United Nations Daily Highlights, 03-07-08

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

OF THE NOON BRIEFING

BY HUA JIANG

DEPUTY SPOKESWOMAN FOR THE SECRETARY-GENERAL OF THE UNITED NATIONS

UN HEADQUARTERS, NEW YORK

Tuesday, July 8, 2003

ANNAN ARRIVES IN MOZAMBIQUE FOR AFRICAN UNION SUMMIT

Secretary-General Kofi Annan arrived in Maputo, Mozambique, midday today from Switzerland. He received a briefing by Tuliameni Kalomoh, Assistant Secretary-General for Political Affairs, on the status of the African Union ministerial-level meeting, which Kalomoh has been attending.

The Head of States-level meeting of the African Union will start on Thursday, and the Secretary-General will address that meeting.

Asked about recent calls made by the Secretary-General, the Spokeswoman said he had spoken to U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell on Monday and with French President Jacques Chirac today.

On the occasion of the African Union Summit, Executive Director of the UN Childrens Fund (UNICEF) Carol Bellamy said that the only chance for sustaining development and progress in African countries is for their leaders to invest in children and to do so early and often.

ANNAN NOTES CONTRIBUTION BY DEPARTING UN ENVOY IN KOSOVO

Special Representative of the Secretary-General Michael Steiner today completed his term as head of the UN Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK).

During Steiners 18 months as the head of UNMIK, Kosovos first government was established, a multi-ethnic judiciary and police force has been strengthened and expanded, refugee returns have increased and both Pristina and Belgrade are now prepared to engage in direct dialogue on practical issues of mutual interest.

Steiner also recently promulgated the Provisional Criminal Code and the Provisional Criminal Procedure Code of Kosovo, which will bring the criminal laws in Kosovo in line with international law and human rights standards.

The Secretary-General, in a statement, expressed his gratitude for Steiners contributions to the UNs efforts in Kosovo, and commended his hard work and dedication in implementing Security Council resolution 1244.

Steiners successor will be announced in the near future. The Principal Deputy Special Representative in Kosovo, Charles Brayshaw, will act as Officer-in-Charge in the interim.

UN MIDDLE EAST ENVOY CONDEMNS SUICIDE BOMBING IN ISRAEL

The Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, Terje Roed-Larsen, strongly condemned the Monday night suicide bombing in central Israel that killed a 65 year-old woman and sent his condolences to the victims family.

Roed-Larsen noted that while a cell of a Palestinian militant group claimed responsibility, the groups leadership denied involvement, emphasizing that they remain committed to a cessation of hostilities announced last week. He stressed that this cease-fire must be strengthened, with the Palestinian Authority and all Palestinian groups doing everything in their power to halt further attacks.

In spite of this tragic and murderous terrorist attack, Roed-Larsen said it is essential that political and security talks continue at full speed, adding that such discussions are the best way to broaden and solidify the ceasefire and prevent future violence -- a pre-requisite for the success of the Quartets Road Map.

DR-CONGO ENVOY MEETS WITH OFFICIALS IN BUNIA

The new Special Representative of the Secretary-General for the Democratic Republic of the Congo, William Swing, has had meetings in Bunia with the Multinational Force commander, representatives of the humanitarian community and the Ituri Interim Administration.

To address the concern that a security vacuum might follow the withdrawal of the Multinational Force scheduled for September 1, he announced that the deployment of some 3,000 Bangladeshi troops was due to begin in the next few weeks. Once deployed, the Force will be comprised of about 3,800 soldiers from several countries.

To address another concern over continued insecurity and impunity in Bunia, he announced that more UN police officers would be arriving soon to give a refresher course, particularly in the areas of peacekeeping and judicial police, to some 200 police officers whose names were provided by Ituri Interim Administration.

UNDP REPORT URGES STEPS TO ACHIEVE MILLENNIUM GOALS

The UN Development Programmes Human Development Report for 2003, which was issued today, says that the pledges in the Millennium Development Goals to lift hundreds of millions of people out of poverty by 2015 can only be achieved if poor countries pursue wide-ranging reforms and wealthy nations respond with improved trade terms and increased aid.

This years Human Development Report introduces a new plan of action, the Millennium Development Compact, and it also documents an unprecedented slide backward in human development in some of the worlds poorest nations.

UNHCR EXAMINES DEPARTURES OF IRANIANS FROM IRAQI CAMP

A team from the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is in the northern Iraqi town of Kalar today to look into reports that large numbers of Iranian refugees have left a camp located west of Baghdad and relocated to the north because of insecurity and lack of assistance.

The camp, called al-Tash, is currently a no-go zone for aid workers, with security problems making it difficult for UNHCR to have regular contact with the refugees there.

FAO DELIVERS FIRST AID SHIPMENT TO PARTS OF SOUTHERN SUDAN

The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) for the first time has delivered a shipment of urgently needed agricultural aid to previously inaccessible rebel-held areas in the Nuba Mountains in southern Sudan.

The region is controlled by the rebel Sudan Peoples Liberation Movement/Army (SPLM/A) and it has been a conflict zone between the Sudanese Government and the rebel group since 1985. The delivery became possible after a cease-fire agreement between the two parties in January 2002.

OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS

SECURITY COUNCIL TO DISCUSS WEST AFRICA ON WEDNESDAY: There are no meetings or consultations of the Security Council scheduled for today. British Ambassador Jeremy Greenstock is scheduled to brief the Security Council in an open meeting Wednesday on the just-concluded mission to West Africa. A written report on that mission is expected to be out Wednesday as well.

UNHCR HELPS 1,400 REFUGEES TO RETURN TO ERITREA: In the last two and a half weeks, UNHCR has helped more than 1,400 of Africa's longest-standing refugees Eritreans, some of whom have never even seen their homeland return to their country. The Eritrean refugees, many born in exile since the 1960s, have returned to Eritrea in four convoys from refugee camps in eastern Sudan. The convoys began on June 23.

WFP, UNICEF ASSIST FLOOD VICTIMS IN NAMIBIA: The United Nations has responded to the worst flooding that Namibia had seen in 21 years, which recently displaced 12,000 people in that countrys Caprivi region. Days of torrential rains caused the Zambezi River to burst its banks, submerging 22 villages, damaging grain stores, and destroying crops in the field. The UN response included food distribution by the World Food Programme, and the delivery of water purification tablets by UNICEF.