United Nations Daily Highlights, 06-04-26

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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

SPOKESMAN FOR THE SECRETARY-GENERAL

UN HEADQUARTERS, NEW YORK

Wednesday, April 26, 2006

SECURITY COUNCIL BRIEFED ON U.N. DEPLOYMENT OPTIONS FOR SUDAN

The

Security Council this morning heard a briefing from Hédi Annabi, Assistant Secretary-General for

Peacekeeping Operations, on two options for a possible transfer of responsibilities in

Darfur from the current African Union mission to an agile, capable and highly mobile UN peacekeeping force.

He also told the Security Council about the UNs planning efforts for Darfur, including his own travels to Sudan and Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Secretary-General Kofi Annan and Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations

Jean Marie Guéhenno attended the closed Security Council consultations on this matter.

Meanwhile, Jan Pronk, the Secretary-Generals Special Representative for Sudan, is in El-Fasher, the capital of

North Darfur, where he met with the head of the African Union Mission (Baba Gana Kingibe) to discuss means of cooperation and support for that Mission. He is also scheduled to meet with leaders of the Sudan Liberation Army.

Also in the Security Council, members received a briefing by

the Department of Political Affairs on the activities of the Lords Resistance Army in Uganda and the surrounding region.

SECURITY COUNCIL TO BE BRIEFED ON LEBANON AT 3 P.M.

At 3 p.m., the

Security Council heard from

Terje Roed-Larsen, the

Secretary-Generals Special Envoy for the implementation of resolution 1559, on the Secretary-Generals latest report on that topic.

Roed-Larsen briefed the Council on developments in Lebanon pertinent to that resolution, and he also intends to speak to you at the Security Council stakeout following that briefing.

ANNAN CONCERNED AT PROSPECT OF FURTHER DETERIORATION

IN PALESTINIAN LIVING CONDITIONS

Angela Kane, Assistant Secretary-General for Political Affairs, today delivered a

message on the

Secretary-Generals behalf to a UN seminar on assistance to the Palestinian people that was held in Cairo.

In that message, the Secretary-General expresses concern at the prospect of a further deterioration in Palestinian living conditions and urges the international donor community to find effective ways of continuing and intensifying support of the Palestinian people.

He also expresses the hope that the new Palestinian Authority Cabinet will address the Palestinian peoples aspirations for peace and statehood, as articulated by President Abbas.

For that reason, he calls upon the Palestinian Authority to reaffirm Palestinian commitment to the principles of non-violence, recognition of Israels right to exist and acceptance of previous agreements and obligations, including the Road Map.

UNITED NATIONS TO SPONSOR FIRST REMEMBRANCE DAY

FOR VICTIMS OF CHEMICAL WARFARE

Tomorrow in The Hague the United Nations is sponsoring the first day of remembrance for all victims of chemical warfare.

The

Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, says representatives from all over the world will attend the ceremonies led by Dutch Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende.

In a message to mark the day, the

Secretary-General calls upon all members who are not members of the Chemical Weapons Prevention Convention to join without delay.

He says let us honour the victims of chemical warfare by pledging to consign these dreadful weapons to the pages of history.

ANNAN CALLS FOR SUPPORT FOR VICTIMS OF CHERNOBYL DISASTER

In a

statement marking the 20th anniversary of the Chernobyl disaster, the

Secretary-General says the best way for the international community to pay homage to those who suffered from Chernobyl is to provide generous support to programmes designed to help traumatized communities regain self-sufficiency, and affected families resume normal, healthy lives.

He also pays tribute to the heroism of the emergency workers who responded to the accident.

ANNAN TO OPEN NEW YORK STOCK EXCHANGE

AS PART OF RESPONSIBLE INVESTMENT LAUNCH

The

Secretary-General will open the New York Stock Exchange at 9:30 a.m. tomorrow, as part of the launch of the Principles for Responsible Investment an initiative developed by the

Global Compact and the

UN Environment Programme Finance Initiative.

The Principles provide institutional investors with a common framework for integrating environmental and social issues into investment decision-making.

The Secretary-General will be joined by the heads of a group of international funds who will sign the Principles, and the launch will be webcast at the New York Stock Exchanges website tomorrow, beginning at 9:45 a.m.

NEW SENIOR APPOINTMENTS MADE AT UNITED NATIONS

The Secretary-General has appointed Legwaila Joseph Legwaila of Botswana as his Special Adviser on Africa effective 1 May 2006. He succeeds Mr. Ibrahim Gambari who is now Under-Secretary-General of Political Affairs. Legwaila most recently served as the Secretary-Generals Special Representative for the

UN Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea and has also been Botswanas Permanent Representative to the United Nations.

The

Secretary-General has appointed Yohannes Mengesha of Ethiopia as Assistant Secretary-General for General Assembly and Conference Management. He succeeds Ms. Angela Kane, who is now Assistant Secretary-General for Political Affairs. Mengesha currently serves as Director, Office of the Deputy Secretary-General and has been with that office since its inception.

OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS

U.N.S HORN OF AFRICA ENVOY MET ERITREAN PRESIDENT:

Kjell Magne Bondevik, the Secretary-Generals Special Humanitarian Envoy for the Horn of Africa is in Asmara today. He met with the Eritrean President Isais Afwerki and senior Government officials to discuss the overall humanitarian situation in Eritrea. Earlier this morning he met with members of the donor community in Asmara and the UN Country Team there.

INTERNAL OVERSIGHT OFFICES REPORTS HANDED TO MEMBER STATES WHEN COMPLETED: Asked when and how an audit by the

UN Office for Internal Oversight Services (OIOS) of the UN Postal Administration would be released, the Spokesman said that, in previous cases, OIOS reports are made available upon completion to Member States, at their request. In this case, he added, the audit could also lead to investigations.

U.N. DEPARTMENT HELPED FACILITATE TEMPLE OF UNDERSTANDING EVENT: A question was raised yesterday about an event with the UN Department of Public Information (DPI) and NGO called the Temple of Understanding. DPIs Civil Society Section facilitated the event - the 2006 Gandhi-King Season for Nonviolence youth event - by providing a venue/Conference Room. Opening remarks are being made by Ramu Damodaran, the chief of the section at this annual event. Temple of Understanding is a DPI-associated NGO in consultative status with

ECOSOC.

Office of the Spokesman for the Secretary-General

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New York, NY 100178

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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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