strategic plan emphasizes life-saving emergency aid, such as for 3 million vulnerable people in Darfur, but it also focuses on prevention, local purchase of food, and using targeted cash and voucher programs when food is available locally but not accessible for the hungry.
The announcement of WFP’s four-year strategic plan follows last week’s High-Level Conference on World Food Security in Rome, where world leaders gathered to discuss hunger and agriculture development issues against the backdrop of high global food and fuel prices.
The tools laid out in the plan include early warning systems and vulnerability analysis, as well as preparedness and disaster reduction and mitigation, and effective emergency response in life-saving situations.
The plan also includes spending to strengthen smallholder farming, local transport and communication networks, as well as school meals and support for mother-and-child health and nutrition programmes.
Last year, WFP used its cash resources to purchase $612 million worth of food in 69 developing countries.
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BAN URGES PLANNING NOW AHEAD OF SEPTEMBER’S INTERNATIONAL DAY OF PEACE
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has called on governments, communities and individuals to start preparations to celebrate the International Day of Peace, which is observed annually on 21 September.
In a video message marking 100 days until the Day, Mr. Ban urged people around the world to “take this Day of ceasefire and non-violence very seriously. We need to start planning for it now.”
The International Day was established in 1981 by the General Assembly, which called for people around the world to use the Day as an opportunity to promote the resolution of conflict and to observe a cessation of hostilities during it.
Mr. Ban noted that there are places where peace has been restored, adding that “much of this has happened with the help of the United Nations.”
For example, the people of Sierra Leone and Nepal have voted in democratic elections following years of conflict, and societies are rebuilding in Burundi, Liberia and Timor-Leste.
“These experiences show us that real peace is possible, if we work collectively to make it happen,” said Mr. Ban, who urged everyone around the world to begin preparing concrete activities for the Day and beyond.
“On 21 September, let us send a real signal of our universal desire for peace,” he stated.
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SOUTH-EAST EUROPEAN STATES AGREE AT UN SUMMIT TO USE WATERWAYS TO PROMOTE PEACE
The leaders or representatives of nine South-East European countries have pledged today at a United Nations-organized meeting to use the region’s waterways to encourage greater cultural understanding.
The Athens Declaration, adopted by seven Heads of State and two high-level representatives, emphasizes the importance of rivers, lakes and maritime routes in contributing to regional cooperation.
“No civilization and no culture is monolithic as both are the result of millennia of contacts and exchanges,” according to the declaration, which was reached at a summit in the Greek capital co-organized by the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Greece, Montenegro, Romania, Serbia and Turkey committed themselves to developing a pool of joint projects involving the waterways to contribute to regional peace and stability.
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UN OFFICIAL SAYS FINANCIAL CONTROLS ON IRAQI OIL PROCEEDS ‘DEFICIENT’
The United Nations representative on the international body monitoring the handling of more than $100 billion in proceeds from sales of Iraqi oil says financial controls are “deficient” although progress has been made in some areas.
Warren Sach, the Secretary-General’s representative on the International Advisory and Monitoring Board (IAMB) for Iraq, reported to the Security Council today on independent audits that were carried out on the Development Fund for Iraq (DFI) in 2007.
Under Security Council Resolution 1483, $106 billion was deposited with DFI from petroleum sales between 2003 and 2007. A further $10.4 billion from the balance of the UN oil-for-food programme was deposited with DFI as well as $1.5 billion from Iraq’s frozen assets.
“The results of the audits in 2007 indicate that, while many efforts are being made, sometimes at great personal sacrifice, the overall financial system of controls in place in the [Iraqi] spending ministries, the US agencies handling of outstanding commitments using DFI resources and the Iraqi administration of DFI resources remain deficient and financial management reforms need to be pursued further,” Mr. Sach said in his report.
Mr. Sach said that the IAMB aims to ensure that the IDF is used in a transparent manner for the benefit of the Iraqi people and that export sales of petroleum were consistent with international market best practices.
He said that audit reports on DFI have highlighted weaknesses in internal financial controls, including incomplete record keeping at the Iraqi Ministry of Finance, lack of a comprehensive oil metering system, sale of oil and oil products outside of the DFI, incomplete contract information associated with US agencies’ contracts and bartering.
The UN comptroller also reported that fewer than 15 per cent of previous recommendations to Iraqi spending ministries had been implemented. While noting that some progress had been made, “further measures to strengthen the internal control framework are necessary,” Mr. Sach added.
On oil metering, Mr. Sach said it was a key factor to achieve financial transparency and accountability and was in accordance with standard oil industry practices, but he noted that while some metering had been installed at oil terminals, there continued to be no metering in oil fields.
“The IAMB continues to view this matter as urgent, especially in light of the auditor’s report that showed unreconciled differences related to production, export sales and internal consumption,” he said.
Mr. Sach added that the Iraqi State Oil Marketing Organization continued to use barter transactions, which made it difficult to establish whether fair value had been received for the country’s oil exports, although a barter arrangement with a neighbouring country ceased as of 31 December 2007.
In a related development, the Security Council released a press statement noting “continued political, security and humanitarian challenges facing Iraq,” but also recognizing “the important efforts made by the Iraqi Government to improve security, national reconciliation, budget execution, reconstruction, and economic progress, as well as combat terrorism and sectarian violence across Iraq.”
Also today, the UN Special Adviser on Iraq, Ibrahim Gambari, in a briefing to the Council, said “there is indeed new hope that the people and Government of Iraq have started to overcome daunting challenges and to work together at rebuilding their country.”
Mr. Gambari noted that there had been security improvements in many parts of the country and that there had been steady progress in improving the capacity of Iraqi security forces, as well as the curbing of militias and other armed groups.
“The situation still remains fragile,” Mr. Gambari reported. “Ordinary Iraqis continue to face the threat of violence in the form of terrorist attacks, sectarianism or criminal acts and violations of human rights continue to occur.”
However, the Special Adviser said that there had been indications of progress on political dialogue in the country. He cited reports that talks on the return of the leading Sunni bloc, Tawafuq, to the Government were apparently progressing well, and added that Turkoman representatives had ended their 18-month boycott of the Kirkuk Provincial Council.
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HEAD OF IRAN SANCTIONS MONITORING GROUP REPORTS TO SECURITY COUNCIL
The chairman of the Security Council committee monitoring sanctions imposed against Iran today updated the 15-member body on the number of countries which have reported on their implementation of these measures, and the work carried out by the panel during the past three months.
Ambassador Jan Grauls of Belgium told an open meeting of the Council that “to date, the reporting figures are: 89 reports under resolution 1737, 76 reports under resolution 1747, and 51 reports under resolution 1803.”
Resolution 1737 of December 2006 banned trade with Iran in all items, materials, equipment, goods and technology which could contribute to the country’s enrichment-related, reprocessing or heavy water-related activities, or to the development of nuclear-weapon delivery systems.
In March 2007 the Council adopted resolution 1747, further tightening the sanctions by imposing a ban on arms sales and expanding the freeze on assets.
The 15-member body imposed further sanctions against Iran in resolution 1803, adopted in March of this year. These included the inspection of cargo suspected of carrying prohibited goods, the tighter monitoring of financial institutions and the extension of travel bans and asset freezes, over its nuclear programme.
Mr. Grauls also reported that the committee now had revised guidelines for its work that incorporated the relevant provisions of the three separate resolutions. In addition, the group consolidated the annexes to the three texts – containing the names of individuals and entities subject to the travel ban, travel notification or assets freeze – into a single list.
By resolution 1737 the committee is also tasked with seeking information from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on actions it has taken to implement measures imposed by the resolution, defining the scope of the technical cooperation provided to Iran.
In this regard, Mr. Grauls said that the IAEA had informed the committee that no projects had been added to its technical cooperation programme with Iran since the Agency’s February 2007 report, which was updated the following August.
Iran’s nuclear programme – which its officials have stated is for peaceful purposes, but some other countries contend is driven by military ambitions – has been a matter of international concern since the discovery in 2003 that the country had concealed its nuclear activities for 18 years in breach of its obligations under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).
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SECURITY COUNCIL EXTENDS MANDATE OF UN PEACEKEEPING FORCE IN CYPRUS
The Security Council agreed today to extend the mandate of the United Nations peacekeeping mission in Cyprus (UNFICYP) by another six months and the top UN political official announced plans to visit the Mediterranean island next week as discussions continue on possible reunification.
Council members voted unanimously to keep UNFICYP, which has operated since 1964 after the eruption of violence between the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot communities, in place through 15 December this year.
They also welcomed the agreements between the leaders of the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot communities that have emerged during their tête-à-tête discussions this year, particularly their commitment “to a bicommunal, bizonal federation with political equality” and to such confidence-building measures as the re-opening of the Ledra Street crossing in Nicosia.
The resolution urges both sides “to build on the present momentum and continue their efforts to identify, to the greatest possible extent, areas of convergence and disagreement, while preparing options where feasible on the more sensitive elements, and to work to ensure that fully-fledged negotiations can begin expeditiously and smoothly.”
Meanwhile, a UN spokesperson told reporters that Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs B. Lynn Pascoe will visit Cyprus on Tuesday for consultations about the ongoing political process.
He is expected to hold talks with Greek Cypriot leader Demetrios Christofias and Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat.
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SPANISH HUSBAND-AND-WIFE TEAM BECOME UNESCO ARTISTS FOR PEACE
Two renowned Spanish performers, the soprano Montserrat Figueras and the composer, conductor and viola de gambist Jordi Savall, are set to become the newest Artists for Peace with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
Ms. Figueras and Mr. Savall – who are married to each other – will receive the designation “for their outstanding musical commitment to intercultural dialogue and their contribution to furthering the Organization’s ideals,” UNESCO said in a statement released today.
The two performers will be honoured in a ceremony at UNESCO headquarters in Paris on Tuesday, after which they will stage a concert.
Born in 1941, Mr. Savall has created three major ensembles that have performed in early music festivals around the world over the past 30 years. He has also conducted many orchestras and written scores for films.
Ms. Figueras, born in 1948, is renowned for her personal and distinctive interpretation of early vocal music and founded the Hesperion XXI ensemble with Mr. Savall.
Other UNESCO Artists for Peace include the Brazilian singer Gilberto Gil, the Canadian singer Céline Dion, the Mozambican painter Malangatana, the Chinese actress Gong Li and the Spanish flamenco dancer Joaquín Cortés.
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UN TOURISM CHIEF UNVEILS PLAN TO STEP DOWN EARLY
The head of the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) announced today that he is stepping down at the start of next year to ensure a smooth transition before the scheduled end of his final term in office.
Francesco Frangialli, Secretary-General of the Madrid-based agency, told its Executive Council that membership of UNWTO had expanded to 153 States during his leadership, and more States are expected to join soon.
He said his main achievements as Secretary-General included the creation of a universally accepted system to measure the impact on tourism on national economies, and the adoption of the Global Code of Ethics for Tourism to encourage responsible and sustainable tourism.
Last year the number of international tourists worldwide climbed to 898 million arrivals, a 6 per cent jump on the previous year’s totals. Every major region experienced an above-average increase.
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UN DISTRIBUTES SEEDS IN MAURITANIA AS PART OF INITIATIVE ON GLOBAL FOOD CRISIS
Trucks loaded with more than 500 tons of seed left the Mauritanian capital Nouakchott today for six regional capitals, marking the beginning of emergency measures under an initiative by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) introduced to deal with the global food crisis.
About 20 trucks full of sorghum, millet, maize and cowpea seeds, are on their way to the country’s south and south east through the FAO’s Initiative on Soaring Food Prices.
Distribution in other regions will be managed by the Mauritanian Government. Most of the crops need to be planted immediately to coincide with the rainy season, which normally arrives in June.
“Due to dry spells and then floods last year, what farmers would have produced was largely wiped out in the flood-affected areas,” Luca Fornasari, the FAO emergency coordinator in Mauritania, said. “In addition, imported food is skyrocketing and farmers had to sell their seed stocks to be able to buy food, or had to use them as food. Seed delivery will help farmers get back on their feet now,” he added.
In December, the price of millet was 50 per cent higher than a year before, sorghum had doubled, and maize was up 60 per cent. Prices have continued to increase steadily since then. Imported wheat and rice have seen even sharper increases, pricing out large swathes of the country’s poorest people.
The FAO says Mauritanians are reportedly coping by eating less or eating one meal per day. Others are selling their livestock. Already high levels of malnutrition are on the rise.
Currently Mauritania does not produce enough food to meet 30 per cent of its food needs, even in a best-case scenario, although the Government aims to double agricultural output to cover 60 per cent of its food needs with the next harvests. Agriculture is still the source of income for over 70 per cent of the country’s poorest people.
The FAO Initiative is also active in Senegal, Burkina Faso and Haiti this season, and activities will soon begin in Timor-Leste and Mozambique. FAO is currently providing the funding for the Initiative, drawing US$17 million from its own resources to kick-start activities in the countries most affected by the crisis while planting is still possible.
More than 70 countries are seeking FAO assistance in the upcoming planting seasons in October and November as well as for next spring.
FAO Director-General Jacques Diouf has said that $US1.7 billion will be needed to fully support the Initiative.
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TIMOR-LESTE TO REVIEW SECURITY SECTOR WITH UN HELP
The United Nations will assist the Timorese Government in carrying out a review of its security sector, a priority for the young nation which has already faced major security-related challenges since the world body helped it gain independence in 2002.
“The overall aim of the review is to strengthen the nation’s ability to protect itself, both internally and externally,” the UN Integrated Mission in Timor-Leste (UNMIT) said in a statement.
Security reform has been an important issue for the tiny South-East Asian country, which witnessed violent clashes that erupted in 2006 and, in February of this year, attacks on the Timorese President and Prime Minister.
“The review, reform and development of the security sector are vital to strengthening institutions that can weather future crisis without external assistance and that will help Timor-Leste establish itself as a strong democracy, upholding the rule of law and promoting human rights,” said Atul Khare, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General and head of UNMIT.
An agreement signed today between the Government and the UN Development Programme outlines the technical assistance and advice that the UN will provide for the review, which will be carried out by national institutions.
The review, which will be finalized by early to mid-2009, will identify threats and make recommendations on how security bodies can address, as well as examine, related areas such as foreign affairs, customs, intelligence services, justice, fisheries protection, border control, natural disasters, finance, maritime protection, health and the police and army.
“A reform of the security sector is based on the fact that the stability of a nation and its development go hand-in-hand,” said Deputy Special Representative and UNDP Resident Representative Finn Reske-Nielsen. “Without stability based on democratic principles and firmly anchored in a respect for human rights, sustainable human development can not be achieved.”
In a related development, UNMIT reports that some 3,000 Timorese police officers have now completed a refresher course to consolidate the training already provided by the UN Police (UNPol), since the programme began in 2006.
The five-day Provisional Certification Course (PCC) addresses issues such as community policing, police ethics, use of force, human rights, conflict de-escalation and negotiation, and post traumatic stress disorder.
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SECURITY COUNCIL URGES CEASEFIRE AFTER DEADLY CLASHES BETWEEN ERITREA, DJIBOUTI
The Security Council has called on Djibouti and Eritrea to agree to a ceasefire after several days of fighting along their joint border that has led to several deaths and dozens of wounded.
Voicing “strong concern about the serious incidents that occurred on 10 June,” the Council condemned Eritrean military action against Djibouti in Ras Doumeira and Doumeira Island, according to a statement read out last night by Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad of the United States, which holds the rotating Council presidency this month.
“The Security Council calls upon the parties to commit to a ceasefire and urges both parties, in particular Eritrea, to show maximum restraint and withdraw forces to the status-quo ante.
“The Security Council urges both parties, in particular Eritrea, to cooperate and engage in diplomatic efforts to resolve the matter peacefully and in a manner consistent with international law.”
The 15-member panel welcomed the efforts of the African Union, the Arab League and individual States to end the crisis and encouraged Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to use his good offices and reach out to both countries “to determine arrangements for decreasing the military presence along the border and to develop confidence-building measures to resolve the border situation.”
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MYANMAR URGENTLY NEEDS ONE MILLION GALLONS OF FUEL TO AID FARMERS – UN OFFICIAL
A senior United Nations official says Myanmar needs one million gallons of diesel fuel to operate 5,000 tillers – farm implements used to break up the surface of soil – to help farmers plant rice in the cyclone-affected Ayeyarwady Delta area.
The tillers were donated by Thailand, China and other countries to help farmers through the current growing season, following the devastation caused by Cyclone Nargis.
“The window of opportunity is very short, and the need is of the utmost urgency,” Noeleen Heyzer, Executive Secretary of the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), said today in a statement. “The planting season in the Delta is June to July after which it will be too late, with disastrous consequences for food security in Myanmar and the region.”
In a meeting with Major General Htay Oo, Minister of Agriculture of Myanmar, in Yangon earlier this week, Ms. Heyzer was told that the country is short of diesel fuel for the tillers. One agricultural tiller will cover 100 acres over 50 working days and requires two gallons of diesel per acre.
More than 134,000 people are dead or missing as a result of Cyclone Nargis and the subsequent tidal wave, which struck Myanmar on 2-3 May. As many as 2.4 million people were affected and need humanitarian assistance. The cyclone also destroyed livestock and buffaloes, which are the traditional animals used for plowing the fields, especially in the Ayeyarwady Delta, the rice-bowl of the country.
Ms. Heyzer stressed that the emergency response and early recovery efforts need to pay special attention to women and children, especially orphans. Women also need to be involved in recovery and reconstruction efforts, including in areas such as the design of shelters, the rebuilding of communities, basic services and livelihoods.
The Executive Secretary visited Myanmar from 9 to 11 June to discuss recovery and reconstruction efforts as well as the country’s longer-term economic and social development.
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LATEST UN CLIMATE CHANGE TALKS END WITH CALLS FOR SPEEDIER NEGOTIATIONS
The latest round of United Nations-sponsored global climate change talks ended today in Bonn, Germany, with calls to step up the pace of negotiations in the run up to next year’s crucial summit in Copenhagen.
“We now have a clearer understanding among governments on what countries would ultimately like to see written into a long-term agreement to address climate change,” said Yvo de Boer, Executive Secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). “But with a little more than a year to go to Copenhagen, the challenge to come to that agreement remains daunting,” he added.
The talks, which brought together participants from 170 countries, led, among other things, to an agreement that practical technology transfer efforts would be scaled up – in particular for Africa, small island developing States and least developed countries.
“What is ultimately required is a clever financial architecture to generate the money developing countries will need to green their economies and adapt to the inevitable effects of climate change,” Mr. de Boer said.
Two further rounds of UN-sponsored negotiations will take place this year in Ghana and Poland.
A further series of major UNFCCC negotiating sessions are planned for 2009, culminating at the UN Climate Change Conference to be held in Copenhagen in December 2009.
The aim of the negotiations is to create a successor pact to the Kyoto Protocol, which expires in 2012, on greenhouse gas emissions reduction.
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