United Nations Daily Highlights, 06-12-19

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

SECRETARY-GENERAL KOFI ANNAN'S

PRESS CONFERENCE

U.N. HEADQUARTERS, NEW YORK

Tuesday, December 19, 2006

THE SECRETARY-GENERAL'S OPENING REMARKS:

Good morning, Ladies and Gentlemen,

I thought you would not want me to leave without getting one more chance to question me. But Im sure you dont want to hear another farewell speech. I would just like, though, to acknowledge the magnificent announcement by the Spanish prime minister yesterday, that Spain is donating $700 million to the effort to achieve the Millennium Development Goals by 2015. This is the largest contribution yet made to the UN for this purpose by any country, and I believe it is a splendid example of international solidarity which I hope other members will follow.

Otherwise, let me just say that I am still at work. I shall be in the office all this week, and I will still be available next week if I am needed. And of course I will continue until midnight 31 December.

But obviously I am now also working very closely with my successor, to help him take over smoothly on New Years Day. There are a number of questions or issues were following very closely, including Lebanon. Im particularly anxious that there be no break in our handling of the continuing crisis in Darfur, and that is why I asked him, Mr. Ban, to come with me when I briefed the Security Council yesterday.

As you know, I spoke again to President Bashir of Sudan over the weekend, and I am now sending Ahmedou Ould-Abdallah to Khartoum to make one last effort to clarify the agreement with the Sudanese government on the proposed UN-AU joint peacekeeping force. Mr. Ban and I have also agreed to ask Jan Eliasson to serve as special envoy on the Darfur crisis, and I am very glad that Jan has accepted, and I expect him to [assume] his activities [on Sudan] at the beginning of the year.

I am still hopeful that we shall be able to clarify the remaining issues with the Sudanese government, and that in the New Year there will be a force on the ground to bring effective protection and security to the suffering people of Darfur, while the effort to bring all parties into a political agreement is stepped up. But I cannot overstate the urgency of the situation, which continues to deteriorate even as we speak.

Yet more humanitarian relief workers were forced to flee the region over the weekend. More people are dying every day, and will die in much larger numbers if there is not a real improvement in security very soon. While many factors contribute to this situation, including the rebel attacks, the government of Sudan should be in no doubt that the world will hold it primarily responsible for the fate of its citizens.

Let me now take your questions.

(The complete transcript of the Q and A portion of the press conference will follow.)

OTHER DEVELOPMENTS IN THE U.N. SYSTEM

NGO COMPOUNDS COME UNDER ATTACK IN DARFUR: According to the UN mission in Sudan, at around 9:00 p.m. Monday evening, a group of around 20 unidentified armed men attacked the premises of two international Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) at Gereida, 90 kilometers south of Nyala in South Darfur. A total of 12 vehicles and a number of computers were taken, although there were no reports of injuries. " The work of these NGOs is critical, ensuring 130,000 people get water to drink, food and health assistance, said UN Humanitarian Coordination Manuel Aranda da Silva, also the Deputy Special Representative for the Secretary-General. How can we expect them to carry out humanitarian work without vehicles to get to camps, phones to communicate, and the constant threat to their own physical safety? This is preventing humanitarian organizations from providing life-saving assistance.

U.N. REFUGEE AGENCY CHIEF TO VISIT CHAD: High Commissioner for Refugees António Guterres leaves tomorrow on a two-day mission to Chad, amid growing insecurity that has spread across the border from Darfur. In N'Djamena on Thursday, Guterres is expected to meet with senior Chadian officials, including the President, to discuss the dire humanitarian situation facing some 232,000 Darfur refugees and 90,000 displaced Chadians in remote eastern Chad, as well as another 48,000 Central African Republic refugees in the south. He will also hold talks with several members of the diplomatic community in N'Djamena. On Friday, he will travel to the east of the country to meet with Darfur refugees, recently displaced Chadians, UN staff and other aid workers.

SECURITY COUNCIL DISCUSSES LIBERIA SANCTIONS: The Security Council this morning held consultations on Liberia sanctions, the UN Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) and other matters. First, the Permanent Representative of Denmark, as chair of Liberia Sanctions Committee, briefed. Following that, the Secretary-Generals Deputy Special Representative in Liberia, Jordan Ryan, introduced the Secretary-Generals latest report on UNMIL. This afternoon, the Council is scheduled to hold a meeting on general issues relating to sanctions, as well as consultations on non-proliferation and other matters.

POLICE DEPLOYMENT BEGINS IN TIMOR-LESTE: The UN Integrated Mission in Timor-Leste (UNMIT) reports that deployment of all 12 district police commanders and their units has begun across the young nation and is expected to be complete by weeks end. As part of UNMIT, the UN currently has 981 international police officers from 25 different countries implementing screening and mentoring programmes for the local police force. Meanwhile, the report of the Independent Special Commission of Inquiry for Timor-Leste is available today.

ANGOLAN REFUGEES RETURN HOME: The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) yesterday launched a repatriation airlift for some of 12,700 vulnerable Angolan refugees from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The airlift is part of the last phase of Angolan repatriation. Once completed later this month, it will mark the end of our four-year repatriation programme for hundreds of thousands of Angolan refugees.

FOOD AIRDROPS TO TARGET FLOOD SURVIVORS IN SOMALIA & KENYA: The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reports that, due to the recent floods in Somalia and Kenya, humanitarian workers can no longer access some 20 health centres, and 180,000 individuals near the Tana River are in need of food and health aid. The United Nations had thus far only received $5 million of the $18 million requested to assist flood survivors in Somalia. Meanwhile, the World Food Programme (WFP) reports that some 455,000 people in Somalia are receiving food aid by helicopter and trucks, and airdrops are scheduled for the coming days.

SOUTH-SOUTH COOPERATION MAKING VALUABLE CONTRIBUTIONS: Today is the UN Day for South-South Cooperation. In a message to mark the day, the Secretary-General says that amid the perils and promise of globalization, South-South cooperation enables developing countries to share their experiences and successes with others.

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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