United Nations Daily Highlights, 10-06-10

United Nations Daily Highlights Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

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

U.N. HEADQUARTERS, NEW YORK

Thursday, June 10, 2010

SECRETARY-GENERAL BAN KI-MOON WILL HEAD TO WORLD CUP FROM CAMEROON

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon arrived in Yaoundé, Cameroon, around midnight from Burundi and he has another full programme today on the latest leg of his second Africa trip this month.

He held talks with President Paul Biya and he is scheduled to visit a project site at Mbalmayo outside Yaoundé. This is a chance for the Secretary-General to see for himself the UN's practical work with the local authorities on a range of projects connected to the

Millennium Development Goals, including water, income generation and gender empowerment.

The Secretary-General has also held meetings with the local UN Country Team and UN staff.

He returns to Johannesburg overnight to attend tomorrow's FIFA World Cup Opening Ceremony and opening match.

AFGHANISTAN: UN ENVOY CONDEMNS DEADLY ATTACK ON WEDDING PARTY

Staffan de Mistura, the Secretary-Generals Special Representative for

Afghanistan, said today that he was shocked and deeply saddened at the loss of life and large number of those injured last night in an attack on a wedding party in the village of Nagahan, in the southern province of Kandahar.

De Mistura condemn the attack, saying, To specifically target people who were gathering at a moment of happiness to celebrate a wedding shows a total disregard for civilian life. He expressed the sympathies of the UN system to the families who have lost loved ones and the hope for a speedy recovery of those who were injured.

SITUATION OF WORKERS IN GAZA REMAINS PRECARIOUS

The

annual report of the International Labour Office (ILO) on the situation of workers of the occupied Arab territories shows some improvement in the economic situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory. However, it remains precarious, particularly in Gaza.

The report says that the Occupied Palestinian Territory has shown an accelerated growth rate and a slightly higher rate of employment which is, however, still very low by international standards.

Meanwhile, as a consequence of the nearly complete Israeli closure of the Gaza Strip, growth has not been evenly distributed between Gaza and the West Bank, the report says. The longer the closure continues, the more it undermines future prospects of workers and their families, in particular of the young generation, the report adds.

BAN KI-MOON APPEALS TO IRAN TO COOPERATE FULLY WITH ALL SECURITY COUNCIL RESOLUTIONS

The Secretary-General came out with a

statement yesterday, following the Security Councils adoption of its fourth sanctions resolution on Iran's nuclear programme.

The Secretary-General has consistently stressed the importance for Iran to fully comply with all relevant Security Council resolutions and to cooperate fully with the International Atomic Energy Agency to resolve all outstanding issues. These are the essential steps to restore the international communitys confidence in the exclusively peaceful purpose of Irans nuclear programme.

The Secretary-General continues to support a comprehensive and negotiated political solution to this issue. In this regard, he welcomes the willingness of the P5+1 (China, France, Germany, the Russian Federation, the United Kingdom and the United States) to further enhance diplomatic efforts to promote dialogue and consultations. He hopes that talks will resume on this issue of paramount importance.

SECRETARY-GENERAL APPOINTS NEW HEADS OF MISSIONS IN D.R. CONGO AND SOMALIA

The Secretary-General has appointed Roger A. Meece (USA) as his Special Representative for the Democratic Republic of Congo and Head of the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUSCO). Mr. Meece will succeed Alan Doss of the United Kingdom, and he recently served as the US ambassador to the DRC.

The Secretary-General also announced the appointment of Augustine P. Mahiga, who has been Tanzanias Permanent Representative at the United Nations, as his Special Representative for Somalia and Head of the

United Nations Political Office for Somalia (UNPOS). Mr. Mahiga replaces Mr.

Ahmedou Ould-Abdallah, of Mauritania.

SECRETARY-GENERAL APPOINTS NEW FORCE COMMANDER FOR U.N. MISSION IN SUDAN

UN Secretary-General BAN Ki-moon announced the appointment of Major General Moses Bisong Obi of Nigeria as Force Commander of the United Nations Mission in Sudan (UNMIS).

Major General Obi succeeded Lieutenant General Paban Jung Thapa of Nepal. The Secretary-General is grateful for General Thapas dedicated service to UNMIS and his leadership of the military component through a challenging period of Sudans peace process.

Major General Obi has served in two previous UN peacekeeping missions, as Platoon Commander in the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) and as Deputy Sector Commander in the United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL). He also served as the Commanding Officer of the ECOWAS Monitoring Group (ECOMOG), Commanding Officer of the Multi-National Joint Task Force Operation in Lake Chad, and was Acting Commander of the ECOMOG Ground Task Force in Liberia.

SOMALIA: INTERNATIONAL TASK FORCE IS SET UP TO FOLLOW UP ON ISTANBUL CONFERENCE

The outgoing Secretary-General Special Representative for Somalia, Ahmedou Ould-Abdallah, and officials from the Islamic Development Bank and Turkey have co-chaired an 8 June meeting to discuss the implementation of the recommendations made at the recent Istanbul Conference on Somalia.

The meeting established a Task Force to implement recommendations in the areas of basic services, reconstruction and energy, among others. The meeting also reviewed plans to set up funding mechanisms building on existing ones.

IN LARGEST TRIAL, TRIBUNAL FOR FORMER YUGOSLAVIA SENTENCES SEVEN BOSNIAN SERB OFFICIALS

Seven former Bosnian Serb military and police officials were

convicted this morning of a range of crimes by the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY). The sentences against them range from 5 years to life in prison and relate to crimes committed in 1995 during the fall of Srebrenica and epa, in eastern Bosnia and Herzegovina.

This was largest trial to date held before the Tribunal.

The Tribunal found that the seven men took part in widespread and systematic attacks against civilians on a March 1995 order by former Bosnian Serb President Radovan Karadi&#263;.

They include two former chiefs of security in the Bosnian Serb Army who were found guilty of genocide, extermination, murder and persecution. They were sentenced to life imprisonment.

Others were sentenced to shorter terms in prison.

UNDP CHIEF: HARD TIMES NO EXCUSE TO LOWER AMBITION FOR GLOBAL DEVELOPMENT AGENDA

Speaking before the Joint Meeting of the Committees of Foreign Affairs and Development of the European Parliament in Brussels today, the

UN Development Programme Administrator,

Helen Clark, said that challenging as times may be for developed and developing countries alike, they cannot become an excuse to lower ambition when it comes to advancing the global development agenda.

"The global crises we face call for stronger support than ever for solving global challenges," she said. "The MDG summit in September presents a critical opportunity for the international community to agree on an action agenda of what needs to be done to meet the MDGs by 2015."

Clark also met with President of the European Council, Herman Van Rompuy and President of the European Parliament, Jerzy Buzek, to discuss the importance of the EU - UN partnership and to hand over the latest EU/UN Partnership Report 2010. Later today she will meet with Baroness Lady Ashton, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice President of the European Commission.

OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS

BAN KI-MOON IN CONTACT WITH KEY ACTORS ON 31 MAY INCIDENT: Asked about the Secretary-Generals contacts on the 31 May incident involving the flotilla, the Spokesperson said that those contacts have continued, both by the Secretary-General and by senior officials, including Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs B. Lynn Pascoe, who recently discussed the matter with Israels Foreign Minister. The Secretary-General, Haq reiterated, emphasized the importance of credible international involvement in any investigation into the incident.