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UN DAILY NEWS from the
UNITED NATIONS NEWS SERVICE
24 December, 2008 =========================================================================
GENERAL ASSEMBLY APPROVES NEARLY 17 PER CENT INCREASE IN CURRENT UN BUDGET
The United Nations General Assembly today approved an almost 17 per cent increase in the current United Nations budget for the 2008/2009 period to $4.87 billion from $4.17 billion, including nearly $500 million for the next six months for peacekeeping operations in Sudan’s war-ravaged Darfur region.
The measure was among a host of resolutions form its Administrative and Budgetary Committee adopted by the Assembly as it wrapped up its work for year, mainly covering internal administration and disciplinary issues, deterring procurement fraud and malfeasance within the World Organization and improving transparency.
“This morning’s decision by the General Assembly enhances the United Nation’s ability to better respond to the needs of the Organization,” Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said in a statement, adding that he was “deeply appreciative” for the additional resources.
The resolutions also set the $4.87 billion figure as a guide for Mr. Ban in preparing the 2010-2011 programme budget to be deliberated in the 64th session of General Assembly, beginning in September.
“Let us use the holidays to recharge our batteries and return in 2009 with renewed vigour,” Assembly President Miguel D’Escoto said in closing the session. “We cannot afford to rest on our laurels after this intensive period. Indeed, we have a busy schedule ahead and there are many important issues that call for dedication and diligence from all of us.”
Budgetary measures adopted ranged from an assessment of about $449.86 million for the first six months of 2009 for the African Union-UN Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID), the provision of $429.5 million for 27 special political missions, the establishment of several posts for the Rule of Law Unit, and $5 million for design work for the integrated compound in Baghdad for the UN Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI).
On internal administration, the Assembly approved a major shift from the current system of contracts, which, which it said “lacks transparency and is complex to administer,” adopting new contractual arrangements consisting of temporary, fixed-term and continuing appointments, to come into effect under a single set of Staff Rules, effective 1 July 2009.
It requested Mr. Ban to ensure a judicious mix of career and fixed-term appointments, to achieve an appropriate balance between institutional memory, long-term commitment and independence and the ability to bring in fresh insights and expertise, and to dismiss non-performing staff.
On the administration of justice within the UN, the Assembly adopted the statutes of the UN Dispute and Appeals Tribunals, as of 1 July, emphasizing that all possible use should be made of the informal system of justice in order to avoid unnecessary litigation.
Regarding the Procurement Task Force of the Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS), the Assembly recognized that its commitment to preventing and deterring fraud could not be sustained in the long-term by an ad hoc body. It noted Mr. Ban’s intention to transfer the Task Force’s remaining caseload to the Investigations Division of OIOS at the beginning of 2009, and requested him to ensure that OIOS has the expertise and capacity within its approved structure to effectively investigate allegations of fraud, corruption and misconduct in procurement.
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BAN CALLS ON HAMAS TO IMMEDIATELY END ROCKET ATTACKS ON ISRAEL
United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today called on Hamas to ensure an immediate end to rocket attacks from Gaza into Israel and urged all parties to work urgently to ease humanitarian conditions in the Gaza Strip, including the continuous flow of needed supplies.
“The Secretary-General is gravely concerned about the situation in Gaza and southern Israel and the potential for further violence and civilian suffering if calm is not restored,” a statement issued by his spokesperson said. “He condemns today’s rocket attacks on southern Israel.”
Israel kept the crossings into Gaza closed for the eighth consecutive day today, cutting off humanitarian supplies, the second longest period they have remained shut since Hamas seized control of the Strip from the West Bank-based Palestinian Authority in June 2007, the UN Office for the Coordination for Humanitarian Assistance (OCHA) reported. Israel cites the rocket attacks for its closures.
“The ongoing closures have significantly reduced the capacity of UN humanitarian agencies to provide assistance in the event of an escalation in violence,” OCHA said. “UN humanitarian assistance programmes have run out of stock for several essential supplies and are facing severe difficulties in implementing their regular programmes.”
Mr. Ban stressed that a lasting solution to the situation in Gaza can only be attained by peaceful means, reiterating calls made earlier this month by the so-called Quartet - the UN, European Union, Russia and the United States – which is championing the Roadmap plan for a two-state solution to the conflict with Israel and Palestine, living side by side in peace and security.
At the time the Quartet called for a continuation of the calm between Gaza and southern Israel that expired at the end of last week, and underscored that a lasting solution could only be achieved through peaceful means, with all Palestinians committed to non-violence, recognition of Israel, and acceptance of previous agreements and obligations. Hamas does not recognize Israel’s right to exist.
The UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) in Gaza has no flour or cash-notes to distribute, affecting thousands of dependant beneficiaries, while the UN World Food Programme (WFP) has been unable to preposition stocks and has no food available in case of an emergency, OCHA reported.
There are shortages of over 100 essential pharmaceuticals and critical emergency surgical kits, while over 100 containers of humanitarian aid at Ashdod port in Israel have been cleared for entry into Gaza.
Due to the lack of fuel and spare parts, Gaza power plant has been shut since 19 December, affecting all aspects of daily life including sanitation, water and power supply to households, schools, and civilian institutions.
In particular, 60 per cent of the Gaza population is receiving running water once every five to seven days. The wastewater treatment plant, unable to operate regularly, has since Saturday doubled the amount of raw sewage it is dumping into the sea to 40 million litres per day, OCHA said.
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UN TO HELP FIJI HOLD PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has agreed to work with the Commonwealth to help Fiji’s interim Government and other major political forces in the Pacific archipelago hammer out the terms and date of parliamentary elections needed to restore democracy there.
Mr. Ban made his decision after the UN Department of Political Affairs (DPA) led an exploratory mission to Fiji in late November and found among its key political actors “a widely-shared willingness to engage as soon as possible” in a political dialogue brokered by the UN and the Commonwealth, a statement issued by his spokesperson, Michele Montas, said.
The UN plans to move quickly to install the necessary mechanisms for a dialogue that is “independent, inclusive, time-bound and without prejudice as to its outcome,” according to the statement.
The island chain has suffered prolonged internal tensions between its indigenous Fijian and Indo-Fijian communities, and had four coups since 1987.
In September, the country’s Prime Minister, Josaia Bainimarama, told the General Assembly’s high-level annual debate that the country would not be able to hold parliamentary elections by next March, as previously scheduled, because it first must reform its electoral system.
Commodore Bainimarama, Commander of the Fiji’s military forces, came to power in a coup in December 2006, sparking criticism from the UN at the time.
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UN INVESTIGATING ALLEGED SEXUAL MISCONDUCT OF PEACEKEEPERS IN DR OF CONGO
The United Nations is investigation allegations of sexual exploitation and abuse by its peacekeepers stationed in the war-ravaged North Kivu province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
The United Nations peacekeeping mission in the DRC, known by its French acronym MONUC, reported today that in keeping with the Secretary-General’s “zero tolerance” policy for sexual exploitation and abuse by UN staff, the UN Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS) is investigating possible cases of misconduct by MONUC personnel.
It said, however, that information received so far is incomplete and unsubstantiated. The Mission also urges all staff to cooperate with OIOS investigators.
In August, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said he was deeply troubled by evidence that several Indian peacekeepers previously assigned to a MONUC unit may have sexually abused civilians there. Mr. Ban said the Indian Government had assured the UN that the allegations would be promptly and thoroughly investigated and, if proven, strict and exemplary action would be taken as per the law.
At the same time, MONUC officials said they were on track to stamp out sexual abuse by peacekeepers through measures such as establishing “out-of-bounds” areas for troops and night-time curfews as well as stopping them from going out in civilian clothes.
MONUC, which was established in late 1999, is currently the largest UN peacekeeping missions in the world. On Monday, the Security Council extended the mandate of the 20,000-strong operation for another year until 31 December 2009.
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BAN HAILS MOVE BY CREDITOR NATIONS TO CANCEL NEARLY $8 BILLION IN IRAQI DEBT
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today hailed the decision of the 19-member Paris Club of nations to cancel the remaining 20 per cent of Iraq’s debt from the Saddam Hussein era – amounting to $7.8 billion – and called on other creditors to take similar action to help the country rebuild its economy.
“This is a major achievement and acknowledgement of the Iraqi Government’s determination to implement necessary reforms despite overwhelming challenges,” Mr. Ban’s spokesperson said in a statement.
“The Secretary-General takes this opportunity to call on creditors, other than those of the Paris Club, to advance Iraqi debt relief to facilitate the country’s path to prosperity and reintegration into the regional and international economy,” the statement added.
According to the statement, the 22 December decision by the Paris Club, an informal grouping of creditor nations, was taken in the context of the International Compact with Iraq, which is co-chaired by the United Nations and the Iraqi Government.
Under the Compact, launched in May 2007, the Government of Iraq will work to meet basic needs, protect the rights of all citizens and ensure the optimal use of the country’s resources for the common good.
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BANGLADESH’S FIRST EVER COMPUTERIZED VOTER LIST COMPLETED WITH UN BACKING
As Bangladesh gears up for its first parliamentary elections in seven years on 29 December, the first ever computerized photo voter list in the south Asian country containing pictures of more than 80 million people is now complete after taking 11 months to compile with United Nations help.
An independent audit of the list by the Washington-based International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) has concluded that the list was compiled with a “high degree of accuracy,” and no ‘ghost voters’ were found, the UN Development Programme (UNDP) said in a statement today.
“The upcoming election represents an historic opportunity for Bangladesh in re-establishing democracy,” UN Resident Coordinator Renata Dessallien said. “We are pleased that the current voter list has passed the scrutiny of an independent team of auditors because a credible voter list is an essential ingredient for all free and fair elections.”
The new roll was designed by the Bangladesh Election Commission, with support from the Bangladesh Army and financial assistance from UNDP, Denmark, the European Commission, Republic of Korea, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.
UNDP also provided technical and logistical support for the creation of the roll. Preparation for the digital voter list required over 10,000 laptops, digital cameras and finger print scanners, all aimed at creating a fraud-proof voter roll.
“In comparison with assessment of voter lists created during previous voter registration efforts in Bangladesh, the voter list for the December 2008 election has effectively registered the universe of eligible voters in Bangladesh, and accomplished this with a great deal of accuracy in capturing the particulars for individual voters,” the audit concluded.
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GERMANY FILES SUIT AGAINST ITALY IN UN WORLD COURT ON WAR REPARATIONS CLAIMS
Germany has filed a complaint against Italy at the United Nations International Court of Justice (ICJ) over Italian judgments awarding damages to victims of Nazi war crimes on the grounds that it has already paid reparations under international treaties with Italy.
It also argues that as a sovereign state it has immunity in Italian courts, and that any Italian is therefore unenforceable. At the same time, it reiterated that Germany “fully acknowledges the untold suffering inflicted on Italian men and women” during World War ll.
“In recent years, Italian judicial bodies have repeatedly disregarded the jurisdictional immunity of Germany as a sovereign State,” the complaint filed with the ICJ in The Hague says, citing a ruling that Italy held jurisdiction on a claim by a person deported to Germany during the war to perform forced labour in the armaments industry.
After this ruling, numerous other proceedings were instituted before Italian courts by others who had suffered injury due to the war, and enforcement measures have already been taken against German assets in Italy, including a “judicial mortgage” on a German-Italian cultural centre, the complaint said.
It also cited “attempts by Greek nationals to enforce in Italy a judgment obtained in Greece on account of a . . . massacre committed by German military units during their withdrawal in 1944.”
Germany asked the ICJ to adjudge that Italy must ensure that all decisions of its courts and other judicial authorities infringing Germany’s sovereign immunity become unenforceable and that in the future Italian courts do not entertain legal actions against Germany founded on such occurrences.
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PAKISTANI DOCTORS ARRIVE IN DARFUR TO BOOST UN-AU FORCE, SET UP HOSPITAL FOR CIVILIANS
The joint African Union-United Nations peacekeeping mission in the war-torn Darfur region of Sudan got a boost with the arrival of 156 military personnel from Pakistan, including 29 doctors and paramedics, bringing advanced medical expertise and equipment as well as logistics and administrative experts.
The mission, known as UNAMID, reported today that the contingent from the Pakistani Level-III Hospital arrived in South Darfur over the weekend and has already broken ground on construction of the hospital there, which will be operating soon.
The medical staff will perform major operations and provide advanced medical treatment to civilians in Darfur, where an estimated 300,000 people have been killed and another 2.7 million displaced from their homes during five years of fighting between Government forces, allied militiamen, know as the Janjaweed, and rebel groups.
Last year, the Security Council authorized the joint peacekeeping force of about 26,000 uniformed personnel. Some 12,240 have been deployed so far, and senior UN officials have repeatedly called on countries to supply the remaining troops and equipment needed.
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UNICEF CALLS FOR CRACKDOWN ON ALBINO MURDERS IN TANZANIA
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) is calling for concerted action to end the recent spate of murders of albinos in Tanzania and bring perpetrators to justice.
Reports from the Tanzania Albino Society say more than 35 albinos have been killed this year, and many other deaths have likely gone unreported, by local Tanzanians who believe their blood and body parts can bring wealth to others. The brutal practice has spread to neighbouring Burundi , where several albinos, including children, have been killed in the past few months.
“UNICEF condemns these heinous acts as a systematic violation of individual human rights that must be dealt with decisively,” the agency said in a news release.
Tanzanian authorities have arrested 173 suspects, including five policemen, in connection with the murders, and are offering protection to albinos throughout the country. Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete has also condemned the attacks and called for tough action against the killers.
UNICEF lauds those measures, but is calling on the judiciary, the media, religious leaders, politicians and communities to bolster the response and weed out deeply-rooted superstitious beliefs that incite the murders.
The problem is particularly acute in the Lake Victoria regions of Mara, Mwanza, Shinyanga and Kagera, in the country’s north, where witch doctors have convinced fortune-seekers that albino body parts and blood can be used to prospect for gold and increase a catch of fish – both important sources of income in these regions rich in minerals and commercial fishing.
UNICEF said it will also do its part by working with the Tanzanian Government, UN offices in Tanzania and others to “ensure albinos like other citizens enjoy their fundamental rights to life, freedom and protection.” The agency is already partnering with Burundi ’s Government to protect albinos there, give them non-food items and ensure their children can still attend school.
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SERBIA’S ONLY ASYLUM CENTRE NOW IN GOVERNMENT HANDS AFTER UN TRANSFER
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has handed over Serbia’s only facility housing asylum-seekers to the Government, marking the final step in the transfer of responsibility from the agency, which was the sole body dealing with this group for over 30 years.
The Serbian Government formally took over control of the three-storey building in the spa town of Banja Koviljaca during a ceremony on 22 December, according to UNHCR.
The move was the final step in the transfer of asylum-related competencies from the UN agency to Serbia, as outlined under a new asylum law that came into force last April.
Interior Minister Ivica Dacic told the ceremony that Serbia had taken a step towards European Union (EU) integration by taking over the centre, which was established under a March 2006 agreement between the Government and UNHCR.
The Government allocated a facility for the centre while UNHCR used EU funding to renovate and furnish the building, which accepted its first asylum-seeker tenants in November last year.
The centre, located some 150 kilometres from Belgrade near the border with Bosnia and Herzegovina, was then run by UNHCR until 15 December.
It is currently home to 45 asylum-seekers from six countries, including 19 people who will remain under UNHCR care because they arrived in Serbia before the asylum law came into force.
Lennart Kotsalainen, UNHCR’s representative in Serbia, pledged at Monday’s handover to continue supporting the authorities in improving the country’s refugee and asylum system.
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TIMOR-LESTE MAKING GOOD PROGRESS DESPITE THIS YEAR’S CHALLENGES, STRESSES UN ENVOY
Timor-Leste has made good progress towards peace and stability after the violent attacks in February that almost claimed the life of its President, a senior United Nations envoy to the tiny South-East Asian nation the world body helped shepherd to independence in 2002 stressed today.
“We can say clearly that we feel very good about the progress that has been made in Timor in 2008 and the resiliency demonstrated by the Timorese people in a year that started with great challenge,” acting UN Special Representative Finn Reske-Nielsen said in a statement issued in the capital, Dili.
In two separate attacks on 11 February, President José Ramos-Horta sustained serious injuries, while Prime Minister Xanana Gusmão escaped unscathed.
Recent news articles have speculated about an internal UN report alleging that the country is on a downward spiral and on the brink of “anarchy.”
While neither denying nor confirming the existence of such a report, Mr. Reske-Nielsen, who is deputy head of the UN Mission in the country, known as UNMIT, highlighted the progress made in Timor-Leste, particularly during this past year.
“The streets of Dili and the rest of the country are calm and peaceful. There have been solid advances in democratic governance and respect for human rights.
“Much has been achieved in the return of IDPs and a resolution to the issue of the Petitioners,” he added, referring to the thousands of internally displaced persons in the country
In addition, the envoy noted that Parliament is playing its role in an increasingly active manner, and that dialogue between the political parties on issues of national importance is “robust and constructive.”
The Timorese are also focusing on developing a clear and democratically-based strategic vision for the military and police.
“The country is at peace and the people of Timor-Leste are ready to celebrate the Christmas holidays in a calm and dignified manner,” stated Mr. Reske-Nielsen.
“We believe that the Timorese people can be proud of this year’s accomplishments and can look forward to even greater progress in 2009,” he added.
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