United Nations Daily Highlights, 04-07-08

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

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NOON BRIEFING

BY MARIE OKABE

ASSOCIATE SPOKESWOMAN FOR THE

SECRETARY-GENERAL

OF THE UNITED NATIONS

UN HEADQUARTERS, NEW YORK

Thursday, July 8, 2004

SUDAN, SOMALIA AND FIGHT AGAINST HIV/AIDS

FOCUS OF ANNAN'S MEETINGS IN KENYA

In Nairobi, Kenya, Secretary-General Kofi Annan met today with the Kenyan negotiators dealing with Sudan and with Somalia.

After that, the Secretary-General met one-on-one with Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki, followed by an exchange with their full delegations. At a press encounter afterwards, the Secretary-General thanked the Government of Kenya for the support it has been giving to the two peace efforts for Sudan and Somalia.

The Secretary-General added that he and the President had also talked of the challenge of HIV/AIDS. Today, AIDS has a womans face in Africa, he said. Each and every one of us must take on the challenge.

After that, the Secretary-General went outside Nairobi to talk to some 500 delegates at the Somali peace talks, and urged them to do all in their power to establish an inclusive government structure by July 31. He told them, Somalia cannot afford another false start, and added, Your people have the right to look to a better tomorrow. And tomorrow begins today.

He then left Kenya, and is in Doha, Qatar, this evening.

In a separate program, Nane Annan visited a Nairobi slum with Kenyas Health Minister. She walked through the community and spoke to women and men living with AIDS as well as children orphaned by the disease. They visited the Kenya Network of Women with AIDS, a grassroots community-based organization of HIV-positive women who provide support for others affected by HIV/AIDS. Later, she visited Equity Building Society, a Kenyan micro-finance institution, and met clients who had received small loans to start or expand their businesses.

INSECURITY PERSISTS IN DARFUR, SUDAN

According to information received by the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, fighting is ongoing in South Darfur, with the Janjaweed fighting against the rebel Sudan Liberation Army and other skirmishes.

The humanitarian coordinator for Sudan is concerned about continued activity of highwaymen, and attacks on roads and on convoys by unknown elements. Violence against civilians is ongoing.

The government has pledged to send some 6,000 police to Darfur. It is understood this deployment will take some time, but the United Nations in Sudan is following up on this.

As for humanitarian assistance, one key priority remains the provision of sanitation, especially in large camps. In Mornei in West Darfur, for example, where there are 60,000 internally displaced persons, the sanitation situation has not improved for weeks. The government prevented a non-governmental organization working in the sanitation sector from establishing offices in this camp, and the humanitarian community is now seeking alternative capacity for providing sanitation in the camp.

Asked about Security Council action on a draft resolution on Sudan, the Spokeswoman noted that Council members would discuss a draft resolution, at the expert level, at 3:00 p.m. today.

SECURITY COUNCIL DISCUSSES EXTENSION OF NATO FORCE IN BOSNIA

The Security Council held consultations today to discuss a draft resolution on Bosnia and Herzegovina, concerning an extension of the mandate of the NATO Stabilization Force in that country until the end of this year.

Council members expect to vote on that draft resolution on Friday.

U.N. MISSION DISMISSES CHANGES PROPOSED BY KOSOVO ASSEMBLY

The UN Mission in Kosovo says that proposed changes by Kosovos Assembly to the Constitutional Framework are outside of its competencies. The Missions statement follows the Assemblys discussions today on amendments to the Framework.

The Mission says any changes must be in line with the guidance given by the Security Council and expressed in the Standards for Kosovo. It adds that a different approach would divert time and energy from urgent work in the run-up to the review of Kosovos status in the middle of next year.

U.N. MISSION DISTRESSED BY KILLING IN AFGHANISTAN

The head of the UN Mission in Afghanistan, Jean Arnault, today voiced his distress and concern at the news that a female voter registration worker was killed this morning, south of Jalalabad. That killing took place when a vehicle transporting four Afghan voter registration workers was hit by an explosive device, in the province of Nangarhar.

Arnault expressed his deep sorrow at the killing, and once more appealed to the local authorities and international forces to provide registration workers with the protection they deserve.

The Mission also mentioned the appointment of Ameera Haq, a Bangladeshi who has worked for UN Development Programme, as one of the two Deputy Special Representatives for Afghanistan.

U.N.-ASSISTED ELECTORAL TRAINING FOR IRAQIS HELD IN MEXICO

The UN Electoral Assistance Division said a two-week training seminar for members of the recently-created Independent Electoral Commission for Iraq concluded on July 6. The seminar was run by the United Nations in partnership with Mexicos Federal Institute of Elections, which also hosted the participants.

The training was conducted by staff of electoral institutions from around the world, UN experts and staff from other international organizations.

Among many other issues, the seminar focused on the standards and principles of credible elections, the role of political parties, civil society and gender equity issues, as well as tabulations procedures.

This intensive training has been the first step in assisting the Iraqi Electoral Commission for the many crucial decisions that lie ahead to prepare for elections.

Asked where Acting

UN Special Representative for Iraq Ross Mountain was, the Spokeswoman said he was working out of Amman, Jordan. She noted that the security situation in Baghdad was such that the United Nations does not have a substantial presence there. Asked about the appointment of the Special Representative for Iraq, the Spokeswoman said she had nothing to announce today.

Asked about complaints concerning the transfer of radioactive material from Iraq by the United States, the Spokeswoman noted that the International Atomic Energy Agency had reported to the Security Council in a document made public on Wednesday that the United States had informed it about that transfer.

UNITED NATIONS CONFIRMS REQUEST REGARDING U.S. ELECTORAL ASSISTANCE

Asked about a request from members of the U.S. Congress, calling for UN observers to monitor the upcoming U.S. elections, the Spokeswoman confirmed that the United Nations has received a letter from the members of Congress.

She said that the UN policy is to respond to requests from national Governments and not from the legislative branch. Observation work would have to be mandated by the General Assembly, since the activity would affect sovereign jurisdiction over the country.

She noted that most of the electoral operations the United Nations is involved in now concern technical assistance, although there have been observation missions in the past.

BRAHIMI RECEIVES DAG HAMMARSKJOLD AWARD

The Secretary-Generals Special Advisor, Lakhdar Brahimi, is in Munich, Germany, today to receive the Dag Hammarskjold Honorary Medal from the German United Nations Association.

In a message to mark the occasion, the Secretary-General said Brahimi possesses a unique combination of talent, skill and experience, and perhaps even more important, a sense of dedication and self-sacrifice, that mark him out as one of the finest mediators and negotiators the United Nations has been privileged to call one of its own.

ANNAN PLEASED BY INITIATIVES ON WOMEN IN ARAB WORLD

The Secretary-General said today that that it is heartening to see that the status of women is being addressed on almost all regional and national reform initiatives in the Arab world. That was part of a message delivered on his behalf to the Arab Regional Conference, being held in Beirut from today until Saturday.

The Secretary-General added that the theme of the conference, Ten Years After Beijing: Call for Peace, reaffirms the commitment of the people of the Middle East to the cause of womens empowerment.

ANNAN MOURNS PRESIDENT KLESTIL OF AUSTRIA

The Secretary-General was deeply saddened to learn of the death of the President of Austria, Thomas Klestil.

An outstanding statesman and diplomat, who represented Austria at the United Nations from 1978 to 1982, Mr. Klestil was elected 10 years later to the highest office in his country. He worked tirelessly to strengthen Austrias relations with other European countries and the international community at large. During his 12 years of dedicated service as President of his country, Mr. Klestil earned the respect of his people and of the many world leaders he met in Austria or abroad.

The Secretary-General conveys his heartfelt condolences to President Klestils family and to the Government and people of Austria.

OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS

ANNAN RECEIVES REPORT ON RUUD LUBBERS: Asked if a report by the Office of Internal Oversight Services on UN High Commissioner for Refugees Rudd Lubbers was in the Secretary-Generals hands, the Spokeswoman confirmed that it was.

WEST AFRICA LOCUST PLAGUE COULD SPREAD TO DARFUR: The Food and Agriculture Organization says desert locust swarms are threatening parts of West Africa with its worst plague in 15 years. Donors have so far pledged only half of the $17 million that FAO appealed for in April to help run an existing control campaign. FAO says the swarms are expected to spread to Niger, Chad and possibly Darfur, Sudan.

UN HABITAT CALLS FOR RURAL INVESTMENT IN MALAWI: UN Habitat says that Malawi will need increased investment in its rural areas to stem rapid urbanization. Malawi, it says, is the fastest urbanizing country in the world, with about 44 percent of its population expected to live in urban centers by 2015. In the capital, Blantyre, some 71 percent of residents currently live in squalid, unplanned settlements, Habitat says.

OPIUM CULTIVATION DROPPED IN LAOS: The United Nations has confirmed that opium cultivation in Laos this year has dropped by almost half in comparison to 2003. Antonio Maria Costa, the executive director of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime is on an official visit to Laos and will launch the results of the survey on Friday.

Office of the Spokesman for the Secretary-General

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