United Nations Daily Highlights, 05-12-27

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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

UN

HEADQUARTERS, NEW YORK

Tuesday, December 27, 2005

[Please note: There will be no Noon Briefings between December 26-30, 2005.

News developments within the UN system will be posted on this website throughout that time period, and the Noon Briefings will resume on Tuesday, January 3, 2006.]

ANNAN APPOINTS NEW SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE FOR AFGHANISTAN

After an exchange of letters with the Security Council, Secretary-General Kofi Annan has appointed Tom Koenigs of Germany as his Special Representative for

Afghanistan and Head of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA).

Koenigs, who succeeds Jean Arnault of France, most recently served in Guatemala as the Secretary-Generals Special Representative and Head of the United Nations Verification Mission there (MINUGUA) .

ANNAN APPOINTS NEW HEAD OF ECONOMIC COMMISSION FOR EUROPE

The Secretary-General today announced the appointment of Marek Belka of Poland as the new Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission for Europe (ECE). Belka will assume his new functions at a date to be determined in early 2006.

Belka has outstanding qualifications and numerous accomplishments in the area of economics and global economic governance. He served as Prime Minister of Poland between May 2004 and November 2005.

U.N. TERRORISM CHIEFS TERM IS EXTENDED

The Secretary-General and the Security Council President have exchanged

letters confirming that the mandate of the head of the Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (CTED), Javier Rupérez, will be extended for a further year, until 31 December 2006.

ANNAN WELCOMES FRENCH AIRLINE TICKET LEVY TO HELP DEVELOPMENT

The Secretary-General, in a statement, warmly welcomes the adoption by the parliament of France of a levy on airline tickets issued locally that will benefit the health sector of developing countries, starting July 2006.

This is a significant step, raising additional sources of innovative financing in support of the efforts by developing countries to reach the Millennium Development Goals.

The Secretary-General strongly urges other countries to follow Frances lead with similar measures.

PEACEKEEPER KILLED IN OPERATION AGAINST ARMED GROUPS IN DR CONGO

A UN peacekeeper serving with the UN Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC) was killed on Sunday during a military operation against an armed group in the district of North Kivu, in the countrys north-eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

The Indian peacekeeper had been part of 1,000 MONUC forces providing support to around 4,000 national DRC troops, also known by the French acronym FARDC, who have been conducting three simultaneous operations against armed groups.

The first operation, named Ituri Eden, began north of the Ituri districts capital of Bunia, against the armed group headed by Peter Karim Udaga, a former leader of the militia once known by the French acronym FNI.

The goal of this operation is to restore the authority of the Congolese state and to reestablish freedom of movement for people living there.

Some 1,500 FARDC soldiers, supported by 300 Nepalese peacekeepers, are involved in this operation which led to forces loyal to Karim retreating in a northeasterly direction towards the Ugandan border. Several Karim followers were killed in firefights, the town of Nioka was cleared of armed former militiamen, and two of Karims bodyguards were also captured, in addition to 17 weapons and a truck loaded with precious woods.

The Indian peacekeeper was killed in action against an armed group, and another four were wounded, with one of the four having sustained serious wounds. Total FARDC casualties from the three operations is around 20, with 16 wounded and six dead, while the armed groups are believed to have sustained around 90 casualties.

PEACEKEEPER IN HAITI DIES OF WOUND SUSTAINED IN ATTACK

A Jordanian peacekeeper serving with the

UN Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) was

killed last Friday when his armoured vehicle came under a hail of bullets fired by as yet unidentified gunmen.

The victim, Captain Yousef Algader, who was inspecting check-points along the Route Nationale 1 at the time of the incident, was shot in the head. He was immediately transferred to the UN Military Hospital in Port-au-Prince, but was dead on arrival.

MINUSTAH pays tribute to Captain Yousef Algader, who died while serving the cause of peace, and presents its deepest condolences to his family and his comrades.

MINUSTAH would like to salute the courage and exemplary service rendered by the Jordanian peacekeepers, who brave constant danger in their mission of maintaining security and stability within their area of responsibility,

Cité Soleil. In the course of the last three months, the two Jordanian Battalions have arrested 21 suspected criminals and provided assistance to 10 people who were about to be taken hostages or were shot at by gangs.

SUB-SAHARAN AFRICAS LEAD-FREE STATUS IS WELCOMED

A promise made three years ago to rid sub-Saharan Africa of leaded petrol has been met, according to the

UN Environment Programme (UNEP) which today

announced today that as of 1 January 2006 the regions vehicle fuels will be lead-free.

The phase-out, promised at the World Summit on Sustainable Development in 2002, means a healthier world for millions of people across the region.

Lead, a notorious heavy metal, is linked with a wide range of ailments and ill health including damage to the brains of babies and young children.

It has been phased out in many parts of the world already including North America and Europe. Until a few years ago pretty much all countries in sub-Saharan Africa were using leaded petrol.

ONE YEAR AFTER TSUNAMI STRIKES,

ANNAN SAYS RECOVERY PROCESS MUST REFLECT SURVIVORS NEEDS

The Secretary-General yesterday marked the first anniversary of last years tsunami with a message.

In the message, he says that the tsunami was so brutal, so quick and so extensive that we are still struggling to fully comprehend it. At the same time, it prompted an unprecedented response. The Secretary-General notes that, one year on, there has been tremendous progress in many areas. For example, children are back in school, epidemics have been prevented, tens of thousands of survivors are employed in cash-for-work activities, and food aid has reached all affected families.

Yet in some ways, he adds, the most challenging days lie ahead. Breadwinners desperately need to regain secure livelihoods, hundreds of thousands of families need to re-establish themselves in permanent homes, and communities need to rebuild.

The Secretary-General concludes that, if we are to build back better than what was there before, we need to strike a balance between quick results and sustainable development, and we need to ensure that the recovery process reflects the needs and aspirations of the survivors themselves.

OTHER DEVELOPMENTS

MILITIA ACTIVITIES APPEAR ON THE RISE IN DARFUR: The security situation in Darfur, Sudan remains volatile, according to the UN mission in Sudan (UNMIS). Militia activities seem to be in the increase. A number of attacks on villages have been reported. Harassment, beatings and killings are being reported. There are reports of rape and attempted rape allegedly of women and girls by Sudanese government elements, according to the mission. Violations by the rebel Sudan Liberation Army of the Ceasefire agreement also reportedly continue, UNMIS reports.

AUDIT OVERSIGHT BODY FOR THE DEVELOPMENT FUND FOR IRAQ TO BRIEF PRESS: The International Advisory and Monitoring Board (IAMB), the audit oversight body for the Development Fund for Iraq, will meet at UN Headquarters tomorrow. The IAMB members will then brief the press at 4:30 p.m. They are: Jean-Pierre Halbwachs, Representative from the United Nations and Chair; Khalifa Ali Dau, Representative from the Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development; Bert Keuppens, Representative from the International Monetary Fund; and Fayezul Choudhury, Representative from the World Bank.

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