United Nations Daily Highlights, 06-12-14

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

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NOON BRIEFING

U.N. HEADQUARTERS, NEW YORK

Thursday, December 14, 2006

[The following summary substitutes for the daily noon briefing summary, which did not take place as Secretary-General Designate Ban Ki-moon gave a press conference at noon.]

BAN KI-MOON SWORN IN AS NEXT SECRETARY-GENERAL,

GENERAL ASSEMBLY PAYS TRIBUTE TO KOFI ANNAN

Ban Ki-moon was sworn in today to serve as the next Secretary-General, effective on 1 January. He took the oath of office on a day in which the General Assembly paid tribute to the departing Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, adopting a resolution honouring his accomplishments during his ten years in office and also giving him a standing ovation.

Ban took the oath of office, and said afterward of that oath, Loyalty, discretion and conscience these, together with the Charter, will be my watchwords as I carry out my duties as Secretary-General.

He said it was an honour to follow in Kofi Annans revered footsteps, saying to him, Your courage and vision have inspired the world.

Ban said that one of his core tasks will be to breathe new life and inject renewed confidence into the sometimes weary Secretariat while seeking the highest ethical standard at the organization. And he promised, I will seek to act as a harmonizer and a bridge-builder.

Secretary-General Annan thanked the Assembly for their tribute to him, saying that it is humbling to be recognised for simply doing what you love to do.

He said that, despite difficulties and setbacks, the United Nations has achieved many things in the past 10 years, having remoulded and reoriented itself, becoming more transparent, accountable and responsive. I depart convinced that todays UN does more than ever before, and does it better than ever before.

UNITED NATIONS LAUNCHES HUMANITARIAN PLAN FOR SUDAN

The UN Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) reports that the security situation in Darfur has been relatively quiet since yesterday, although Arab militias were seen moving towards El-Fasher, the capital of North Darfur, yesterday morning in more than 70 vehicles. In the West Darfur town of El Geneina, a vehicle belonging to an international non-governmental organization (NGO) was seized at gunpoint, an incident that left two NGO workers injured.

Also yesterday, the Missions Officer-in-Charge, Taye-Brook Zerihoun, yesterday met with Pekka Haavisto, Special Representative of the European Union to Sudan. They agreed on the need for and priority of a re-energized the Darfur political process, and making the ceasefire mechanisms operational and effective.

Today in Geneva, the Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary General for Sudan, Manuel Aranda da Silva, and the Sudanese Minister for International Cooperation launched the Sudan Work Plan 2007, according to which $1.8 billion would be needed to fund humanitarian, recovery and development projects in Sudan in 2007. The vast majority of the funds some $1.26 billion will go to fund humanitarian activities for large numbers of the population still in considerable need, with nearly half the amount dedicated to Darfur. Some $563 million is required to fund recovery and development activities. Sudans humanitarian operation represents the largest slice of the $3.7 billion appealed for by the Secretary-General for humanitarian assistance worldwide in 2007.

Meanwhile, UNICEFs Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa Omar Abdi ended a week-long visit to Sudan earlier today by voicing deep concerns at the impact of the Darfur conflict on children and women and the safety of humanitarian workers.

SECURITY COUNCIL TO DISCUSS SUDAN, CYPRUS

Starting at 3:00 this afternoon, the Security Council will hold consultations to discuss a draft resolution on the extension of the mandate of the UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP).

After that, the Council will hold an open meeting, followed by a closed meeting, to hear from Luis Moreno-Ocampo, the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, about the status of his nearly-completed investigation on the admissibility of the Darfur case and his next steps in dealing with that case. He will speak to reporters afterward.

ANNAN ENCOURAGED BY GREAT LAKES CONFERENCE

The Secretary-General, in a message delivered by his Special Adviser on Africa, Legwaila Joseph Legwaila, welcomed the start in Nairobi today of the second summit of the International Conference for the Great Lakes Region.

The Secretary-General, in his message, acknowledged that the Great Lakes region has witnessed some of the worlds bloodiest wars, but he also noted the positive major developments that have taken place recently, including the elections in Burundi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

He said that the Pact on Security, Stability and Development that is to be adopted in Nairobi is a notable accomplishment, but added that a more challenging phase will now begin, in implementing that Pact.

COTE DIVOIRE: U.N. AGENCY FINALIZES PLAN FOR DEALING WITH TOXIC WASTE

An international mission to support Cote dIvoire finalize a strategic plan for dealing with toxic waste dumped in the country was launched today, it was announced by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).

The move is in direct response to a decision taken by Governments at an international hazardous waste meeting earlier this month and follows the dumping in August of toxic materials in and around Abidjan the Cote dIvoire capital with serious and ongoing public health and environmental impacts.

The Government of Cote dIvoire has been struggling to cope with the multi-million dollar financial costs of collecting and dispatching the toxic wastes to France for decontamination.

OTHER DEVELOPMENTS IN THE U.N. SYSTEM

U.N. ENVOY CALLS FOR END TO FIGHTING IN SOMALIA: The Secretary-Generals Special Humanitarian Envoy for the Horn of Africa, Kjell Magne Bondevik, today called on the conflicting parties in Somalia, and their respective supporters, to put aside their differences for the greater good of the Somali people. On humanitarian grounds, I plead for reason, moderation and a spirit of compromise to prevail even in the current very difficult circumstances, Bondevik said. There is no other path to coexistence, sustainable peace and human development, he added.

REFUGEE AGENCY ALARMED BY ATTACK ON PALESTINIANS IN BAGHDAD: The UN High Commissioner for Refugees is alarmed by a violent attack by armed militia on a Palestinian neighbourhood in Baghdad which left at least nine people dead, and is appealing to countries to provide a humanitarian solution for Palestinians attempting to flee Iraq.

Office of the Spokesman for the Secretary-General

United Nations, S-378

New York, NY 10017

Tel. 212-963-7162

Fax. 212-963-7055

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