United Nations Daily Highlights, 04-01-22

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

BY STEPHANE DUJARRIC

ASSOCIATE SPOKESMAN FOR THE SECRETARY-GENERAL

OF THE UNITED NATIONS

UN HEADQUARTERS, NEW YORK

Thursday, January 22, 2004

KOFI ANNAN TO ADDRESS WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM

IN DAVOS

Secretary-General Kofi Annan traveled this afternoon, from Baden Baden, Germany, to Davos, Switzerland, where Friday morning he will address the World Economic Forum. In his speech, the Secretary-General will talk about issues such as globalization, the Global Compact and the Millennium Development Goals.

This evening in Davos, the Secretary-General expects to hold meetings with the President-elect of Georgia, Mikheil Saakashvili, and with NATO Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer.

The Secretary-General last night received the German Media Prize, and was introduced by the 1999 winner of that prize, former

U.S.

President Bill Clinton, who said the Secretary-General had transformed the United Nations by widening its circle of friends, becoming beloved by ordinary citizens for his self-evident decency. Clinton

added, I follow him with pride.

The Secretary-General said that the United Nations will remember 2003 as one of the most difficult and painful years in its history.

For the year ahead, he pointed to the need to increase attention to the need to fight AIDS, which he called the deadliest epidemic in human history, and to refocus the worlds attention on development.

At the same time, he said, we must show that the United Nations is capable of fulfilling its purpose of ensuring collective security, so that States do not feel obliged or entitled to take the law into its own hands. The Secretary-General added another challenge that needs attention this year: the rebuilding of trust among different peoples.

ISRAELI DEMOLITIONS OF GAZA HOMES DESCRIBED AS

"A HUGELY DISPROPORTIONATE RESPONSE"

Peter Hansen, the head of the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees, today condemned the latest Israeli demolitions that took place in Gaza this week, calling it a hugely disproportionate response by an occupation army.

The Agency says that the demolitions carried out since last Friday have left 584 people homeless in the town and refugee camp of Rafah. The latest assault, it adds, saw one Palestinian woman killed and eight other people injured.

Hansen said such demolitions are a policy that creates only hardship and bitterness, and in the end can only undermine hope for future reconciliation and peace.

INTER-COMMUNAL VIOLENCE WORSENS IN WESTERN COTE

D'IVOIRE

Thirty-five people have been killed and hundreds displaced since inter-communal violence in Cote dIvoires western regions worsened late last month, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.

Carolyn McAskie, the Deputy Emergency Relief Coordinator, has appealed to the Government to do more to stop the violence. She also called on all parties to actively bring an end to violence directed against civilians.

DR CONGO MILITIA HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR ATTACKS ON UN PEACEKEEPERS

The UN Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo is holding the Union of Congolese Patriots (UPC) militia responsible for three recent incidents in Ituri in which peacekeepers came under fire.

In a press release issued today, the United Nations notes that these attacks appear to have been carried out under the orders of a UPC Commander, Bosco Ntaganda, who has been accused of committing grave human rights violations against the civilian population.

UN representative William Swing has demanded of the UPC leadership that it cease carrying out violent acts against civilians, and warned that it clearly condemn attacks on peacekeepers.

The UN Mission notes that it shall continue to protect the civilian population as well as conduct operations in Ituri - despite provocations.

BURUNDI PARTIES CONGRATULATED ON PEACE TALKS PROGRESS

The Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Burundi, Berhanu Dinka, congratulates Burundian President Domitien Ndayizeye and the Palipehutu-FNL rebels for the positive results that emerged from their first meeting in the Netherlands

from 18-21 January 2004.

The Special Representative encourages both parties to maintain the climate of confidence that has been created, and to immediately pursue discussions in order to conclude a global cease-fire and to put an end to the suffering of the Burundian people.

ANNAN CALLS FOR EXTENSION OF UN MISSIONS MANDATE IN WESTERN SAHARA

In his latest report on Western Sahara, the Secretary-General recommends that the Security Council extend the mandate of the UN Mission, MINURSO, until April 30, 2004, to allow time for his Special Envoy James Baker to consult further with Morocco on its final response to the peace plan submitted to the parties in January of last year.

The Secretary-General expresses the hope that Mr. Baker will receive Moroccos final reply before the end of April.

The report, which was issued late yesterday, also covers political, military, police and humanitarian developments since October 2003, including the recent confidence building measures to facilitate contacts between refugees in the Tindouf camps and their relatives in Western Sahara.

MORE THAN 500,000 AFGHANS REGISTERED TO VOTE

More than half a million Afghans have now registered to vote including just under 395,000 men and more than 112,000 women.

The highest number of registrations thus far has taken place in central Afghanistan, the UN Mission in that country says.

The Mission said that, once elections take place, there will be procedures to prevent people from voting more than once, including marking fingers with indelible ink. The UN Mission will be preparing educational material to address the issue.

Tomorrow, a team from the UN refugee agency will visit Iran to explain to Afghan refugees in that country what conditions are really like in central Afghanistan.

MONEY RELEASED FOR CLAMS FROM IRAQI INVASION OF KUWAIT

In Geneva, the UN Compensation Commission has made available today more than $184 million to

24 Governments for distribution to 1,681 successful claimants.

The Commission has received 2.6 million claims for death, injury, property loss and damage and commercial claims from Iraq's unlawful invasion and occupation of Kuwait in 1991. The Commission has resolved 98% of the claims submitted.

Until now, more than $17.5 billion has been paid out in compensation to victims of Iraqs unlawful invasion and occupation of Kuwait

in 1991. The Commission expects that all remaining claims will have been resolved before the end of the year.

UN SPECIAL RAPPORTEURS CONDEMN VIOLENCE IN HAITI

Two experts of the Commission on Human Rights have expressed strong concerns about the situation of human rights in Haiti, especially since the start of violent confrontations between opposing and militias, as well as with the police.

The Special Rapporteur on the freedom of opinion and expression, Ambeyi Ligabo, and the Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, Asma Jahangir, deplore the violence which has seen two people killed and dozens more injured in confrontations.

The Special Rapporteurs have launched an appeal to Haitian authorities, in cooperation with opposition political parties, to demand that the violence stop.

UNICEFCONCERNED OVER TAMIL TIGERS USE OF CHILD SOLDIERS

UNICEF, the UN Childrens Fund, has expressed concern about the continued use of children as soldiers by Tamil Tigers in Sri Lanka.

According to a new report, 709 children were recruited by the Tamil Tigers last year, while only 202 were released. From reports submitted by families, UNICEF says its knows of at least 1,301 children still working for the Tamil Tigers.

In addition, the report estimates that 50,000 children in the affected region are out of school, around 140,000 have been displaced from their homes, while landmines have killed 20 and maimed 17 children in 2003 alone.

POVERTY, HIV/AIDS TARGETED AT AFRICA CUP OF NATIONS

The UN Development Programme, in partnership with soccer stars and officials, will be using the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations tournament to promote a campaign against poverty and the spread of HIV/AIDS.

The campaign, Africa 2015, aims to mobilize popular participation in the global drive to achieve the Millennium Development Goals. The goals are a set of eight, time-bound, measurable goals adopted by all member countries of the UN, and they include halving the proportion of people living in poverty and stopping the spread of HIV/AIDS before 2015.

The Africa Cup of Nations is one of the most popular sporting events in Africa . It runs from the 24th of January until the 14th of February.

OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS

SECURITY COUNCIL: The Security Council has scheduled no meetings or consultations today.

UNICEF TO ISSUE FUNDING APPEAL FOR

AID TO SUDANESE REFUGEES

IN CHAD:In response to the rapidly deteriorating situation of Sudanese refugees in Chad, UNICEF is moving ahead on a series of activities, including a measles campaign for nearly 86,000 children. Other activities include a Vitamin A distribution programme, and the distribution of 200,000 blankets, and the provision of therapeutic milk.

EUROPEAN UNION WARNED THAT ASYLUM SYSTEMS MAY BE OVERWHELMED: The UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Ruud Lubbers, today warned European interior ministers that the forthcoming enlargement of the European Union may overwhelm asylum systems in some new member states. Addressing the Justice and Home Affairs Council in Dublin, Lubbers presented a detailed set of ideas to enhance the EU's ability to act collectively to solve this and other practical difficulties.

FIRST WOMAN ELECTED PRESIDENT OF ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL: The Economic and Social Council yesterday elected Ambassador Marjatta Rasi of Finland as its President for 2004. She is the first woman to hold that post.

Elected as Vice-Presidents of the Council were Daw Penjo of Bhutan, Jagdish Koonjul of Mauritius, Yashar Aliyev of Azerbaijan, and Stafford O. Neil of

Jamaica.

NEW FUND CREATED FOR GOVERNANCE REFORMS IN GEORGIA: UN Development Programme administrator Mark Malloch Brown and George Soros, founder of the Open Society Institute, announced the creation of a new fund to support governance reforms in Georgia. The fund of $2 million will be used to support key administrative and legal reforms in Georgia.

JAPAN'S FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE UNITED NATIONS: When asked about press reports which claim that Japan has decided to reduce its financial contributions to international organizations, including the United Nations, in light of its tight fiscal situation, the Spokesman said his understanding was that the United Nations had yet to be officially contacted about such matter, nor was it clear whether any such reduction specifically refers to contributions outside of the regular assessments which are negotiated in the General Assembly.

Office of the Spokesman for the Secretary-General

United Nations, S-378

New York, NY 10017

Tel. 212-963-7162 - press/media only

Fax. 212-963-7055

All other inquiries to be addressed to (212)

963-4475 or by e-mail to: inquiries@un.org

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