United Nations Daily Highlights, 03-07-02

United Nations Daily Highlights Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

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

OF THE NOON BRIEFING

BY HUA JIANG

DEPUTY SPOKESMAN FOR THE SECRETARY-GENERAL OF THE UNITED NATIONS

UN HEADQUARTERS, NEW YORK

Wednesday, July 2, 2003

LIBERIA: LULL IN FIGHTING ALLOWS LIMITED AID ACTIVITIES;

EFFORTS CONSTRAINED BY INSECURITY, RELIEF SUPPLY SHORTAGE

The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reports that a lull in the fighting in Monrovia, Liberia, has allowed the national staff of humanitarian agencies to resume some basic relief activities. Their efforts, however, continue to be constrained by an uncertain security environment and a shortage of relief supplies.

Humanitarian needs in Monrovia remain critical as most aid distributions had stopped during intense fighting last week, and shortages of water and sanitation facilities make the further outbreaks of communicable diseases a highly probable. Internally displaced persons and refugees are especially vulnerable, as they are unable to receive sufficient amounts of aid and are often targeted for harassment by armed groups.

The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) reports that preparations for the emergency evacuation of Sierra Leonean refugees in Liberia got underway in the capital, Monrovia, today as UNHCR staff in neighboring Sierra Leone rushed to finish its work to equip the ship, which sets sail on Wednesday evening to rescue thousands of stranded refugees in the besieged Liberian city. The first voyage could take place as early as Friday.

If security conditions allow, the distribution of food to some of Monrovias most vulnerable groups may resume by the end of the week. The World Food Programme (WFP) plans to supply food distribution to an estimated 70,000 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) at the national stadium, and to other IDPs in irregular shelters around Monrovia.

Monrovias hospitals, meanwhile, continue to be overwhelmed by the sheer number of patients.

SECURITY COUNCIL MISSION MEETS WITH LIBERIAN PARTIES IN GHANA

The Security Council mission to West Africa left Abidjan, Cote DIvoire this morning for Accra, Ghana, where it began its work with a briefing on the status of the Liberian peace talks by the Representative of the Secretary-General for Liberia Abou Moussa.

The mission was also to meet with representatives of the Government of Liberia, the two rebel movements, Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy (LURD) and the Movement for Democracy and Elections in Liberia (MODEL), political parties and civil society organizations.

It will also be briefed by members of the International Contact Group on Liberia; Dr. Mohamed Ibn Chambas, Executive Secretary of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS); and Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar, ECOWAS mediator for Liberia, on the peace talks being held in Ghana.

The Mission will fly this evening to Conakry, Guinea.

The Security Council Mission to West Africa yesterday spent the day in Abidjan, Cote dIvoire holding discussions with a range of actors, including President Laurent Gbagbo, Prime Minister Seydou Diarra, the military and civilian leadership of the Forces Nouvelles, political parties, and civil society, to urge full implementation of the Linas-Marcoussis peace agreement, signed in January 2003, and respect for the cease-fire.

Head of the Mission Ambassador Jeremy Greenstock (UK), speaking at a press conference yesterday, said that during the course of the days discussions the Security Council Mission imparted a simple message. We are here to help in the implementation of Linas-Marcoussis because we recognize that there are a lot of difficulties in this country in doing so on both sides.

SECURITY COUNCIL APPROVES PROGRAM OF WORK FOR JULY

Security Council President, Ambassador Inocencio F. Arias of Spain, briefed journalists on the Security Councils program of work for July, which was approved during closed consultations this morning.

Also during the consultations this morning, members of the Security Council heard a briefing by Julian Harston of the Department of Peacekeeping Operations on the Secretary-General latest report on the UN Iraq-Kuwait Observer Force. A draft resolution was introduced and will be voted on tomorrow.

Following consultations, the President of the Security Council, said that members welcomed the announcement of a government of national unity and transition in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Members, the President said, expressed their support to the government and the people of the DRC and their continuing commitment to contribute to the consolidation of unity, peace, stability and prosperity throughout the country.

UN ENVOY DISCUSSES UN ROLE IN IRAQ WITH UK FOREIGN SECRETARY

Today in Baghdad, the Secretary-Generals Special Representative, Sergio Vieira de Mello met with British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw. They discussed the current situation in the country, the UN role and the best ways to implement Resolution 1483, protection of human rights and how to give the Iraqis the chance to establish their own democratic institutions as soon as possible.

De Mello sat down with a group of human rights activists who had participated in the recent workshop on transitional justice. The main theme of the meeting was what is next, where we go from here, what should be the next practical step regarding Human Rights.

De Mello said that human rights institutions should be proposed and implemented by Iraqis themselves. He also recommended the immediate return to the country of the Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Iraq.

WHO: TORONTO REMOVED FROM SARS TRANSMISSION LIST

The World Health Organization (WHO) today has removed Toronto, Canada, from its list of areas with recent local transmission of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS). The last probable case was detected on 12 June and immediately isolated. The chain of transmission is considered broken since twice the incubation period of SARS has passed without detection of a new case.

According to Dr. David Heymann, Executive Director of WHO, This is a great achievement for public health in what we hope is the final phase of the global emergency.

The latest statistics indicate a total of 8,445 probably SARS cases, with 812 deaths worldwide.

WFP APPEALS FOR $308 MILLION IN FOOD AID FOR SOUTHERN AFRICA

The World Food Programme (WFP) today in Geneva appealed for $308 million for food aid in Southern Africa, due to the devastating impact of HIV/AIDS and continuing substantial food needs. The appeal will be used to fund close to 540,000 tonnes of food, enough to feed 6.5 million people until June of next year.

Food aid needs also remain substantial in Southern Africa, which has the highest HIV prevalence rates in the world, due to erratic weather patterns and deteriorating economies.

THREE SITES REMOVED FROM WORLD HERITAGE IN DANGER LIST

The UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) today has withdrawn three sites from the List of World Heritage in Danger at the meeting of the World Heritage Committee in Paris.

The sites are the Srebarna Nature Reserve in Bulgaria, which was endangered due to the progressive destruction of the bird populations fresh-water habitat, the Yellowstone Park in the United States of America, endangered due to the adjacent mining operations and the Natural and Culturo-Historical Region of Kotor in Serbia and Montenegro, which was seriously damaged by an earthquake in 1979.

OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS

CARICOM: In a message to the 24th gathering of Heads of State of the Caribbean Community and Common Market (CARICOM) in Jamaica, the Secretary-General said the United Nations will continue to work in partnership with CARICOM on a range of challenges including international trade and HIV/AIDS. He noted in the message delivered by Anwarul K. Chowdhury, High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States, that the region will gain a high profile in the United Nations with the election of Saint Lucias Minister of External Affairs as President of the 58th session of the General Assembly.

TIMOR: The UN Mission in Timor-Leste, in a press release issued today, gives a public account of the actions that have been taken by UN Police, together with the Timorese judicial authorities, on investigating and preventing the sexual exploitation of women and prostitution in Dili. The Mission says that in April, 2003, UN police raided an establishment in the Timorese capital and detained a man and a woman, as well as 23 Thai women aged between 15 and 45, and six clients. Subsequently, UN Police also detained two Timorese citizens and found seven Indonesian women on the premises of another establishment it raided. More recently, another man was arrested at a Dili Hotel for exploitation of women.

YUGOSLAV TRIBUNAL: The International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) confirmed today that Veselin Sljivancanin, a former colonel in the Yugoslav Peoples Army, was transferred into the custody of the Tribunals detention unit yesterday. Sljivancanin is charged with two counts of grave breaches of the Geneva Convention, two counts of violations of the customs of war, and two count of crimes against humanity. His initial hearing will be announced in due course.

ECOSOC: In Geneva, the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) continued to hear addresses from government ministers and officials during its high-level segment on an integrated approach to rural development. Issues related to agricultural subsidies, growth enabling environments, fair terms of trade, investment in social services and infrastructure, and the expectations of both developed and developing countries were raised.

UN BUDGET: Gabon made a payment yesterday of more than 476 thousand dollars to the UN regular budget, becoming the 90th Member State so far this year to pay its regular budget dues in full.