United Nations Daily Highlights, 07-03-16

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

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NOON BRIEFING

BY MICHELE

MONTAS

SPOKESPERSON FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL BAN KI-MOON

U.N.

HEADQUARTERS, NEW YORK

Friday, March 16, 2007

CLEARLY MARKED U.N. VEHICLES IS ATTACKED IN GAZA

The UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) said in a statement just released that a three-car UN convoy traveling earlier today between the Erez Crossing and Gaza City was attacked and fired upon by masked men. All three cars were clearly marked as UN vehicles.

UNRWA says that the attack occurred about one kilometer south of the Erez Crossing when a vehicle blocked the convoy and three men jumped out and attempted to open the doors of one of the UN vehicles. When they realized that the doors were locked, they opened fire directly on the car, leaving 11 bullet holes on the vehicles side.

The UN convoy was transporting UNRWA Gaza Field Office Director, John Ging, and other local and international staff, all of whom escaped without injuries.

UNRWAs chief, Karen Koning Abuzayd condemned in the strongest terms this unprecedented assault on UN staff in Gaza and appealed to the authorities to bring to justice the attackers.

IRAQ CANNOT BE LEFT TO COPE ON ITS OWN, BAN KI-MOON SAYS

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon opened the meeting on the International Compact with

Iraq aimed at developing a mechanism that would help Iraq realize its national vision.

Saying that it is heart-wrenching to see almost daily attacks on innocent civilians, the Secretary-General said a framework for normalization is required now more than ever.

He outlined the Compacts objectives the need for a national compact among Iraqis on the necessary security and political steps, and an international compact between Iraq and its partners that would set out the Government of Iraqs agenda for the next five years.

Noting that the challenges ahead are immense, he told the delegates from nearly 100 delegations, We cannot leave Iraq on its own to cope with them.

Asked who or what entity had invited the delegations represented at the Iraq Compact meeting, the Spokesperson said the Compact is a year-old joint project of the Government of Iraq and the United Nations and that the two institutions have invited the participation of these delegations.

Asked if this implied greater UN involvement, at both economic and other levels, in the Iraq situation, Montas noted that so far the meetings of the Compact have been preparatory consultations with the aim of formally launching the initiative at a time still to be determined. She emphasized that the United Nations and other partners were conducting these activities in support of the people of Iraq.

Asked what level of political involvement the Secretary-General envisaged for the United Nations in Iraq, Montas replied that the Secretary-General has said that, at the very least, the Iraq Compact should be viewed by Iraqis as a strong message substantially and politically encouraging their efforts to live up to the challenges to peace and security now confronting their country. She added that the Secretary-General has repeatedly stated that inclusive political consultations must take place within the region and that suggestions for a resolution of the Iraq crisis should ideally come from the region.

Asked how independent the Iraq Compact is from the U.S. Government Iraq policy and whether the United Nations was acting in concert with the U.S. Government, the Spokesperson replied that the United Nations was working with different international partners but that the Iraqi Government and the United Nations were the co-chairs of this meeting.

IRAQ MUST MAKE PROGRESS ON POLITICAL FRONT

Also yesterday afternoon, Ashraf Qazi, the Secretary-Generals Special Representative for Iraq, briefed the Security Council in an open meeting.

To re-establish an acceptable level of security in Baghdad and the rest of Iraq, there must be simultaneous progress on the political front, he stressed. The Government of Iraq must take all necessary measures to ensure that all its citizens perceived its actions to be on their behalf and in their interest. Only then would security operations help bring the Iraqi people together.

Asked later about todays Iraq Compact meeting, Mr. Qazi said that he hoped there will be agreement on a venue and date for the formal launch of the process.

BAN KI-MOON SAYS U.N. CAN MOVE AHEAD ON REFORM WITH ONE VOICE

AFTER GENERAL ASSEMBLY ADOPTS HIS PROPOSALS

The General Assembly yesterday adopted by consensus two landmark resolutions endorsing Secretary-General Ban Ki-moons reform proposals for the Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO) and the Department of Disarmament Affairs.

The realignment of DPKO, which includes the establishment of a Department of Field Support, is aimed at providing better planning, faster deployment and a more responsive process. The Department of Disarmament Affairs, meanwhile, will be reformed into the Office of the High Representative for Disarmament Affairs, the incumbent of which will be appointed at the Under-Secretary-General level.

Addressing the General Assembly after the adoption of the resolutions, the Secretary-General said, Now, we can embark on a reform initiative with one voice a collaboration based on mutual trust, and pledged to continue to consult Member States in a spirit of openness and transparency.

He added: The road ahead will not be without its challenges. But I look forward to working hand in hand with you as we advance together. I look with confidence to our collective journey, and I promise, for my part, to make it as free as possible of unnecessary obstacles and detours.

And both resolutions requested the Secretary-General to provide details on the practical application of his reform proposal in reports to be submitted to the General Assembly as soon as possible.

U.N. OFFICIALS CONDEMN KILLING OF HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVIST IN SOMALIA

The High Commissioner for Human Rights, Louise Arbour, and the UNs Humanitarian Coordinator for Somalia, Eric Laroche, have both strongly

condemned the killing of Somali human rights activist Isse Abdi Isse.

Attacks on human rights defenders and threats to journalists and the media are far too common in many parts of Somalia, Arbours office said today.

CIVILIANS ARE VICTIMS OF CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY IN DARFUR

From Geneva, the Human Rights Council today discussed the

report of its high-level mission on the human rights situation in Darfur.

Jody Williams, the missions head, presented the report, which says the Government of Sudan has worked together with the Janjaweed militia in counter-insurgency efforts. The report also notes that rebel forces are guilty of human rights abuses and violations of humanitarian law.

Williams said that civilians are victims of war crimes and crimes against humanity, which continue across the region. She added that killing, rape, torture, arbitrary arrest, political repression, and abuses of political freedoms occur with chilling frequency. Furthermore, ineffective mechanisms of justice, the free flow of weapons, the absence of meaningful disarmament, and a climate of impunity have left the region a stranger to the rule of law.

LIBERIA: SECRETARY-GENERAL CALLS ON DONORS TO STAY THE COURSE

Available as a document is the Secretary-Generals latest report on Liberia, in which he notes that the country has remained relatively stable in recent months despite some divisions among members of the Legislature.

The training and reform of the Liberian National Police continues to make steady progress. The Secretary-General also writes that the reintegration of the remaining former combatants will be a key factor in the exit strategy of the UN Mission in Liberia (UNMIL). And he welcomes continued human rights promotion by the Mission as the overall weakness of Liberian legal institutions impede the administration of justice.

The Secretary-General also appeals to the international donor community to remain steady at Liberias side and generous in supporting the countrys economic recovery.

FUNDING SHORTAGE THREATENS AID EFFORTS IN UGANDA

The World Food Programme (WFP) says it will be forced to cut food rations in half for nearly 1.5 million displaced people and refugees in Uganda starting April 1st, due to a critical lack of funds.

WFP has received less than a third of the $127 million it is seeking from donors for Ugandan relief efforts this year.

The agency says more than a million people remain in squalid camps, unable to provide enough food for their families. Ninety percent of the displaced, mostly women and children, depend on WFP for their survival.

MADAGASCAR: FLASH APPEAL IS LAUNCHED FOLLOWING STORMS

The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) today

launched a 10-million dollar flash appeal for Madagascar, in the wake of recent flooding and storm damage there.

The island nation is experiencing an unusually heavy rainy season and has been hit by six cyclones since December.

Up to 80 percent of crops have been destroyed in some areas. OCHA estimates that nearly 300,000 people will need assistance in the coming months.

TIMOR-LESTE: U.N. MISSION HAILS SIGNING OF

PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION CODE OF CONDUCT

The UN Integrated Mission in Timor-Leste (UNMIT) welcomes the signing of the Code of Conduct for the 2007 Presidential Elections, by all of the eight candidates that are running.

The Secretary-Generals special envoy for Timor-Leste, Atul Khare, also signed the Code as a witness, along with the representatives of Organs of Sovereignty, the church and civil society.

Khare noted the importance of the Code of Conduct as a whole, as a clear commitment of all candidates to free and fair elections.

U.N. BANS TWO VENDORS FOLLOWING INTERNAL INVESTIGATION

On procurement issues, the Spokesperson was asked about the removal and suspension by the UN of certain companies from its roster of registered vendors, the Spokesperson stated that on 14 March the United Nations considered several cases related to the conclusions of the internal investigations conducted by the Procurement Task Force (PTF) of its Office of Internal Oversights Services (OIOS) into the relationships between several vendors and a former UN official indicted by the US Southern District Attorney's Office.

Montas said that in light of the conclusions reached by the Procurement Task Force, the United Nations has decided to remove two registered vendors from the Vendor Database, namely: Cogim , S.p.a. and Avicos Insurance Company. She added that the UN has also prohibited the two companies from doing business with the UN as a result of inappropriate relationships between the above-named companies and the indicted former UN official.

On a related investigation by the PTF, Montas noted, the United Nations has also decided to suspend the registered vendors Corimec Italiana S.p.A and Volga Dnepr Airlines and its subsidiary, Volga-Dnepr (Ireland) Ldt. from the Vendor Database in light of alleged inappropriate relationships between the above-mentioned companies and a former UN official.

OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS

IRANIAN PRESIDENT HAS FULL RIGHT TO ADDRESS SECURITY COUNCIL: Asked for the UN position on the stated intention of Iran's President to come to UN headquarters to address the Security Council and whether or not the Iranian head of state had been granted a visa by U.S. authorities, the Spokesperson reiterated the Secretary-General's view that every Member State has the right to come to the UN to defend its position on a matter that is before an organ of the UN. She referred questions on the granting of visa to the U.S. authorities.

SECURITY COUNCIL CONSIDERS WEST AFRICAN CROSS-BORDER ISSUES: The Security Council is holding consultations this morning on cross-border issues in West Africa, as well as other matters. The Secretary-Generals Special Representative for West Africa, Ahmedou Ould-Abdallah, is briefing on the Secretary-Generals latest report on that region.

WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION LEADS AFRICA MENINGITIS RESPONSE: The World Health Organization (WHO) is currently coordinating the response to meningitis outbreaks in four African countries: Burkina Faso; the Democratic Republic of the Congo; Sudan; and Uganda. WHO and its partners have provided drugs for case management and emergency supplies for outbreak investigations, as well as technical guidance for outbreak control and management.

U.N. BODY TO GIVE LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD TO INDIAN NOBEL LAUREATE: The UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific has chosen Nobel Laureate and Harvard professor Amartya Sen to receive its first-ever lifetime achievement award. The Commissions Executive Secretary hailed Professor Sens seminal contributions on social choice, welfare distribution, individual freedom and human identity. The award ceremony will take place on March 28th, as part of the Bangkok-based Commissions 60th anniversary celebrations.