United Nations Daily Highlights, 08-03-24

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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

UN HEADQUARTERS, NEW YORK

Monday, March 24, 2008

CYPRUS: BAN KI-MOON CONGRATULATES LEADERS ON PROGRESS

The Secretary-General congratulates the Greek Cypriot leader, Mr. Demetris Christofias, and the Turkish Cypriot leader, Mr. Mehmet Ali Talat, on the outcome of their

meeting which was hosted by the Secretary-Generals Special Representative, Michael Møller, on Friday, 21 March 2008.

He warmly welcomes the leaders decisions to expeditiously set up a number of working groups and technical committees, and to meet again in three months time to review their work and start full-fledged negotiations under UN auspices. Their agreement on the opening of a Ledra Street crossing, as soon as technically possible, is also a positive step forward.

The United Nations stands ready to lend its full support to the Cypriot people in their efforts to reach a settlement. The mission later this month of Under-Secretary-General B. Lynn Pascoe to Cyprus will help the United Nations to determine how it can be as helpful as possible to this process as it moves forward.

UNICEF CONDEMNS ABDUCTION OF ENGINEERS IN NORTH DARFUR

UNICEF has

condemned the abduction in Sudan's North Darfur state of a team of four engineers and called for their immediate and unconditional release. The four employees of the State Water Corporation were kidnapped Thursday night, along with their equipment, while working on a UNICEF-funded project to provide water and sanitation services across northern Sudan, including Darfur.

As of today, the four remain missing, and there has been no claim of responsibility for their disappearance.

U.N. SIGNS STATUS OF MISSION AGREEMENT WITH CHADIAN GOVERNMENT

The UN Mission in the Central African Republic and Chad (MINURCAT) and the Chadian government this weekend signed a Status of Mission Agreement. The document lays out legal guidance for the Missions work on the territory of Chad. It was signed by Victor Angelo, the Secretary-Generals Special Representative, and by Chads Foreign Minister.

In remarks at the signing event, Mr. Angelo said that the agreement allows the UN to tackle insecurity in Chad while also responding to humanitarian needs at camps for refugees and the internally displaced.

The signing event came a day after Angelo visited the Central African Republic and held talks with state officials, members of the international community and the UN Country Team. Angelo said that the UN Mission there would open a Liaison Office in the northeast for police, military and overall security issues.

A UN assessment team is expected in the region later this week to conduct a feasibility study.

U.N. ENVOY APPALLED BY ATTACK ON AFGHAN DEMINERS

Yesterday afternoon, a team of 12 Afghans working on a demining project as partners of the UN Mine Action Centre for Afghanistan (UNMACA) were attacked by unknown assailants in the province of Balkh, with five of them being killed.

In a

statement issued today, Bo Asplund, the Secretary-Generals acting Special Representative for Afghanistan, said he was appalled and saddened by the attack, adding, It is abhorrent that anyone would target individuals working to free the people of Afghanistan from the scourge of landmines.

Then today, two employees of a different mine-clearance team were killed in the province of Kunduz. The UN Mine Action Service condemns todays and yesterdays attacks.

REPRESENTATIVES FROM GREECE AND F.Y.R.O.M. TO DISCUSS NAME ISSUE AT U.N. HEADQUARTERS TOMORROW

The Secretary-Generals Personal Envoy for Greece and The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM), Matthew Nimetz, will hold continued talks on the "name issue" with the parties tomorrow afternoon at UN Headquarters.

In response to a question, the Spokeswoman confirmed that the Secretary-General received regular updates from Nimetz on the progress of the talks.

U.N. CALLS ON HAITIANS TO HELP ENSURE PUBLIC SAFETY

The UN Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) has called on the population to help the National Police and UN peacekeepers ensure public safety and security by cooperating at roadblocks and other checkpoints.

The Mission says it has increased its logistical and material support to the National Police in order to combat widespread crime and insecurity, in particular kidnappings, which have surged again in recent months.

This situation has led UN peacekeepers to boost the numbers of routine patrols of the entire territory, bringing the total number of motorized patrols to 2,740 and foot patrols to 2,152 this month alone.

SECRETARY-GENERAL CALLS FOR GREATER EFFORTS TO FIGHT TUBERCULOSIS

Today is World Tuberculosis (TB) Day. In a message to mark the occasion, the Secretary-General says that, if we are to prevent a virtually untreatable tuberculosis epidemic, we must tackle the roots of the problem: poor services, poor supplies, poor prescribing and poor use of drugs.

This is a fight that can be won only with the collective commitment of millions of individuals donors and researchers, doctors and health care workers, patients and family members.

Noting that tuberculosis is all the more deadly when it intersects with the HIV epidemic, the Secretary-General adds that the UN will convene a Global Leaders HIV/TB Forum this June in an effort to boost collective capacity to drive down HIV-associated TB deaths.

The Spokeswoman, in response to a question about the global threat posed by TB, acknowledged the spread of drug-resistant TB strains.

FOOD AGENCY APPEALS FOR FUNDS IN WAKE OF RISING FOOD AND FUEL PRICES

The World Food Programme (WFP) has issued an emergency appeal to its donors to close a funding gap of at least half a billion dollars resulting from soaring food and fuel prices.

WFP says that, despite efforts to reduce its costs by buying locally, it is now paying 55 per cent more for food than it was last June. As of a month ago, the agency had a US$500 million shortfall in its food ration budget. But since then, food prices have risen another 20 per cent and they show no sign of slowing down.

In a recent op-ed, the Secretary-General noted that rising food prices have resulted in a new face of hunger, increasingly affecting communities that had previously been protected. Inevitably, he said, it is the bottom billion who are hit hardest: people living on one dollar a day or less.

BAN KI-MOON URGES FRESH APPROACHES TO REACHING DEVELOPMENT GOALS IN ASIA

In a video message to the Association of South-East Asian Nations Regional Roundtable on Promotion and Achievement of Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) through Education and Outreach, which is taking place in Bangkok, the Secretary-General notes that Southeast Asia has made significant progress, in such areas as reducing child mortality rates and the number of people living in extreme poverty. But that progress has been uneven, with growing income disparities and threats to the environment, he noted.

He urged those gathered to help close these gaps by formulating fresh approaches to development challenges and by following through on new ideas.

U.N. CALLS FOR GREATER INVESTMENT IN WEATHER AND CLIMATE OBSERVATION TECHNOLOGY

The theme of this years World Meteorological Day, which was yesterday, is Observing our Planet for a Better Future. To mark the day, the World Meteorological Organization is

calling for greater investment in technology for observing weather, climate and water conditions.

WMO notes that millions of people are more vulnerable than ever to extreme weather. While state-of-the-art equipment exists in various parts of the world, it is often not available in the worlds poorest countries, which are also the most prone to natural hazards.

U.N. TO MARK FIRST INTERNATIONAL DAY COMMEMORATING VICTIMS OF SLAVERY

Tomorrow, the first annual commemoration of the International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade takes place in Conference Room 1 from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Both the Secretary-General and the General Assembly President will take part in the observance.

Under-Secretary-General for Communications and Public Information Kiyo Akasaka will moderate the programme, which features performances by drummers and dancers from Guinea, Mali and Senegal; poetry from Liberia; and a steel band from the Caribbean.

UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador Harry Belafonte will give the keynote address, to commemorate the 200th Anniversary of the United States Abolition of the Slave Trade.

GLOBAL COMPACT OFFICE RESPONDS TO LETTER ABOUT C.E.O. WATER MANDATE INITIATIVE

Asked about a letter, reportedly calling on the Secretary General to withdraw his support from the CEO Water Mandate, the Global Compact Office

stresses that the Mandates purpose is to provide a platform for companies and stakeholders to share knowledge and emerging practices with respect to water stewardship and sustainability.

Regarding a 5 March event, which the letter reportedly alleges was a meeting between corporations and their allies to map out their plan of action for the CEO Water Mandate, the Global Compact Office notes that the learning-and-dialogue session brought companies together with a range of stakeholders, including non-business attendees and representatives from various UN agencies.

The UN Global Compact Office has long recognized and stated that voluntary initiatives cannot be a substitute for regulation or government action. Rather, the two are complementary, with voluntary platforms such as The CEO Water Mandate providing a space for learning and innovation, the Global Compact Office says.

OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS

SECRETARY-GENERAL CONTINUES TO MONITOR DEVELOPMENTS IN TIBET: Asked whether the Secretary-General continues to call for restraint in the Tibet Autonomous Region of China, the Spokeswoman said that he continues to monitor developments.

U.N. SUPPORTS FREE AND FAIR ELECTIONS IN ZIMBABWE: Asked about elections in Zimbabwe, the Spokeswoman said that the United Nations was not an observer to the elections but reiterated its stance in favour of free and fair elections.

SECRETARY-GENERAL CALLS FOR UNITY AMONG PALESTINIANS: Asked about a reported agreement between Hamas and Fatah, the Spokeswoman noted that the Secretary-General has spoken in favour of unity among the Palestinians, but noted reports suggesting differences over the recent agreement.

NO RAPE CHARGES FILED AGAINST U.N. PEACEKEEPERS: Asked about rape allegations made in South Africa against three Indian peacekeepers for the UN Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC), the Spokeswoman reiterated that the complainant had withdrawn the complaint, and no charges had been filed.

Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General

United Nations, S-378

New York, NY 10017

Tel. 212-963-7162

Fax. 212-963-7055

to the Spokesperson's Page

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