United Nations Daily Highlights, 08-03-27

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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

Thursday, March 27, 2008

START-UP PHASE FOR LEBANON TRIBUNAL HAS BEGUN

Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs Nicolas Michel briefed the Security Council this morning about the Secretary-Generals recent report on the Special Tribunal for

Lebanon, which says that all actions relating to the Tribunals preparatory phase have been undertaken, and the start-up phase for the Tribunal has now commenced.

Prior to Michels briefing, the Security Council heard a briefing on the recent developments in Nepal from Assistant Secretary-General for Political Affairs Angela Kane.

Following Security Council consultations, the President of the Security Council read out a press statement, encouraging the Secretary-General to continue undertaking the steps and measures necessary to establish the Tribunal in a timely manner.

HUMANITARIAN OFFICIALS CONCERNED BY WORSENING CONDITIONS IN SOMALIA

UN humanitarian officials are expressing concern about deteriorating conditions in Somalia. In an interview with UN Radio, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs John Holmes says armed groups and widespread checkpoints are making it dangerous for humanitarians to work there.

He stressed that the solution cannot be a humanitarian one but must be based on a political reconciliation and on security improvements. He added that the basic conditions do not currently exist for deploying a UN peacekeeping force, should the Security Council decide to do so.

Meanwhile, the World Food Programme (WFP) is warning that Somalia is seeking deeper into an abyss of suffering. Fighting has uprooted hundreds of thousands of women and children; it is also preventing full humanitarian access, including to the most needy in Mogadishu, says WFPs Country Director Peter Goossens.

He called on the international community to put Somalia at the top of its agenda and for donors not to give up. Despite the insecurity, WFP continues to deliver hot meals to more than 50-thousand people a day in the Somali capital 90 percent of them women and children.

And a high-level summit on Somalias Financial and Economic Issues is taking place tomorrow and Saturday in Nairobi. The meeting is being convened by the UN and the World Bank, in close cooperation with the Transitional Federal Government.

POLITICAL CHIEF HEADS TO CYPRUS THIS SUNDAY

Regarding the mission by Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs B. Lynn Pascoe to Cyprus, he will be arriving in Cyprus late Sunday, 30 March, and will remain on the Island through Wednesday before returning to New York.

He intends to travel soon thereafter to Athens and Ankara to continue his consultations. As the Secretary-General said in his statement earlier this week, the purpose of Pascoes mission will be to help determine how the United Nations can be as helpful as possible to efforts by the Cypriot people to reach a settlement.

IRAQ: U.N. FOLLOWING DEVELOPMENTS WITH HEIGHTENED CONCERN

Asked about the surge of violence in Iraq, the Spokeswoman said that the United Nations is closely following developments on the ground through the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) with heightened concern, especially with regard to the impact on the humanitarian situation.

Special Representative Staffan de Mistura has been in contact with a number of Iraqi leaders to assess the situation, she said. Montas added that the United Nations is concerned about recent firing into the Green Zone in Baghdad and was trying to obtain more information.

Asked about an expansion of the UN role in Iraq, the Spokeswoman said that the UN Secretariat, while concerned about the security situation in the country, is determined to do more for Iraq.

BURUNDI: PEACEBUILDING COMMISSION CONCERNED BY GROUPS WITHDRAWAL FROM CEASEFIRE AGREEMENT MECHANISM

Available today is a report from the Peacebuilding Commission outlining its conclusions and recommendations on the situation in Burundi.

In it, the Commission raises concerns over the withdrawal of Palipehetu-FNL from the mechanism established to implement the 2006 Comprehensive Ceasefire Agreement, and it recommends that the Palipehetu-FNL group resume its participation in the work of the Joint Verification and Monitoring Mechanism.

It also asks the Burundian Government to continue to explore all ways to resolve its differences with Palipehetu-FNL leaders, and recommends that the Security Council continue to monitor the situation in Burundi closely.

GLOBAL SCORECARD MIXED FOR MEETING DEVELOPMENT GOALS

Deputy Secretary-General Asha-Rose Migiro today addressed Columbia Universitys State of the Planet Conference, saying that our global scorecard in achieving the Millennium Development Goals is mixed.

Overall, she said, we have to speed up action on the Goals in a way that enables all segments of the world population to benefit equally. Also, women must be empowered to contribute to development, and to reap its benefits on an equal footing with men.

The Deputy Secretary-General emphasized that we have reasons to be optimistic, even in Africa. Tremendous gains are possible if the international community translates its commitments into results.

ALLIANCE OF CIVILIZATIONS REPRESENTATIVE ADDRESSES ISLAMOPHOBIA WITH ISLAMIC GROUP

The High Representative for the Alliance of Civilizations, President Jorge Sampăio, met yesterday with the Secretary-General and presented to him the annual report on the activities of the Alliance of Civilizations. They discussed the role of the Alliance within the UN system and its outlook for the future.

Earlier in the day, President Sampăio met with the 85 member governments and multilateral organizations that constitute the Alliance Group of Friends. He briefed them on the follow-up to the Alliance of Civilizations Forum, which was held in Madrid in January and sought their views and input on shoring up regional action and partnerships for the Alliance.

He also met with members of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) to discuss the growing problem of Islamophobia. President Sampăio shared their concern and emphasized the convening role that the Alliance could play in generating joint action to address this issue.

NEGLECT OF AGRICULTURE CONDEMNING MILLIONS OF ASIANS TO POVERTY

The UNs Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific today launched its Economic and Social Survey of Asia and the Pacific 2008 at multiple locations throughout the region.

According to the study, chronic neglect of the agricultural sector in Asia and the Pacific is condemning 218 million people to continuing extreme poverty, and widening the gap between the regions rich and poor.

STATES MUST NOT RESORT TO RACIAL PROFILING WHEN FIGHTING TERRORISM

In Geneva this morning, the Human Rights Council

adopted six resolutions. Among them was one on the protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism.

By that text, which was adopted without a vote, the Human Rights Council, among other things, calls upon States to not resort to racial, ethnic or religious profiling while countering terrorism.

It also calls on States to fully comply with their obligations concerning cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, particularly the absolute prohibition of torture.

CITY LEADERS SPEAK OUT AGAINST POVERTY

More than one thousand delegates, including city leaders from around the world, are meeting in Athens through tomorrow. They are taking part in the sixth global forum of the World Alliance of Cities Against Poverty, an initiative of the UN Development Programme.

Representatives are discussing local plans of action for achieving the Millennium Development Goals and reducing poverty through the promotion of democracy. Participating cities are expecting to adopt quantified local roadmaps that will define development targets before the meeting wraps up.

BAN KI-MOON & FRANCOPHONIE CHIEF TO DISCUSS CONFLICTS IN FRENCH-SPEAKING COUNTRIES

At the invitation of Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, the Secretary-General of the Francophonie, former Senegalese President Abdou Diouf, will make an official visit to UN Headquarters this Friday.

Diouf will meet with the Secretary-General and their discussion is expected to touch on crisis situations and conflicts in French-speaking countries, joint UN-Francophonie peace projects and the Francophonies support to the UN in conflict resolution initiatives. Specifically, they will discuss Côte dIvoire, Comoros, Chad and the Central African Republic.

Other key elements of their discussion will include the Millennium Development Goals, the Alliance of Civilizations, climate change and public advocacy in favor of the Convention on Cultural Diversity.

More than half of UN Member States are either full-fledged or observer-status members of the Francophonie, which signed a cooperation agreement with the United Nations in October 2006.

SENIOR APPOINTMENT MADE IN CONSULTATION WITH AFRICAN GROUP

In response to a question, the Spokeswoman confirmed that the letter from the Group of 77 was received on the proposal to realign the UN Office of the High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States with that of the Office of the Special Adviser on Africa under one Under-Secretary-General.

The letter from Ambassador Ashe, Chair of the Group, asks for another meeting with the Secretary-General, she noted, adding that the Secretary-General is open to further discussions with the group.

She underscored that his decision to appoint Cheikh Sidi Diarra as head of both programmes was made in prior and intensive consultations with the African Group, who agreed on that decision. The Secretary-General never intended to undermine the General Assembly on this matter, Montas said.

Asked about complaints from Member States about what they saw as a merger of two offices, the Spokeswoman said that there was no merger. Each programme is autonomous, but they are headed by one Under-Secretary-General.

She added that the money saved on having a second Under-Secretary-General would be used to go into the programmes themselves.

Montas noted that the Secretary-General had met with many members of the G-77 and was open to further meetings.

OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS

U.N. NAMES STORIES THE WORLD SHOULD HEAR MORE ABOUT: The Department of Public Information has released the fourth annual list of stories that it feels the worlds public and media may wish to find out more about. This is part of a continuing effort to highlight important issues and developments that sometimes do not receive sufficient attention. The stories are not listed in any order of priority. One can find the latest list of what has come to be known as "10 Stories the World Should Hear More About" on the project's web page.

BAN KI-MOON FOLLOWING DEVELOPMENTS IN NEPAL: Asked about pre-election violence in Nepal, the Spokeswoman said that the Secretary-General is aware of the developments and is following the matter closely.

BAN KI-MOON SUPPORTS PEACE EFFORTS: Asked about a proposal by businessman Richard Branson to deploy a Group of Elders to the Middle East, the Spokeswoman said that the Secretary-General is aware of the Groups work and supports efforts to promote peace in the region.