United Nations Daily Highlights, 02-10-07

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

OF THE NOON BRIEFING

BY FRED ECKHARD

SPOKESMAN FOR THE SECRETARY-GENERAL OF THE UNITED NATIONS

UN

HEADQUARTERS, NEW YORK

Monday, October 7, 2002

ANNAN DEPLORES ISRAELI ATTACK ON SOUTHERN GAZA TOWN

Secretary-General Kofi Annan deplored the military attack in civilian areas during the incursion by the Israel Defence Forces early this morning in the southern Gaza town of Khan Yunis which left at least 14 Palestinians dead and dozens wounded some of them children. He conveyed his deep condolences to the families of the victims.

The Secretary-General was particularly concerned by reports that a missile from an Israeli helicopter gunship was fired into a crowd of civilians in reckless disregard of the obligation under international humanitarian law to protect the civilian population. Such actions have no legal or moral justification. He reiterates his appeal to both sides to halt all violent and provocative acts, as called for by the Security Council.

Actions like those carried out this morning do not promote Israeli security. Rather, they could lead to a further escalation while increasing the sense of vulnerability and insecurity among both the Palestinians and Israelis.

UN Relief and Works Agency sources on the ground at Khan Younis say that at least 14 people were killed there, including 10 killed by an Israeli rocket shot at a crowd of Palestinians. In addition, UNRWA says that because of the violence in Khan Younis, one of the UNRWA refugee camps in Gaza, students didnt show up for school today and a local hospital was also shot at.

UN MISSION SAYS 20,000 RWANDAN TROOPS HAVE LEFT DR-CONGO

The withdrawal process of more than 20,000 Rwandan Patriotic Army (RPA) forces from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) that started on 17 September was completed over the weekend when 1,152 troops crossed the border from the eastern town of Goma to Gisenyi in Rwanda.

The UN Mission in the DRC says it can confirm that all troops left with their personal weapons and a large quantity of ammunition and heavier weapons such as machine guns, rocket launchers, rocket propelled grenade launchers and mortars, as well as a few armored and other vehicles, and anti-aircraft weapons.

The UN Mission will continue to monitor and verify RPA positions, and those of other foreign forces recently withdrawn from DRC.

ANNAN WELCOMES RESUMPTION OF US-NORTH KOREA DIALOGUE

Secretary-General Kofi Annan, in a statement, welcomed the resumption of high-level dialogue between the United States and the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea. He hopes that the discussions by U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs James Kelly with the President of the Presidium of the Supreme Peoples Assembly, Kim Yong Nam, and other officials in Pyongyang helped both sides to better understand their respective positions and concerns.

The Secretary-General is hopeful that this important development is the beginning of more regular exchanges by both sides with a view to resolving their differences, however serious. It is the view of the Secretary-General that the international community should continue its efforts to facilitate the encouraging trends in the Korean peninsula.

UN BOSNIA MISSION LAUDS PEACEFUL GENERAL ELECTIONS

The UN Mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina (UNMIBH) today congratulated Bosnias citizens on the successful general elections held over the weekend, which passed in a peaceful manner, with no serious incidents reported.

The Mission, in a statement, said, This is strong proof of the maturity of the electorate when deciding on the political leadership for their country. It also commended the local police for what it called excellent security measures.

UN RELIEF COORDINATOR URGES AID FOR ETHIOPIA DROUGHT

UN Emergency Relief Coordinator Kenzo Oshima today was in Addis Ababa, where he represented the United Nations at the launch of a joint UN-Government appeal for urgent food assistance on behalf of drought-affected Ethiopians today.

He said, The early warning signs of a large-scale humanitarian crisis are already visible. It is obvious to anyone that there has been a massive crop failure.

The appeal states that over 6 million Ethiopians are in urgent need of humanitarian assistance. Oshima said 273,000 metric tons of food aid was needed over the next three months.

On Tuesday, Oshima will conclude his mission to Ethiopia and then fly to Asmara, Eritrea, to get a first-hand look at the effects of drought in that country.

UN NOTES LIFTING OF FLIGHT RESTRICTION IN SOUTHERN SUDAN

The Government of Sudan over the weekend lifted a restriction over the use of air space over a large part of southern Sudan and aid activities on the ground in those areas, allowing the resumption of routine relief activities.

However, the UNs Operation Lifeline Sudan notes the continued use of other restrictions, and calls for all parties to recognize the principle of unhindered access to those in need.

NEW CURRENCY LAUNCHED IN AFGHANISTAN

Today was the first day of the launch of the new Afghan currency, the UN mission in Kabul reported. Different units of the UN system in Afghanistan have been supporting the process, which is seen as another transitional milestone and as an investment in the future and security of that country.

The UN Mission provided monitors at each of the currency exchange points that opened today.

The currency, still known as the afghani, was printed in Germany and Sweden in denominations of 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 500 and 1,000. The new notes are to be distributed to money exchangers in Kabul over the next few days and later to provincial capitals.

The new currency is signed by UN Volunteer Anwar-ul-Haq Ahady, a professional banker and professor who returned to his native country this year. His job, as governor of the central Afghanistan Bank, is to implement a new banking system in the country.

The currency reform, however, has taken most of his time. "We will be collecting all old banknotes and destroying them. It is a massive operation and it will last for two months," he said.

SECRETARY-GENERAL MARKS WORLD HABITAT DAY

Today is World Habitat Day, and the theme of this years observances is City to City Cooperation. The Secretary-General in his message said that the city is becoming the new habitat for humanity; within the next two generations, two-thirds of the people in the world will live in cities. He said many cities had already joined together on issues such as global warming and air pollution and added that there were other areas, such as poverty and crime, where cooperation could yield results.

The Secretary-General said that as cities are the collective future of mankind, it is time for us to take collective responsibility for their future development and urged local authorities and urban residents to seek out and share ways of achieving a sustainable habitat for all.

OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS

There are no meetings of the Security Council scheduled for today. The open meeting on Threats to international peace and security caused by terrorist acts, which had been scheduled to resume today at 3:00 p.m., will postponed until Tuesday at 10:00 a.m.

The Secretary-General on Friday afternoon completed two days of intensive talks on Cyprus with His Excellency Glafkos Clerides, the Greek Cypriot leader, and His Excellency Rauf Denktash, the Turkish Cypriot leader. As part of their effort to bridge differences pragmatically, the two leaders have decided to create two ad hoc bilateral technical committees to begin work immediately on important technical issues.

More than 20 Special Representatives and Deputy Special Representatives of the Secretary-General are attending a three-day Seminar for Current Special and Personal Representatives and Envoys of the Secretary-General began today in Mont Pelerin, Switzerland. The discussion topics will include the understanding and management of spoilers in the peace process and approaches to reconciliation to ensuring support from peace-building partners and UN reform.

The World Health Organization (WHO) today urged donors and international partners meeting in Geneva to do more to help southern African nations avert a human catastrophe. WHO warned that as many as 300,000 people may die in Malawi, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Lesotho and Swaziland of diseases they would have been able to fight off, had they been given the minimum of food and basic health care. WHO says the southern African countries need $3.40 per person to provide basic health intervention, but funding has so far amounted to only 35 cents per person. A total of $48 million is needed to ensure clean water, food and basic health services to save lives.

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) released a report that looks at the effects of severe climatic events on the worlds stock markets and financial centers.

UNEP and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies today signed a Memorandum of Understanding in Geneva for a three-year, $1.7 million project dealing with the impact of natural disasters. The two organizations will review current policies and early warning systems in ten countries and will prepare seasonal emergency contingency plans based on the results of the study.

The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) today warned that Asia has the most people living with HIV/AIDS outside sub-Saharan Africa.

Argentina signed the Protocol Against the Illicit Manufacturing of and Trafficking in Firearms, Their Parts and Components and Ammunition, Supplementing the United Nations Convention Against Transnational Organized Crime and the Agreement on the Privileges and Immunities of the International Criminal Court.

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