United Nations Daily Highlights, 05-06-01

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

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE SPOKESMAN'S NOON BRIEFING

BY

STEPHANE DUJARRIC

ASSOCIATE

SPOKESMAN FOR THE SECRETARY-GENERAL

UN HEADQUARTERS, NEW YORK

Wednesday, June 1, 2005

ANNAN SHOCKED BY ATTACK ON KANDAHAR MOSQUE

Secretary-General Kofi Annan was

shocked and angered to learn of the attack today on the Abdul Rab Akhundzada mosque in Kandahar,

Afghanistan.

While the number of casualties is not yet known, it is clear that this was one of the most deadly assaults against civilians in Afghanistan in several years.

He is outraged by this senseless attack, all the more so as it was directed against a place of worship during a memorial service for a member of the clergy, who was himself assassinated two days ago.

The Secretary-General strongly condemns this heinous act of terrorism, and expresses his profound condolences to the Government of Afghanistan and the bereaved families of the victims.

U.N. HUMAN RIGHTS TEAM TO INVESTIGATE ATTACK IN COTE DIVOIRE

Unidentified persons armed with machetes attacked and killed at least 41 people and injured 61 others in a village in western Cote dIvoire, between Tuesday night and early Wednesday morning,

UN Operation in Côte dIvoire (UNOCI)

reports.

Many people from the village and neighbouring localities have fled to the nearby town of Duékoue for fear of reprisals.

UNOCI has reinforced its troops in the area with mobile patrols and stationary units so as to help the Ivorian Security and Defence Forces (FDS) to stabilize the situation in the zone.

UNOCI strongly condemns the killings, which constitute a setback for reconciliation efforts that have been under way for over one month now in the Duékoue area.

It urges the competent authorities to arrest the perpetrators and bring them before a court in conformity with the laws in force. UNOCI has sent a team of human rights experts to the area.

WORLD FOOD PROGRAMME CHIEF MEETS

PRESIDENT MUGABE ON ZIMBABWES FOOD NEEDS

James T. Morris, the Secretary-Generals Special Envoy for Humanitarian Needs in Southern Africa, met with Zimbabwes President Robert Mugabe on the last leg of his trip to southern Africa as the region moves into yet another year of immense humanitarian need.

Morris, who heads the

World Food Programme, was on his way to Johannesburg where he will give a press briefing.

GENERAL ASSEMBLY TO HOLD HIGH-LEVEL MEETING ON AIDS ON THURSDAY

Dr. Peter Piot, the

UNAIDS Executive Director, and Richard Feachem, the Executive Director of the

Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, will brief the press at 12:30 p.m. on Thursday on progress towards meeting targets set during the

2001 UN Special Session on HIV/AIDS. The

Secretary-General is expected to stop by the briefing.

Earlier in the day, the Secretary-General and Dr. Piot will address health ministers and other delegates gathered for the

General Assembly HighLevel Meeting on HIV/AIDS.

The day-long Meeting will review progress in realizing the commitments set out in the 2001 Declaration of Commitment on HIV/AIDS, and delegates from over 120 Member States will take part.

ANNAN IS URGING GREATER SECURITY AROUND CAMPS IN DARFUR

The

Secretary-General, upon entering the building yesterday after visiting

Sudan,

told reporters that while he thinks that the situation in some areas has stabilized, there are still serious security problems outside the camps.

Therefore, he said, he is urging for greater security so that women in particular will be able to move around freely without fear of attack or violence.

U.N. ENVOY REMINDS BURUNDIAN POLITICAL LEADERS OF RESPONSIBILITIES

The Secretary-Generals Special Representative for Burundi,

Carolyn McAskie, at a press conference before the municipal elections which will be held on Friday, reminded the political leaders of their responsibilities as the long electoral process is about to kick off.

The municipal elections will be the first of a series of four other elections, including Parliamentary elections (4 July), Senatorial (19 July), Presidential (19 August), and District-level elections (23 September).

She said, "The world is watching you, the world is watching..." She asked the political leaders to refrain from any fraudulent acts, and to respect the Code of Conduct.

FRANCE ASSUMES SECURITY COUNCIL PRESIDENCY FOR JUNE

France has assumed the

presidency of the

Security Council for the month of June.

Ambassador Jean-Marc de la Sabliere is holding bilateral meeting with Council members today on the months programme.

He will brief the press on Thursday, after Council consultations, on the June programme.

SECURITY COUNCIL TO CONSIDER PROVISIONS

AGAINST SEXUAL EXPLOITATION IN PEACEKEEPING MANDATES

The

Security Council President for May, Ambassador Ellen Loj of Denmark, yesterday read out a

statement on sexual exploitation and abuse by UN peacekeeping personnel.

In the statement, the Council says itll consider including relevant provisions for prevention, investigation and reporting of misconduct cases in its resolutions establishing new mandates or renewing existing mandates for peacekeeping operations.

In this regard, the Council also calls on the

Secretary-General to include, in his regular reports on peacekeeping missions, a summary of whats being done to implement a zero-tolerance policy.

UNITED NATIONS HAS RECEIVED LETTER

REQUESTING HELP WITH IRAQI CONSTITUTION

Tuesday afternoon, a

statement was issued announcing that the United Nations had officially received a request from the President of Iraqs Transitional National Assembly, Hajim Al-Hasani, inviting us to help promote national dialogue between the Assembly's Constitutional Drafting Committee and the Iraqi people, and to help build consensus nationwide for the draft constitution.

A UN constitutional support team, led by Nicholas Fink Haysom of South Africa, has been in Baghdad since mid-April, engaged in preparatory activities.

The

Secretary-General urges the people of Iraq to seize this historic opportunity, and to pursue the constitutional process in a manner that is inclusive, participatory, transparent and responsive to the key demands of all Iraqi political constituencies.

He hopes that every effort will be made to complete the drafting of the constitution within the timetable for Iraq's political transition.

UNITED NATIONS HOLDS UN21 AWARDS CEREMONY

RECOGNIZING INNOVATION, EFFICIENCY AND EXCELLENCE

The ceremony to honour the winners of the UN 21 Awards was held this morning.

The awards were established nine years ago as part of the reform effort by the

Secretary-General to provide recognition to staff members for innovation, efficiency and excellence in the delivery of the UNs programmes and services.

The awards were designed to motivate staff members to participate in the Secretary-Generals reform of the Organization, and to help change the culture into a results-oriented one.

The

Deputy-Secretary-General, Louise Frechette, attended todays ceremony.

FLOODING DISRUPTS RELIEF EFFORTS IN ETHIOPIAS SOMALI REGION

Renewed flooding has disrupted relief efforts in Ethiopia's southeastern Somali region, making travel impossible in some areas, according to the

UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.

Trucks laden with relief items have been stuck on impassable roads for nearly three weeks, while new flooding has caused additional displacements in regions to which people are recently following flooding in April.

A joint government and UN assessment team arrived in the region on 25 May to assess the scale of the floods and to recommend an appropriate emergency response.

Road inaccessibility has prevented food aid from reaching many of the flood-affected areas, and has hampered

UNICEF efforts to deliver relief to Gode.

While the number affected remains unclear, estimates of people in need range from 25,000 to more than 60,000.

Until access problems are eased, the

World Food Programme is working to fund the transport of 870 million tons of maize from Gode to affected areas.

U.N. STAFF MEMBER DISMISSED FOR SERIOUS MISCONDUCT

After a thorough review of all aspects of the case, the

Secretary-General has decided that Joseph Stephanides be summarily dismissed for serious misconduct, in accordance with the UN Staff Regulations.

Stephanides was advised accordingly yesterday and was separated from service with immediate effect.

Asked how many UN Staff members had been summarily dismissed in the past, the Spokesman said that since 1997 when Kofi Annan assumed the post of Secretary-General 40 staff members, including Stephanides, have been dismissed.

Asked for an update on the UNs internal investigation into Benon Sevan, the Spokesman said a decision was taken to suspend actions against him until the Independent Inquiry Committee has finished looking into Sevans activities. In response to a later question, the Spokesman said the decision to suspend action against Sevan was taken so that if administrative action is taken against Sevan, then it will be taken as a whole and not in a piece-meal manner. The Spokesman also said that Sevans UN contract was extended yesterday, and he continues to remain employed on a $1-a-year contract.

Asked for an update on the UNs internal investigation into Dileep Nair, the Spokesman said the report of the third party has been lodged with the UN Secretariat, and it is being reviewed. He added that an announcement will be made once the review is complete.

OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS

U.N. RELIEF CHIEF REITERATES WILLINGNESS TO HELP CARIBBEAN STATES PREPARE FOR DISASTERS:

Jan Egeland, UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, is in Havana, Cuba, to address a the Association of Caribbean States' three-day "Seminar Workshop for National Authorities: Risk Management Policies, Systems and Successful Experiences in the Caribbean", held under the aegis of the 10th Special Committee on Natural Disasters. Egeland is expected to reiterate the UN's willingness to help Caribbean States organize and implement national and collective responses for disaster and risk reduction.

EMERGENCY GRANT EXTENDED TO ROMANIA FOLLOWING FLOODS: Responding to the worst flooding in 50 years,

UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs has agreed to extend an Emergency Grant of $30,000 to the Government of Romania to procure additional motorized boats and life jackets to aid future evacuation efforts. Romanias western region was struck by severe flooding during the first two weeks of May, and renewed flooding is expected this week.

U.N. ELECTORAL TEAM CONTINUES TO WORK WITH LEBANESE AUTHORITIES: In response to a question, the Spokesman said the UN electoral team in Lebanon continues to work with Lebanese authorities on the handling and coordination of international observers, and also working with the Ministry of Information to help set up a code of good conduct for media coverage of the elections. He added that the code commits the media to providing objective and balanced reporting on the elections.

ANNAN TO ATTEND U.N. INTELLECTUAL HISTORY PROJECT LAUNCH: The

Secretary-General will be at the Graduate Center of the City University of New York on Wednesday evening for the launch of the two latest publications of the UN Intellectual History Project. The works are: UN Voices: The Struggle for Development & Social Justice and The Power of UN Ideas: Lessons from the First 60 Years. The Secretary-General will deliver opening remarks.

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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