United Nations Daily Highlights, 10-03-17

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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 FARHAN HAQ

ASSOCIATE SPOKESPERSON FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL BAN KI-MOON

UN HEADQUARTERS, NEW YORK

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

SECRETARY-GENERAL BAN KI-MOON ARRIVES IN MOSCOW

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has arrived in Moscow, where he will participate in the meeting of the Middle East Quartet on Friday.

Tomorrow, the Secretary-General is scheduled to meet with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, among other senior officials. He will also speak at the Moscow State Institute of International Relations and receive an honorary degree from that university.

COTE DIVOIRE ENVOY STRESSES NEED TO ESTABLISH DEFINITIVE ELECTORAL LIST

Choi Young-jin, the Secretary-Generals Special Representative for Côte dIvoire, told the

Security Council this morning that the political impasse in that country has seriously weakened the electoral momentum there. He said that it is quite regrettable to see the elections once again delayed.

Choi said that the UN peacekeeping mission in Côte dIvoire (UNOCI) has set three objectives for the immediate future: maintaining peace and stability; safeguarding past achievements, including the provisional electoral list; and establish a definitive electoral list as expeditiously as possible.

WESTERN SAHARA ENVOY EMBARKS ON REGIONAL VISIT

The Secretary-Generals Personal Envoy for Western Sahara, Christopher Ross, is arriving in Rabat today, on the first leg of a visit to the region.

Ross will then go to Tindouf, Nouakchott and Algiers, wrapping up his tour on March 25.

This is the Personal Envoys third visit to the region since his appointment. As you remember, this trip follows the commitment reiterated by the parties, during their informal talks in Armonk, New York, on February 10-11, to continue their negotiations as soon as possible.

AFGHANISTAN: GROWING CONSENSUS AND REINTEGRATION KEY TO RESOLVE CONFLICT

In a

new report on the UN Assistance Mission for Afghanistan (UNAMA), the Secretary-General noted the growing consensus that there is a need for a political process to end the conflict in Afghanistan, as well as for the establishment of a programme to reintegrate low- and mid-level insurgents who wish to give up fighting.

These are elements of a resolution to a conflict that needs to end, he writes. But they must be combined with improved governance and more efficient aid in order to regain the trust of disaffected populations. Above all, efforts to end the conflict must result in a strengthened political order, underpinned by the Constitution.

The Secretary-General says that those who choose to reconcile must respect the achievements made since 2002 and accept the aspirations of the majority of Afghans to a peaceful and prosperous Afghanistan where each and every Afghan can enjoy his or her rights as enshrined in the Afghan Constitution.

The

Security Council intends to discuss the report tomorrow.

W.F.P. CONTRACTS MILLS IN PAKISTAN TO BOOST LOCAL ECONOMY

The World Food Programme (WFP) today announced that it has contracted mills in the Pakistans Swat Valley to produce and fortify wheat flour, to give a much needed boost to the local economy and provide fast and reliable food access to conflict-affected families.

WFP said that the combination of conflict and high food prices since the humanitarian crisis started has been devastating to many people in the Swat Valley.

Milling flour locally will help to deal with that problem.

Once the eight mills in Swat are in full operation, they will provide a significant boost to the local economy and employment market, helping to ensure food supply for the poor and stabilize prices.

SECRETARY-GENERAL URGES ALL TO TAKE MORE ACTIONS TO REJECT EXTREMISM

In his message to the Special Ministerial Meeting of the Non-Aligned Movement on Interfaith Dialogue and Cooperation, the Secretary-General today urged all members to take more action to reject extremism, counter those who polarize and distort, and humiliate and manipulate for electoral aims.

The Secretary-General also added that the diverse members of the Movement can do much to forge greater understanding, which can be the foundation for a better future and a world of peaceful coexistence.

Highlighting that peace, development and human rights all depend on mutual understanding and respect, the Secretary-General urged members to use their ample experience in bridging religious differences to promote dialogue wherever it is needed.

OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS

U.N. ASSISTS GUATEMALA TO FIGHT ORGANIZED CRIME: In Guatemala City, the Executive Director of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), Antonio Maria Costa, along with President Alvaro Colom of Guatemala, launched the National Integrated Programme on the Strengthening of the Rule of Law, Security and Justice in Guatemala. The three year programme, worth $16 million, is designed to strengthen Guatemalas capacity in the areas of criminal justice, police reform, anti-corruption, firearms control, prison reform, cybercrime, and human trafficking.

U.N. DEVELOPPEMENT PROGRAMME STRESSES IMPORTANCE OF CAPACITY IN DEVELOPMENT: The need to transform government institutions by investing in peoples capabilities and in providing innovative solutions and incentives that enable the delivery of effective services was a central message at the first day of the

UNDP global conference Capacity is Development, which began today in Marrakesh, Morocco. During the three-day meeting over 120 participants from Africa, Arab States, Asia, Europe, Latin America and North America, among world leaders and experts from multilateral and bilateral development communities, will highlight policy choices, institutional reforms and investment decisions that enable states and societies to drive and demand a more equitable, sustainable and peaceful development.