United Nations Daily Highlights, 01-06-05

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

FROM THE NOON BRIEFING

BY FRED ECKHARD

SPOKESMAN FOR THE SECRETARY-GENERAL OF THE UNITED NATIONS

UN HEADQUARTERS, NEW YORK

Tuesday, June 5, 2001

ANNAN LAUNCHES FIRST GLOBAL STUDY OF WORLDS ECOSYSTEMS

Marking World Environment Day, Secretary-General Kofi Annan launched the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment project, a four-year, $21 million effort, involving 1,500 scientists designed to be the most extensive study of the worlds ecosystems.

In his Millennium Report to the General Assembly, the Secretary-General pointed out that there had never been a comprehensive global assessment of the worlds ecosystem. This project, co-sponsored by UN Environment Programme (UNEP), the Global Environment Facility, the World Bank (WB), the United Nations Foundation and the David and Lucille Packard Foundation, is a response to this need.

This comprehensive study, the Secretary-General said in his remarks, will fill important knowledge gaps, enabling policy-makers to make better, more-informed decisions. Most of all, the Assessment promises to help us improve the lives and livelihoods of the poor, and make considerable gains in our efforts to find an equitable and sustainable balance between environment and development.

ANNANS REPORT ON FOLLOW-UP TO BRAHIMI REPORT IS PREVIEWED

Jean-Marie Guehenno, Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, previewed the Secretary-Generals report on the follow-up to the Report of the Panel on Peace Operations headed by Lakhdar Brahimi, which flagged a serious need for change in the way the United Nations plans, deploys, and supports peace operations, peacekeeping operations in particular.

The present comprehensive review has been the first in-depth and comprehensive managerial examination of the way in which the Organization implements one of the most important aspects of its mandate. Most of the findings are not surprising. They confirm that what many of us have feared would be the consequences of trying to make do with too little for too long. The overall peacekeeping capacities of the Secretariat have not developed at the pace they should have because sufficient time, energy and resources have not been dedicated to planning for the future, Guehenno quoted the Secretary-General's upcoming report to the General Assembly on the "Implementation of the recommendations of the Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operations and the Panel on UN Peace Operations" as saying.

After more than 50 years of United Nations peacekeeping, the time has come for us to acknowledge that the instrument is not a temporary aberration. We should not lose this opportunity, therefore, to reverse the trend and invest in the future.

He also said that the United Nations can no longer afford to continue with the gifted amateurism that has characterized this Organizations approach to peacekeeping to date. Higher professional standards are required, as are enhanced mechanisms to monitor performance and progress more effectively.

The bottom-line, he said, is that the Secretary-General has acknowledged that the civil servants of this Organization can do a lot better in the performance of their work, particularly if the Member States decide to give us the opportunity and means to do so.

GLOBAL AIDS FUND NEEDS BE ACTIVATED RAPIDLY

Over 200 representatives from more than 50 donor governments, multilateral and non-governmental organizations, and private foundations concluded consultations Monday in Geneva on the Global AIDS and Health Fund proposed by the Secretary-General. They recommended that the Fund be operational by the end of 2001.

In a briefing to the press in Geneva this morning, Julia Cleeves, UNAIDS senior policy officer, listed the main conclusions: the Fund needs to go ahead rapidly, it should focus on AIDS, TB and malaria, and it needs to have broad stakeholder consultation and representation.

The stakeholders should include representatives from developing countries, civil society, multilateral agencies, private sector and donor governments.

The creation of the Fund is expected to be officially announced at the Special Session of the General Assembly on HIV/AIDS, to be held at UN Headquarters later this month. The broad structure of the Fund is expected to be in place in July and it is expected to be operational by the end of the year.

ANNAN TO DISPATCH SPECIAL ENVOY TO CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC

In a statement released through his Spokesman, the Secretary-General announced today that he has decided to send the former head of state of Mali, Gen. Amadou Toumani Toure, as his Special Envoy to the Central African Republic in an effort to find a solution to the current crisis in that country which began with the attempted coup during the night of May 27-28.

The Secretary-General will continue to remain involved from headquarters on this matter.

Through the statement, the Secretary-General indicated that his Special Envoy will hold discussions with his interlocutors with a view to ending the fighting that reportedly continues in parts of Bangui between forces loyal to the government and the rebels and restoring peaceful political dialogue within the framework of respect for the country's democratic institutions.

The Special Envoy is expected to begin his mission in the course of the present week.

PERU: ANNAN CONGRATULATES TOLEDO ON ELECTION VICTORY

In a statement released through his Spokesman, the Secretary-General congratulated Mr. Alejandro Toledo Manrique on his election as President of Peru.

In the statement, the Secretary-General praised the people of Peru for holding elections that have been described as free, fair and transparent.

This election has enjoyed the participation of national and international observers, including the United Nations, which has provided needed technical assistance to Peru's National Office for Electoral Process.

COUNCIL HOLDS OPEN MEETING ON AFGHAN SANCTIONS REPORT

Security Council members is holding an open meeting today on the report by a five-member panel of experts on enforcing sanctions against the Taliban.

The panel, chaired by Ambassador Haile Menkerios of Eritrea, made a number of recommendations including one that calls for the establishment of a monitoring mechanism to work alongside the border control services in the countries neighboring Afghanistan.

The report was introduced by Ambassador Alfonso Valdiviezo of Columbia in his capacity as the chair of the Afghan Sanctions Committee.

Earlier Tuesday, the Council members met in closed consultations to discuss this report.

LIBERIA SANCTIONS COMMITTEE NAMES PERSONS BANNED FROM TRAVEL

The Security Council Sanctions Committee on Liberia has approved and published a list of persons subject to a travel ban as stipulated in paragraph 7 of Resolution 1343 on Liberia.

The resolution states that all States shall take the necessary measures to prevent he entry into or transit through their territories of senior members of the Government of Liberia and its armed forces and their spouses and any other individuals providing financial and military support to armed rebel groups in countries neighboring Liberia, in particular the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) Sierra Leone.

The Committee is expected to update the list regularly.

NO NEW LOADINGS OF IRAQ OIL EXPECTED, SAYS UNS IRAQ PROGRAMME

According to the weekly update from the Office of the Iraq Programme ( OIP), one last vessel was in the process of completing loading at Mina al-Bakr terminal today, while loadings at the second authorized terminal of Ceyhan had stopped on 3 June.

Since its announcement of suspending oil exports under the United Nations oil-for-food programme, Iraq has not scheduled any new loadings for current phase IX of the programme, which has been extended to 3 July.

In terms of last weeks oil exports, the total was 17.4 million barrels, at the rate of almost 2.5 million barrels a day, which generated an estimated 492 million (euros) in revenue, at current prices.

There was a significant drop in the total value of contracts placed on hold by the Security Councils 661 sanctions committee, following the release from hold of some 410 contracts, worth $703.5 million by the United States only.

The reduction in holds brought their total value from the previous weeks $3.7 billion to $2.96 billion.

Monday afternoon, the Spokesman issued a statement on behalf of the Secretary-General in which he said he welcomed the decision taken to remove these holds and he appealed to all members of the Security Council to expedite the approval of applications and spare no effort in lifting the remaining holds placed on applications.

DECEASED NEPALESE KINGS HONORED AT UN HEADQUARTERS

The United Nations flag is at half-mast and no national flags are flying at headquarters today in observance of the official mourning for Their Majesties King Birendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev and King Dipendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev of the Kingdom of Nepal.

This morning the Secretary-General visited the Permanent Mission of the Kingdom of Nepal where he signed two books of condolences, one for each of the late kings.

The Security Council began its open meeting this morning with a moment of silence in memory of the deceased members of the Nepalese royal family.

ANNAN TO TELL MAYORS THEY ARE UNS IDEAL PARTNERS

Later this afternoon, the Secretary-General will speak at a meeting of mayors and local authorities who are here to attend the Habitat conference, which gets underway tomorrow.

At this meeting the mayors will present the Secretary-General with a declaration from entitled The Voice of the Cities.

In his remarks, the Secretary-General will tell the mayors and heads of local authorities that since they are most closely in touch with the daily lives of the worlds people, they are ideal partners for the United Nations in many areas including in mobilizing financing for development and the fight against AIDS.

OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS:

The Secretary-General met late this morning with Emil Scuka, President of the International Romani Union. This is the second time that the Secretary-General has met with Roma leaders, the first being in Hungary last June, where he raised the issue of the rights of the Roma with the highest levels of the Hungarian leadership. He told reporters at that time, Im leaving here encouraged that the problem is being tackled and that the minorities concerned are themselves engaged in a search for a solution. Scuka will hold a press conference at Headquarters this afternoon.

In observance of World Environment Day and of the UN Year of the Volunteers, the Global Environment Facility (GEF), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and United Nations Volunteers (UNV) are joining to award Certificates of Appreciation to past and present members of UNDP/GEF Small Grants Programme National Steering Committee (NSC) in recognition of their invaluable voluntary contributions to the global environmental cause.

The Republic of Korea today became the 86th Member State to pay its 2001 regular budget in full with a payment of more than $17 million.

Office of the Spokesman for the Secretary-General

United Nations, S-378

New York, NY 10017

Tel. 212-963-7162

Fax. 212-963-7055

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