United Nations Daily Highlights, 07-08-22

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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

Wednesday, August 22, 2007

SECRETARY-GENERAL APPOINTS DEPUTY SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVES FOR IRAQ AND LIBERIA

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has appointed two Deputy Special Representatives, Mr. David Shearer of New Zealand and Ms. Henrietta Joy Abean Nyarko Mensa-Bonsu of Ghana.

Mr. Shearer will succeed Mr. Jean-Marie Fakhouri of Lebanon as the Secretary-Generals Deputy Special Representative for Iraq (Humanitarian, Reconstruction and Development) and he will also serve as the UN Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator in Iraq.

Mr. Shearer has many years of experience leading humanitarian operations for the UN, as well as several years with NGOs and the New Zealand Government. His most recent position was as head of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in Jerusalem.

Ms. Mensa-Bonsu will succeed Mr. Luiz Carlos Da Costa of Brazil as the Secretary-Generals Deputy Special Representative (Rule of Law) for Liberia. She has a wide range of experience in dealing with issues of international law and is currently serving as the Acting Dean of the Faculty of Law at the University of Canada.

Asked how appointments are made at the United Nations, the Spokeswoman said that there has been a standard process for many years for senior appointments, which involves having multiple candidates reviewed for each post. She noted that junior-level appointments may sometimes be advertised, but the highest-level ones are not.

BAN KI-MOON CALLS TO REMOVE ALL REMAINING MILITARY ELEMENTS IN SOUTHERN SUDAN

In his latest report on the implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement between northern and southern Sudan, the Secretary-General regrets that the deadline for completing the redeployment of the Sudanese Armed Forces from southern Sudan has not been fully met. He calls on the Armed Forces to immediately remove all remaining military elements from the south.

The Secretary-General welcomes the recent progress made by both parties in reintegrating the former members of other armed groups, as well as the progress in efforts to resolve outstanding disputes over wealth sharing. The pace of preparations for elections, however, has been disappointing so far, and both parties have to accelerate work dramatically on the necessary legislative reforms. The UN Mission in Sudan remains ready to assist in that effort.

The report also mentions the adoption by the Security Council of resolution 1769, concerning Darfur, as a major step forward in UN efforts to assist the Sudanese people in resolving that crisis.

U.N. MIDDLE EAST SPECIAL COORDINATOR PREPARES QUARTET MEETING

The UNs Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, Michael Williams, is currently in Jerusalem. Today he had meetings with Israeli President Shimon Peres and Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad. Tomorrow he is slated to meet with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. Yesterday he met with Israeli Vice Premier Haim Ramon.

The meetings have been focusing on dialogue between the Israelis and Palestinians and preparations for a future meeting of the Middle East Quartet.

During this visit, Williams has also discussed the implementation of Security Council resolution 1701, concerning Lebanon, with officials from Israels Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Israeli Defense Forces.

Asked when a replacement would be named for Michael Williams, the Spokeswoman said that the choice has not been made yet.

Asked about the disunity among the Palestinians, Montas recalled that the Secretary-General has supported the goal of a single Palestinian entity. She noted that the matter would be discussed in the next meeting of the Middle East Quartet, which is expected in September at UN Headquarters.

SCHOOLS AND ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICES REOPEN IN TIMOR-LESTE

With the security situation in Timor-Leste improving to a calm state Tuesday, most schools and government administration offices in Baucau, Lautem and Viqueque regions resumed normal schedules, following days of closure.

The overall situation throughout the country is generally calm despite 18 minor disturbances reported in the past 24 hours.

PERU: U.N. TO PROVIDE NINE MONTH OF FOOD ASSISTANCE TO EARTHQUAKE VICTIMS

In Peru, the World Food Programme (WFP) will provide food assistance for 80,000 people most affected by last weeks earthquake and who will feel its effect for many months to come.

The WFP is calling for urgent funding from international donors to support this 6.1 million dollar operation.

WFPs efforts will focus particularly on children aged six to 24 months, women and other high-risks groups such as the elderly. The agency will also support reconstruction activity through food-for-work programmes.

U.N. CONTINUES FOOD DISTRIBUTION TO FLOOD-AFFECTED DISTRICTS IN BANGLADESH

The World Food Programme (WFP) is also starting a third round of emergency food distribution in districts affected by flooding in Bangladesh.

WFP will deliver 2,500 metric tonnes of rice to more than 800,000 people. It expects to complete its food distribution at the end of the month.

WFP says that, without this assistance, thousands of families would remain destitute due to the loss of their crops, livestock and in some cases, family members.

U.N. REFUGEE AGENCY CALLS TO TEMPORARILY SUSPEND CLOSURE OF AFGHAN REFUGGE CAMP

The UN Refugee Agency has appealed to the Government of Pakistan to suspend temporarily the closure of the Jalozai camp, which houses tens of thousands of Afghan refugees.

With only six working days to go before that camp is scheduled to close, UNHCR is deeply concerned that the Afghan refugees are being pressured to leave in a manner that could lead to a humanitarian crisis this winter.

U.N. DISTRIBUTED BASIC SUPPLIES TO SOMALI DISPLACED

The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) on Tuesday completed the distribution of basic supplies to some 5,000 displaced people living in makeshift shelters in the southern Somalia town of Baidoa. The aid went to many people who have fled recent fighting in other parts of the country, including the capital, Mogadishu.

The distribution of plastic sheeting for shelter, blankets, jerry cans and kitchen utensils started last Sunday and was completed on Tuesday morning.

UNCHR also mentions that scores of Eritrean asylum seekers now cross into eastern Sudan every week, joining some 130,000 of their compatriots living in 12 refugee camps, as well as in urban and rural areas.

U.N. DISCUSSES WITH RWANDAN GOVERNMENT ON UNAMID APPOINTMENT

Asked about the allegations of human rights violations against General Karenzi Karake, a Rwandan general named to be the deputy force commander for the current African Union Mission in

Darfur, the Spokeswoman noted that the generals selection was announced on August 14 in Addis Ababa by the African Union.

The United Nations, Montas said, has heard the allegations against him and finds them to be disturbing. For the time being, the Department of Peacekeeping Operation is discussing this issue with the Rwandan Government, which has the primary responsibility of vetting the candidates whose names it submits to any peacekeeping mission, as is the case with any troop contributing country.

The Spokeswoman stressed that Rwandan troops play a vital role within the existing African Union mission in Darfur. They also contribute to other peacekeeping missions, where they have played an important and constructive part.

This case is also being discussed with the African Union, and the United Nations also has inputs from other organizations, Montas said. She added that General Karake has not been formally recruited and has not signed a contract with the United Nations.

ASIA-PACIFIC: U.N. HANDBOOK ON HIV/AIDS FOCUSES ON HUMAN RIGHTS

At the 8th International Congress on AIDS in Asia and the Pacific, taking place in Colombo, Sri Lanka, countries in the Asia-Pacific region today received a new U.N.

handbook that focuses on the role of human rights in responding to the HIV/AIDS epidemic

Produced by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and the Joint U.N. Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), the handbook is designed to assist the region's national human rights institutions to integrate HIV into their human rights mandates.

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour says the Handbook is an essential guide for national institutions in their efforts to ensure that States are held accountable for protecting the rights of people living with HIV.

MISSION CONCLUDES INVESTIGATION ON GORILLAS DEATH IN CONGO

The mission sent to the Democratic Republic of the Congo to investigate the causes of the recent slaughter of nine gorillas in Virunga National Park

concluded its work today.

During the visits, the members of the mission observed the importance of including local communities in efforts to preserve the gorillas.

On this ten-day trip, the mission visited, among others, the location of the recent gorilla killings, met with different NGOs as well as with local communities and traditional leaders.

In Kinshasa, the experts also met with William Lacy Swing, Special Representative of the Secretary-General to the Democratic Republic of the Congo and with the Environment Minister Didace Pembe.

The mission will now present its findings to the World Heritage Committee.

SECRETARY-GENERAL SATISFIED WITH PLANS FOR EXTERNAL REVIEW OF UNDP MATTERS

Asked about the Secretary-Generals position concerning the communications between the UN Ethics Office and the UN Development Programme, the Spokeswoman said that the Secretary-General had spoken in recent days with both the head of the Ethics Office, Robert Benson, and with UNDP Administrator Kemal Dervis.

The Spokeswoman reiterated that the UN Ethics Office legally has no jurisdiction over the UN Development Programme (UNDP), which has its own structure and its own Executive Board. The Ethics Office, she noted, has jurisdiction over the UN Secretariat.

She said that the Secretary-General is satisfied that UNDP has decided to arrange a complementary external review to take place under the auspices of UNDPs Executive Board. A formal announcement on this review will be made in a few days, she recalled.

That review, Montas said, could look among other things into whether the existing UNDP system to protect potential whistle-blowers from retaliation is adequate.

The Secretary-General, she said, is determined to have ethical norms applied throughout the system. But she noted that UNDP is a different body, with its own Executive Board, which has devised an alternative way of dealing with the situation arising from one complainant.

UNDP, she noted, has emphasized its intention to review matters thoroughly.

OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS

U.N. AND A.U. EXPRESS CONCERN OVER ATTACKS ON BURUNDIAN OPPOSITION: Asked about an attack on opposition leaders in Burundi, the Spokeswoman said that the UN Bureau in Burundi (BINUB) and the African Union had jointly expressed their concern, and said that dialogue must take precedence. They emphasized that the parties must not fall back into violence.

U.N. CONTINUES TO ASSESS SECURITY SITUATION IN IRAQ: Asked whether the Secretary-General believes that security conditions exist for greater UN involvement in

Iraq, the Spokeswoman said that the matter continues to be assessed by UN security officials.

SECRETARY-GENERAL MET WITH SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE FOR LEBANON: Asked about Special Representative for Lebanon Geir Pedersens meeting with the Secretary-General on Tuesday, the Spokeswoman said that he provided a general overview on the situation in Lebanon.

MANY IDEAS TO BE DISCUSSED AT HIGH-LEVEL CLIMATE CHANGE MEETING: Asked whether the Secretary-General agrees with a proposal to allow developed countries to pay developing countries to curtail carbon emissions, the Spokeswoman noted that a number of ideas may be discussed at the high-level meeting on climate change which the Secretary-General will chair on 24 September.

Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General

United Nations, S-378

New York, NY 10017

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