United Nations Daily Highlights, 02-10-22

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

OF THE NOON BRIEFING

BY STEPHANE

DUJARRIC

ASSOCIATE SPOKESMAN FOR THE SECRETARY-GENERAL OF THE UNITED NATIONS

UN

HEADQUARTERS, NEW YORK

Tuesday, October 22, 2002

REPORT CONFIRMS VULNERABILITY OF REFUGEES TO SEXUAL ABUSE IN WEST AFRICA

The Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS) of the United Nations today released a report that concluded an investigation into alleged sexual exploitation of refugees by humanitarian aid workers and peacekeepers in refugee camps in West Africa.

Dileep Nair, Under-Secretary-General for OIOS, said that the allegation of widespread sexual exploitation of refugees was not confirmed by the investigation. However, OIOS has confirmed that the conditions in the camps and in refugee communities, in the three West African countries investigated, make refugees vulnerable to sexual and other forms of exploitation, and such vulnerability increases if refugees are female and young.

The report made 17 recommendations to assist the office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees and its partners in further addressing the issue and to follow up on cases with the relevant organizations employing staff who have been using their position for exploitative purposes.

The Secretary-General, in transmitting the report to the General Assembly, says he fully concurs with its recommendations and notes that measures are being taken or initiated to correct many of the issues raised in this report.

Sexual exploitation and abuse by humanitarian staff cannot be tolerated, he says. It violates everything the United Nations stands for. Men, women, and children displaced by conflict or other disasters are among the most vulnerable people on earth. They look to the United Nations and its humanitarian partners for shelter and protection. Anyone employed by or affiliated with the United Nations who breaks that sacred trust must be held accountable and when the circumstances so warrant, prosecuted.

SECURITY COUNCIL DISCUSSES COOPERATION ON CENTRAL AFRICA

The Security Council is holding an open meeting today under the presidency of Cameroon on Strengthening Cooperation between the United Nations system and the Central African region in the maintenance of peace and security.

There are 30 speakers, including the foreign ministers of the Republic of Congo, Central African Republic, Gabon, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Equatorial Guinea.

Also among the speakers are senior representatives of the UN Development Programme, the World Bank, the African Union and the 11-member Economic Community of Central African States.

In his opening remarks on behalf of the UN Secretariat, Assistant Secretary-General for Political Affairs Tuliameni Kalomoh noted that the political, socio-economic, security and humanitarian situation in several countries in the sub-region is a source of serious concern.

Kalomoh cited, as an example of one of the challenges the United Nations faces, the efforts by the UN Observer Mission in the DRC to disarm, demobilize and repatriate of foreign armed groups that affect not only the DRC, but also Rwanda, Burundi, Uganda, and Sudan. The success of the initiative depends primarily on the political will of the countries of the sub-region, and on the cooperation of the international community as a whole, especially by the provision of the necessary funds.

The successful integration of ex-combatants requires a comprehensive approach by the entire UN system, working hand in hand with the World Bank. Kalomoh said that this approach should address the security and human rights, as well as economic and developmental aspects of reintegration into society.

The Security Council Sanctions Committee on Liberia is scheduled to meet at 3:30 p.m.

ANNAN LEAVES TAJIKISTAN, MEETS TURKMEN PRESIDENT

Secretary-General Kofi Annan is in Ashkabad, Turkmenistan, where he met today with President Saparmurat Niyazov. They met one-on-one for an hour before being joined by their delegations, and had an additional exchange in the presence of the press.

The Secretary-General told reporters that he and the President had discussed how best to consolidate the peace in Afghanistan, and he thanked Turkmenistan for its contribution to that effort and for its plan to build a gas pipeline through Afghanistan. Security, he said, is linked not just to Islamic extremism but to economic and social development.

They also discussed environmental issues, and he congratulated Turkmenistan for its support of the treaty establishing a nuclear-free zone in Central Asia.

In the evening, the Secretary-General and his wife, Nane, were the guests of honor at a dinner hosted by President Niyazov.

This morning, the Secretary-General concluded his visit to Tajikistan by touring the countrys Drug Control Agency, which was set up in 2000 with the assistance of the UN Drug Control Programme and has, since then, seized some 750 kilograms of heroin, mostly of Afghan origin.

Speaking to reporters as he was leaving Tajikistan, the Secretary-General said the work of the Drug Agency shows what can be achieved by cooperation with the United Nations and the countries that are determined to fight drug trafficking.

Nane Annan also spoke to reporters about the Tajikistan visit, saying that the Secretary-General had told the girls they had seen on the trip that a nation that has not used 50 percent of its human resources will lose out, like an eagle cannot fly with only one wing.

DEPUTY SECRETARY-GENERAL MEETS AFGHAN RIGHTS COMMISSION

This morning, Deputy Secretary-General Louise Fréchette, who was on a three-day visit in Afghanistan, met with members of the Independent Human Rights Commission in Kabul. She was briefed of the Commissions work and its need for support from the United Nations.

The Deputy Secretary-General said she was encouraged by her discussion with them and agreed on the importance of human rights awareness and education. She said, Human rights is not only a question of legislative backing, but also needs to be in the hearts and minds of people, so that human rights can be defended over time.

Fréchette left Kabul in the mid-afternoon. She is expected to be back in the office on Thursday.

SECRETARY-GENERAL APPALLED BY CAR BOMB ATTACK IN ISRAEL

The Secretary-General, in a statement issued Monday, said he was appalled by the terrorist car bomb attack in northern Israel earlier that day, in which at least 14 persons were killed and many others injured.

He reiterated his condemnation of attacks against civilians in the strongest possible terms and conveyed his heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims and the Government of Israel. The Secretary-General once again called on all Palestinian groups to stop immediately all such acts of violence.

ANNAN ENCOURAGED BY HALT TO HOSTILITIES IN COTE DIVOIRE

In a statement issued on Monday, the Secretary-General said he was encouraged by the cessation of hostilities in Côte dIvoire. He urged the parties to do everything possible to consolidate this important step through dialogue and national reconciliation. The United Nations will continue to support the sustained efforts of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to help the Ivoirian people achieve peace, tolerance and prosperity.

The Secretary-General called on other international partners to remain attentive to the needs of Côte dIvoire in this difficult period.

UN OFFICE: IRAQ OIL EXPORTS RISE TO THREE MILLION BARRELS A DAY

The Office of the Iraq Programme reports that Iraqi oil exports under the UN oil-for-food program registered an unprecedented average of 3 million barrels per day.

This is triple the average daily volume of exports since the beginning of the current Phase XII of the program on May 30, 2002, which have fluctuated at around 1 million barrels per day.

The weeks exports totalled 21.2 million barrels of oil for an estimated revenue of $547 million.

So far in this phase, Iraqi oil exports have generated an estimated $3.8 billion in revenue. The phase ends on November 25. Iraq would need to export about $7 billion worth of oil in the current phase in order to meet its humanitarian program budget of over $5 billion.

UN MISSION WARNS BOSNIAN PARTIES NOT TO INTERFERE WITH POLICE

The UN Mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Office of the High Representative for that country today sent out letters to all Bosnias political parties and interior ministries, condemning any form of political obstruction in the work of the countrys law enforcement agencies.

The letter says, We will not tolerate any attempts by political or criminal elements to obstruct or subvert the work of the police forces of Bosnia-Herzegovina.

The UN Mission in Bosnia is wrapping up its work at the end of the year, and the draw-down of its personnel has started, with groups of police monitors from the Missions International Police Task Force starting to return to their home countries.

On Wednesday, the Security Council will hold an open meeting on Bosnia, and both Jacques Klein, the Secretary-Generals Special Representative for that country, and High Representative Paddy Ashdown will speak. In addition, Klein will hold a press conference at 3:00 p.m. Wednesday to talk about the upcoming completion of the Missions work.

REPORT NOTES HUMAN RIGHTS CHALLENGES AFTER SEPTEMBER 11

The report of the High Commissioner for Human Rights to the General Assembly on human rights work over the past year the last such report to come out under Mary Robinsons tenure says that the year-long period up through the end of this August has been a challenging one for human rights.

There is no doubt, the report says, that the consequences of the September 11 attacks, which shocked the conscience of humanity, had the greatest impact on the United Nations human rights work, with international attention focused on eradicating the scourge of terrorism.

Yet the report adds that there is growing evidence that, since September 11, some States have taken measures that violate their human rights obligations, on matters ranging from torture to asylum rights to freedom of expression and privacy. What is new after September 11, the report says, is the perception in some quarters that human rights transgressions may be overlooked until terrorism is defeated.

UNLESS FUNDS ARRIVE, UNHCR MAY HAVE TO HALT OPERATIONS

Faced with a fourth quarter shortfall, the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees warned today that it could be forced next month to halt a number of its operations unless donor governments provided immediate funding.

To get through the remainder of this year, UNHCR still needs $80 million dollars to maintain at least minimum standards for refugees under its already twice-reduced annual program budget.

These cuts have been extremely painful and have affected refugees and our work on their behalf around the world," said High Commissioner Rudd Lubbers. I now urgently call on donor governments to help us endure that refugees get the help they deserve through the end of the year.

HUNDREDS FLEEING FIGHTING IN EASTERN DR-CONGO

UNHCR reports that hundreds of refugees fleeing weekend fighting from the town of Uvira in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) arrived in western Tanzania Monday, as the impact of the most recent conflict in the south Kivu region spread to more countries in the Great Lakes region.

The more than 500 new Congolese arrivals in Kigoma, Tanzania, bring to nearly 13,000 the number of Congolese who have sought asylum in neighboring countries following the recent fighting in south Kivu. The majority of the refugees are in Burundi, while smaller numbers have also gone to south-western Rwanda.

The World Food Programme also expressed its concern at the situation in the DRC. WFP says it has put in place an emergency plan to respond to the needs of half a million particularly vulnerable people in the area.

Carolyn McAskie, the UNs Deputy Emergency Relief Coordinator, is scheduled to speak at the Wednesday noon briefing about her recent trip to the region.

OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS

On Monday in The Hague, the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia unsealed the indictments of three Bosnian Serbs accused of involvement in the 1995 massacre at Srebrenica. All three were charged with genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes.

The annual report by the Secretary-General on the staffing of the UN Secretariat, showing its demographic composition and geographic distribution of staff through this past June 30, was issued today.

New Zealand today signed the agreement on the privileges and immunities of the International Criminal Court, becoming the 23rd country to do so.

In observance of United Nations Day, a concert of traditional Korean music will be held on Thursday at 7:00 p.m. in the General Assembly Hall. The Secretary-General and the President of the General Assembly are scheduled to make opening remarks. The concert consists of performances by the Korean Broadcasting System Traditional Music Orchestra.

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