United Nations Daily Highlights, 04-06-11

United Nations Daily Highlights Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

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

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NOON BRIEFING

BY STEPHANE DUJARRIC

ASSOCIATE SPOKESMAN FOR THE SECRETARY-GENERAL

OF THE UNITED NATIONS

UN HEADQUARTERS, NEW YORK

Friday, June 11, 2004

ANNAN CONDEMNS COUP ATTEMPT IN DR CONGO

In a statement, Secretary-General Kofi Annan condemned the attempted coup early today in Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

The Secretary-General restated the commitment of the United Nations for the transitional process in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and its institutions, and urged all actors to show cohesion and determination to bring the transition to a successful conclusion.

The Secretary-General reaffirmed that the UN Mission in the DRC and its partners in the UN system stand ready to assist the Government of National Unity and Transition to achieve its goals, as provided for by the Global and All-inclusive Agreement, and urges all partners in the Government to work together in a cooperative and constructive manner.

KINSHASA REPORTED TO BE QUIET, AS UN REINFORCES PATROLS

The Secretary-Generals Special Representative in the DRC, William Swing, has been in constant contact with Government authorities in Kinshasa. The capital is now reported to be quiet, and the UN Mission is reinforcing army patrols in the streets.

The eastern city of Bukavu is also said to be quiet, although there are reports of sporadic looting. However, there are initial signs of growing unrest in the city of Uvira, south of Bukavu where a group of Mayi Mayi fighters appear to be blocked between Congolese national army forces in DRC territory and Burundian Government forces on the Burundian side of the border.

From Geneva, the UN refugee agency reports that a team which returned Thursday from the Burundi-DRC border noted that more that 2,800 Congolese refugees, mostly women and children, had arrived in Burundi in recent days. UNHCR and other agency and non-governmental partners are starting emergency relief programs for the new arrivals.

SECURITY COUNCIL APPROVES UN ADVANCE TEAM IN SUDAN, EXTENDS UN MANDATE IN CYPRUS

The Security Council, in a formal meeting, unanimously approved a resolution on Sudan, welcoming the Secretary-Generals proposal to establish, for an initial period of three months, a UN advance team in Sudan as a special political mission. It endorsed his proposals for the staffing of the advance team and requested that he conclude all necessary agreements with the Government of Sudan as expeditiously as possible.

The Security Council also voted in favor of a resolution extending the mandate of the UN peacekeeping force in Cyprus until December 15, 2004.

On Thursday, the Security Council said in a statement to the press that maintaining sanctions longer on Liberia would help to cement the peace process. Council members felt that peace was still fragile and that the conditions for the lifting of the sanctions were yet to be fully met, Council President Lauro Baja of the Philippines told the press.

ANNAN ATTENDS REAGAN FUNERAL, FOLLOWING HARVARD SPEECH

The Secretary-General traveled to Washington, D.C., today, where he is attending the funeral service for former President Ronald Reagan at the National Cathedral. He will return to New York this afternoon.

On Thursday afternoon, the Secretary-General delivered the commencement address at Harvard University, and said that it is in the interest of every country to have international rules and to abide by them. All great American leaders have understood this, he added, which is one of the things that makes the United States a unique world power.

He noted that, in recent weeks, the United States once again found that it needed the unique legitimacy of the United Nations to bring into being a credible interim government in Iraq.

Now, the Secretary-General added, the international system faces three great tests in the first years of the new century: the test of collective security; that of solidarity between rich and poor; and that of mutual respect between faiths and cultures. He affirmed, I know that we can pass those tests.

Just before delivering that commencement address, the Secretary-General met at Harvard with the Prime Minister of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdogan. They talked about ways to continue the discussion on Cyprus, as well as recent developments in Iraq.

KAI EIDE NAMED TO LEAD UN ASSESSMENT TEAM FOR KOSOVO

In his last report to the Security Council on the UN Mission in Kosovo, the Secretary-General had indicated that a full review of the policies and practices of all parties would be undertaken as part of an assessment of the implications of the recent violence. The Secretary-General has now asked Ambassador Kai Eide of Norway to conduct that assessment.

Ambassador Eide and his team will assess the political implications of the violent events that took place in March 2004, and formulate suggestions for the way forward, in accordance with resolution 1244.

Ambassador Eide and his team will begin their work in Pristina in the coming days. Upon completion, they will report to the Secretary-General.

Meanwhile, in Kosovo itself, the departing head of the UN Mission, Harri Holkeri, said that Kosovo today is very different from what it had been four years ago, with a functioning government and an elected assembly. In his farewell press conference on Thursday, he said there may still be difficult days ahead, and he called on the people of Kosovo to reject extremism and division.

ILO, UNICEF HIGHLIGHT PLIGHT OF CHILD DOMESTIC SERVANTS

Today is the World Day Against Child Labour and to mark this occasion, the International Labour Organization has released a report highlighting the plight of children working as domestic servants.

The organization estimates that this growing global phenomenon traps as many as ten million children or more, mostly girls, in hidden forms of exploitation. This often involves abuse, health risks and violence.

Speaking on this issue, Carol Bellamy, the head of the UN Childrens Fund, said that in many cases, calling these girls domestic workers is misleading since we are talking about children who, instead of starting each day in the school yard are getting up when it is still dark and toiling until night in slave-like conditions. This is not legitimate employment. And this is not a childhood that any girl or boy should have to endure.

STAFF DAY OBSERVED AT UNITED NATIONS

Today is United Nations Staff Day. The day began this morning with a flag raising ceremony organized by the Staff Union to remember all staff fallen in the service of the organization.

Speaking at the ceremony were the Acting President of the General Assembly, Ambassador Brown Chimphamba of Malawi; the President of the Security Council, Ambassador Lauro Baja of the Philippines; the Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping, Jean Marie Guéhenno; and Marilyn Manuel, a staff member who survived last years bombing in Baghdad.

The observance ended with the reading of the names of the 111 staff members, both military and civilian, who have died since the last Staff day.

Guéhenno noted that once, the blue flag was a shield. But, he said, in too many places the UN has become a target for those who benefit from conflict, and those who use violence, against the UN and against their own people, to block the path to peace in war torn lands.

This cannot stand, he added, saying, The blue flag must once again become inviolable, because what its stands for is inviolable. He said the UN must strike the balance between ensuring the security and safety of its staff and fulfilling the mandates entrusted to the Organization.

He concluded: Our colleagues, especially those in the field, deserve the utmost attention to their security as they go about their work to further the causes of peace, human rights and development. We owe it to them to ensure they are protected, and we owe it to the memory of those who have perished in the past years.

OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS

UN HUMANITARIAN CHIEF CONDEMNS UGANDA ATTACKS: The UN Emergency Relief Coordinator, Jan Egeland, has condemned a series of attacks by the Lords Resistance Army (LRA) on camps for internally displaced persons in Northern Uganda that have reportedly left more than 125 people dead in the past four weeks.

ANNAN WELCOMES POPULATION CONFERENCE IN SENEGAL: The Secretary-General, in a message, today welcomed the convening of a meeting in Dakar, Senegal, on implementing the program of action of the 1994 International Conference on Population and Development. He said that much more needs to be done on population issues, with too many women having no access to health care and dying of preventable causes related to pregnancy and childbirth.

WHO, UNAIDS WELCOME G8 ENDORSEMENT OF VACCINE INITIATIVE: The World Health Organization and UNAIDS today welcomed the endorsement by the Group of Eight industrialized nations of the Global HIV Vaccine Enterprise. That initiative was proposed by an international group of scientists to accelerate the development of HIV vaccines. WHO Director-General Lee Jong-wook said that initiative will bring a new political and financial dimension, addressing the complex challenge of developing a safe and effective HIV/AIDS vaccine.

THE WEEK AHEAD AT THE UNITED NATIONS

Saturday, June 14

The Secretary-General will arrive in Sao Paulo, Brazil, where he will attend the 11th session of the UN Conference on Trade and Development, and also will address a special ministerial meeting marking the 40th anniversary of the creation of the Group of 77 alliance of developing countries.

This weekend in Lusaka, Zambia, the UN Childrens Fund will participate in an international symposium, hosted by President Levy Mwanawasa, on gender-based and sexual violence against women and children in Zambia.

Sunday, June 13

The 11th session of the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) will begin in Sao Paulo, Brazil, with the theme, Enhancing coherence between national development strategies and global economic processes towards economic growth and development.

Monday, June 14

The Secretary-General will address the UNCTAD session in Sao Paulo, Brazil.

The Security Council has scheduled an open debate on the protection of civilians in armed conflict.

Tuesday, June 15

Wednesday, June 16

The Secretary-General is expected to return to New York, ending his trip to Brazil.

The Security Council has scheduled consultations on Haiti.

Thursday, June 17

Deputy Secretary-General Louise Fréchette is scheduled to receive an honorary degree from the University of Waterloo, in Ontario, Canada.

The UN Office on Drugs and Crime will launch the 2003 coca surveys for Colombia, Bolivia and Peru, in press conferences in several cities, and is expected to discuss those surveys at the noon briefing. Vincent McClean, head of the New York office, will be the guest at the noon briefing.

Friday, June 18

The Security Council has scheduled consultations on Guinea-Bissau. It also intends to hold its monthly luncheon with the Secretary-General.

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

United Nations Daily Highlights Directory - Previous Article - Next Article