United Nations Daily Highlights, 03-10-20

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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 20, 2003

ARAB COUNTRIES MUST CLOSE GROWING KNOWLEDGE GAP

Arab countries need to close a growing knowledge gap by investing heavily in education and promoting open intellectual inquiry, according to the authors of the latest Arab Human Development report, which was launched today in a ceremony in Amman, Jordan.

The report, written by a group of distinguished Arab scholars and opinion leaders, is meant to be by Arabs for Arabs. It outlines a vision of self-determined change, based on internal social reform and scrupulous self-criticism. The team concluded that successful reform of the region can only be initiated from within.

Drafted during a period of intensifying conflict and political tensions in the region, the report the second in a four-part series also notes the direct and indirect impact on Arab human development of recent international and regional events, in Iraq, Israel and the Palestinian territories. Also affecting human development, say the authors, are the restrictions on civil liberties imposed under the rubric of counter-terrorism in the West and the Arab world alike.

ANNAN: BOSNIA'S IZETBEGOVIC WILL BE REMEMBERED FOR HISTORIC ROLE

[Secretary-General Kofi Annan has learned with sadness of the death of the former President of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Mr. Alija Izetbegovic. President Izetbegovic will be remembered for his historic role in preserving the unity of Bosnia and Herzegovina and establishing the Bosnian state.

The Secretary-General conveys his personal sympathy and condolences to the family of Mr. Izetbegovic and his fellow countrymen.]

BOLIVIA: ANNAN OFFERS ASSISTANCE TO ADDRESS CHALLENGES AHEAD

Secretary-General Kofi Annan, in a statement issued on Saturday, said he was heartened that a constitutional solution has been found to the crisis that has unfolded in Bolivia. He called on all Bolivians to take this opportunity to engage in constructive cooperation aimed at building a more just society, in which all citizens may channel their social demands through democratic institutions and in which human rights are fully respected.

He offered the people of Bolivia the assistance of the UN System in helping to address the difficult challenges that they face.

U.N. TEAM VISITS NORTHERN LIBERIAN TOWN FOR FIRST TIME IN FOUR YEARS

Over the weekend, UN humanitarian agencies undertook the first assessment mission in four years to Voinjama on Liberias northern border with Guinea.

One participant described Voinjama as a broken place in need of assistance where civilians are forced to scavenge for food in the bush. All houses were in a state of disrepair with fewer than 10 percent of the structures in habitable condition.

UN Humanitarian Coordinator Abou Moussa said that only one half of Liberias humanitarian program was funded in 2003. He said that a repeat of this in 2004 would jeopardize the humanitarian communitys ability to provide lifesaving services in Liberia.

On November 19, the United Nations is scheduled to launch the 2004 Consolidated Appeal for Liberia in Ottawa, Canada.

Meanwhile, the UN Mission in Liberia expressed its concern that all individuals in the new Liberian Government should be of high moral character and integrity, with untainted past records.

SECURITY IMPROVES IN NORTHERN AFGHANISTAN

The UN Mission in Afghanistan said that the security situation in the northern part of the country has improved significantly thanks in part to the deployment of an Afghan police unit in Mazar-e-Sharif and its surrounding vicinity.

The UN Mission said that the ceasefire in the north continued to hold and that UN restrictions on road missions have been lifted, except in two areas.

The Mission said that with international support, the police unit in Sholgara district in Balkh province had been able to buy vehicles, uniforms, radios and other equipment. The result is the emergence of a force that is representative of the population they serve and inclusive of the factions in this area, the Mission said.

ANNAN TO TRAVEL TUESDAY TO UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH

On Tuesday morning, the Secretary-General is scheduled to travel to the University of Pittsburgh to deliver the Ninth HJ Heinz Company Foundation Distinguished Lecture.

The Secretary-General will discuss the long-standing and productive relationship between the United States and the United Nations. He will also stress the need for continuing U.S. engagement in the Organization, working with other nations to pursue shared interests and to find solutions to common problems.

The University of Pittsburgh will confer the honorary Doctor of Public and International Affairs degree upon the Secretary-General in conjunction with his presentation.

ANNAN URGES MOROCCO TO ACCEPT PLAN FOR WESTERN SAHARA

The Secretary-General, in his latest report to the Security Council on Western Sahara, urges Morocco to seize the opportunity and positively engage in the process by accepting and implementing the peace plan for self-determination of the people of Western Sahara presented by his Personal Envoy James Baker.

The report says that, following the discussion Baker had with a high-level delegation from Morocco last month, he recommended that the Secretary-General accede to Moroccos request for more time to reflect and consult before giving its final response, by extending the current mandate of the UN Mission in Western Sahara (MINURSO).

The Secretary-General says he has agreed to that recommendation and hopes to receive Moroccos response before the end of the calendar year. He also recommends that the mandate of the mission be extended for three months, until January 31, 2004.

The Security Council is scheduled to discuss Western Sahara next Monday.

WORLD FOOD PROGRAMME REPORTS RECORD FOOD AID DELIVERY IN IRAQ

The World Food Programme (WFP) announced today that some 2 million tons of food have now been delivered to Iraq since emergency operations got underway this April 1.

WFP Executive Director James Morris said: "This is the largest amount of food assistance ever delivered in a single emergency operation over such a brief period.

Asked for a response on reports that the United States is willing to create a new agency to distribute funds for Iraq, the Spokesman said that there may be some confusion in those reports and that the United Nations is unaware of a proposal to create a new agency. Since the first meeting with donors in June, there was an agreement in principle, with the knowledge and support of the United States and the Coalition Provisional Authority, to set up a new funding mechanism under the joint control of the United Nations and World Bank. The spending of the funds will be coordinated by the Authority.

Asked whether there is any agreement between the Authority and the United Nations about the Monitoring Board for Iraq, the Spokesman said there has been no final agreement, although one is close. There are one or two outstanding issues to be resolved, he added.

AFRICAN WOMEN ARE 175 TIMES MORE LIKELY TO DIE IN CHILDBIRTH

THAN WOMEN IN DEVELOPED COUNTRIES

The UN Childrens Fund, UN Population Fund and World Health Organization, in a new study, say that a woman living in sub-Saharan Africa has a one in 16 chance of dying in pregnancy or childbirth. That rate means that African women are 175 times more likely to die in childbirth than women who live in developed countries.

Of the estimated 529,000 maternal deaths in 2000, 95 percent took place in Africa and Asia, four percent in Latin America, and less than one percent in the more developed regions.

UNICEF Executive Director Carol Bellamy said that the new maternal mortality estimates show an urgent need for increased access to emergency obstetric care, especially in sub-Saharan Africa.

OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS

SPOKESMAN NOTES PROPOSAL FOR MIDDLE EAST MONITORS: Asked about the bold steps that the Secretary-General called for in his comments about the Middle East last month, the Spokesman noted that he has long advocated the idea of international monitors, once the parties were ready for that step. [Regarding the Middle East, the General Assembly spokeswoman noted that the Assembly will resume its 10th emergency special session on the Middle East at 3:00 p.m. today and will consider two draft resolutions.]

ANNAN CONCERNED ABOUT ETHIOPIA-ERITREA TENSION: Asked about the recent state of the Ethiopia-Eritrea peace process, the Spokesman said the Secretary-General was concerned, with his Special Representative, Legwaila Joseph Legwaila, saying the process was under stress. The United Nations wants the two countries to agree on the demarcation in full of their boundary, with some 15 percent of that area now being disputed.

NO SECURITY COUNCIL MEETINGS SCHEDULED: There are no meetings or consultations of the Security Council as a whole scheduled for today.

ANNAN URGES RATIFICATIONS FOR CHEMICAL WEAPONS CONVENTION: The Secretary-General, in a message to the Conference of States Parties to the Chemical Weapons Convention, says that the international community remains deeply concerned about the dangers of weapons of mass destruction falling into the hands of terrorists and is actively engaged in working to counter that threat. He urges the roughly 40 States that remain outside the Chemical Weapons Convention to ratify or accede to it without delay.

FRÉCHETTE HAILS IMPORTANCE OF TOURISM: Deputy Secretary-General Louise Fréchette, speaking Sunday in Beijing, welcomed the work the World Tourism Organization is doing to complete its transformation into a specialized agency of the United Nations. She said that the draft agreement between the two organizations is expected to be approved by the General Assembly on November 7, and added, The deepening of our relationship reflects the growing importance of tourism in todays globalized world.

TOP U.N. ENVIRONMENT OFFICIAL CALLS FOR NEW MINDSET ON CLIMATE CHANGE: Citing a deadly European heat wave and recent massive power failures in the United States, Scandinavia and Italy, the Executive Director of the UN Environment Program (UNEP), Klaus Toepfer, said two of worlds most pressing issues -- energy security and climate change -- will not be solved by the mindset that created them. Speaking at the UNEP Finance Initiative Global Roundtable, Toepfer said, Instead of climate change, we need to create the climate for change.

DESERT LOCUST ALERT ISSUED FOR AFRICA: Desert Locust outbreaks in Mauritania, Niger and Sudan may locally threaten crops, the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) said, issuing an alert to inform affected governments and the international donor community.

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