United Nations Daily Highlights, 04-03-09

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

BY

FRED ECKHARD

SPOKESMAN FOR THE SECRETARY-GENERAL

OF THE UNITED NATIONS

UN HEADQUARTERS, NEW YORK

Tuesday, March 9, 2004

UNITED NATIONS APPEALS FOR $35 MILLION TO MEET HAITI'S EMERGENCY NEEDS;

PLANNING FOR U.N. MISSION SET TO BEGIN

An advance person left for Haiti today to prepare for the arrival of the first wave of the multi-disciplinary assessment team which leaves tomorrow. Some 16 political, military, police and logistics experts, as well as one information officer, will go in to begin planning the U.N. follow-on mission called for by the Security Council.

A second wave, made up primarily of representatives of UN agencies, funds, and programmes, could go in over the weekend, depending on the local security situation.

On the humanitarian front, the United Nations launched today a Flash Appeal for $35 million to meet Haitis emergency needs. The appeal would fund humanitarian aid over six months for more than 3 million people, mostly women and children, out of a total population of 8.3 million. Funding is urgently required for food aid, and assistance in health, nutrition, water and sanitation. The appeal also seeks to help kick start the repair of infrastructure and human rights initiatives.

Asked about the size and composition of the UN multi-disciplinary assessment team, the Spokesman said the 16 people that are expected to leave tomorrow are the first wave of what is expected to be three waves. The Spokesman said the second wave will probably go in over the weekend and a third wave will most likely leave early next week.

The Spokesman said the Secretary-General's Special Envoy to Haiti, John Reginald Dumas, will most likely go to Haiti early next week, possibly on Monday although his role is primarily political, unlike that of the team which is made up of all the facets of the UNs possible work in a follow-on mission to Haiti thats currently being planned.

What were looking at is a complex peacekeeping mission that potentially could include everything from military to police, to political officers to human rights officers, to election officers, etc, as well as the big humanitarian job being down there, the Spokesman said. The idea is that were looking at the possibility of a long-term multi-faceted peacekeeping operation in Haiti.

Asked about security in Haiti, the Spokesman said the situation is being monitored on a daily basis. "The security situation has been assessed to be safe enough for this first wave to go in, and as I said, well be assessing it on a regular basis as we prepare to send in successive waves, the Spokesman said.

ANNAN: EFFORT TO REBUILD HAITI COULD REQUIRE 10-YEAR COMMITMENT

Secretary-General Kofi Annan had a meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin and members of his Cabinet, during which they discussed Haiti.

At a joint press appearance following the meeting, the Secretary-General told reporters that we should expect not a one- or two-year commitment but possibly a 10-year commitment to Haiti.

The press appearance was followed by a working lunch with the Prime Minister.

The Secretary-General also had a brief one-on-one meeting with the Prime Minister this morning, after which he addressed the Canadian Parliament, saying that Canada

has been a pillar of support for the United Nations over the years.

He noted Canadas leadership in promoting new ideas on strengthening peaceful global governance, including its focus on the rights and dignity of the individual.

He noted, in that context, the approaching 10-year anniversary of the genocide and Rwanda, and said that, in order to avoid similar atrocities in the future, he has proposed the establishment of a Special Rapporteur or Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide.

He also made a special plea for long-term commitment to help the people of Haiti. He warned that the half-hearted efforts of the past have been insufficient and added, We cannot afford to fail this time.

The Secretary-General arrived in Ottawa yesterday, and said in his welcoming remarks that Canada was a truly diverse and multilingual society, which forms a kind of United Nations all of its own.

The Secretary-General began his day this morning by laying a wreath at Canadas memorial to fallen UN peacekeepers.

CYPRUS

REFERENDA SCHEDULED FOR 20 APRIL

The UN mission in Cyprus (UNFICYP), announced Monday evening that, to facilitate preparations for the conduct of referenda on each side, Special Adviser on "Times New Roman";mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-ansi-language: Cyprus Alvaro de Soto yesterday informed the Greek and Turkish Cypriot leaders that the date for the referenda has been set for 20 April.

SUDANESE PARTIES WELCOME FUTURE ROLE FOR

UNITED NATIONS

The Secretary-Generals Special Adviser on Africa Mohamed Sahnoun traveled to Kenya last week to follow up the Sudanese peace negotiations. Since his arrival in the region on 29 February, he has visited Kenya and Ethiopia.

While in Kenya, he had constructive exchanges with the leaders of the two parties at the talks, First Vice-President of Sudan, Ali Osman Mohamed Taha, and Chairman of the Sudan Peoples Liberation Movement (SPLM), John Garang. Both leaders welcomed a future UN role in the Sudan.

In Addis Ababa, Sahnoun held in-depth discussions with the Chairperson of the Commission of the African Union, Alpha Oumar Konaré. The discussion focused on steps that would enhance the ongoing peace process and on matters of cooperation between the United Nations and the African Union in support of the implementation of a comprehensive peace agreement.

Sahnoun is scheduled to remain in the region until 18 March for further visits and meetings.

ANGELINA JOLIE DONATES TO SUDANESE REFUGEES IN CHAD

URGES OTHERS TO FOLLOW SUIT

Angelina Jolie, Goodwill Ambassador for the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, announced she was donating $50,000 for water projects and urged individuals and corporations to donate funds to the UNHCR's effort to help an estimated 110,000 refugees who have fled Sudan's strife-torn Darfur region for neighbouring Chad.

Jolie is the first individual to make a major private donation to UNHCR's Chad

emergency, the agency says.

ANNAN LOOKS FORWARD TO WORKING WITH NEW RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTER

Asked about the appointment of the Russian Federations Ambassador to the United Nations, Sergey Lavrov, to the post of Russian Foreign Minister, the Spokesman said the Secretary-General has known Ambassador Lavrov for years and has great professional respect for his competence as a diplomat.

Throughout the years they have known each other, the Secretary-General has also learnt to appreciate both his wisdom and his wit and considers him a friend. The Spokesman added that the Secretary-General looks forward to working with him in his new post as Foreign Minister of the

Russian Federation

.

EXPERTS REITERATE CONCERN FOR HUMAN RIGHTS IN

NEPAL

Three independent experts for the UN Commission on Human Rights today reiterated their profound concern over the deteriorating human rights situation in Nepal.

The rapporteurs dealing with torture, freedom of expression and opinion and arbitrary detention noted that 47 urgent appeals, relating to approximately one hundred people, have been sent out since last November, most of them concerning detentions in unknown locations.

The experts are also seriously concerned about reports of increasing indiscriminate attacks against civilians by both the Government and the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist).

EFFORTS REINFORCED TO PROTECT CULTURAL HERITAGE DURING WAR

Efforts to protect the worlds cultural heritage in times of war have been reinforced with the entry into force today of the Second Protocol to the 1954 Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in Event of Armed Conflict.

The Protocol reaffirms the immunity of cultural property in times of war or occupation, and establishes the individual criminal responsibility of perpetrators of crimes against culture.

It also insists on the need to take preparatory measures in peacetime to protect such property in times of war. The Protocol entered into force after Costa Rica became the 20th country to ratify or accede to it.

RWANDA: REPORT THAT UNITED NATIONS IS OBSTRUCTING

PLANE CRASH INQUIRY IS RIDICULOUS

Asked about a press report claiming that the United Nations is obstructing an inquiry into the 1994 downing of the plane carrying Rwandas former President Juvenal Habyarimana, the Spokesman said he would give no credence to the report, nor to its additional claim that the planes cockpit voice-recorder was being held at U.N. Headquarters.

"Weve not obstructed this inquiry, the Spokesman said. Its ridiculous to say weve got the black box of the plane hidden in headquarters or anywhere else here."

OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS

NO SECURITY COUNCIL MEETINGS TODAY: There are no meetings or consultations of the Security Council planned for today.

MORE MENTAL HEALTH RESEARCH FROM DEVELOPING COUNTRIES NEEDED: Editors from leading medical journals are joining forces with the World Health Organization to spur the publication of more mental health research from developing countries. The overwhelming majority of mental health studies published in leading journals are from the developed world, with just 2% from and about developing countries. WHO says mental health research in developing countries is needed to better inform governments in planning the various aspects of care.

U.N. TEAM VISITS SOUTHERN IRAQ: A joint UN assessment team, led by the chief of mission for Iraq of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees visited the southern Iraqi city of Basra on Sunday, at the request of the Secretary-Generals Acting Special Representative, Ross Mountain.

The team, upon return from southern Iraq, has warned that an unregulated flow of returnees is straining already limited resources in communities impoverished by decades of conflict and sanctions.