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United Nations Daily Highlights 96-06-19United Nations Daily Highlights Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The United Nations Home Page at <http://www.un.org> - email: unnews@un.orgDAILY HIGHLIGHTSWednesday, June 19, 1996This document is prepared by the Central News Section of the Department of Public Information and is updated every week-day at approximately 6:00 PM. HEADLINES
The Security Council, in accordance with resolution 1021 (1995) has lifted the embargo on deliveries of weapons and military equipment to the Former Yugoslavia. The Chairman of the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 724 (1991) concerning Yugoslavia, Ambassador Juan Somavia said in a statement that the members of the Security Council received several reports from the Secretary-General on the implementation of the Dayton Peace Agreement. These reports described progress achieved in implementing confidence and security-building measures in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the implementation of measures for subregional arms control. An immunisation campaign for three million children in Afghanistan has made a good start, as "a period of tranquility," negotiated with all the warring factions, appeared to be generally respected. Led by the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF), the mass immunisation campaign - carried out by local officials and non-governmental organisations with the support of UNICEF and World Health Organisation (WHO) - is part of a series of activities to assist children in war. The immunisation campaign is planned in two stages: from 16 to 20 June and from 21 to 25 July. UNICEF hopes that both rounds of the campaign will be facilitated by a cessation in the hostilities. Some 15,000 children under five years and 110,000 women turned out for vaccination. UNICEF estimates that as mobilization intensifies, the daily turnout will increase, with a possibility of reaching 70-80% of the campaign target of three million children. One million women are to receive anti-tetanus vaccines. The post-conflict assistance to Rwanda would come under the spotlight when donors and the Government of Rwanda meet in Geneva tomorrow to assess achievements stemming from the $1.4 billion worth of assistance pledged at the earlier Round Table Conference held 18 months ago. In addition to evaluating the impact of earlier assistance, conference participants will discuss major new objectives of the programme of national reconciliation, rehabilitation and recovery. Rwanda's Prime Minister, Pierre-Celestin Rwigema, will lead his government's delegation. "The government wishes to consolidate the social and economic achievements of 1995 and, by 1998, address Rwanda's priorities in a context of sustainable development and an atmosphere of security and justice conducive to the return of refugees," said Prime Minister Rwigema. Donors include UN agencies, the World Bank, the European Union, representatives from other countries and non-governmental organisations. "The Government's efforts to achieve peace and security are real," said Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Assistant Administrator of UNDP and Director of the Regional Bureau for Africa. "Actions taken for economic recovery to date are tangible signs of progress. Now we should move from emergency activities to sustainable development," she noted. Some 430 persons on board the ship Zola Tisa have returned to the Freeport at Monrovia, Liberia, after 24 days at sea. They had been refused permission to dock in Ghana, the Ivory Coast and Togo. The United Nations Humanitarian Assistance Coordination Office in Liberia UN-HACO said the humanitarian community in Liberia, made up of UN agencies, national and international non-governmental agencies and representatives from the Liberian government, had a contingency plan in place for the arrival of the ships passengers. The majority of the passengers, according to UN-HACO, were in relatively good health considering their ordeal at sea and required only water and food provided by the World Food Programme (WFP). Most of the passengers were returned to their communities and others provided with shelter at the World Food Programme warehouse at the Freeport. Responding to humanitarian needs to the Central African Republic arising from armed conflict last month, the United Nations appealed to the international community to provide $1.3 million for emergency assistance to that country. Various United Nations agencies carried out assessments of the immediate crisis-related humanitarian requirements and the proposed assistance programme is expected to address critical needs in the areas of education, agriculture and animal health which, if left unattended, could seriously affect key socio-economic sectors and create an additional destabilizing factor. A mystery donor has donated $100,000 to the United Nations. The donor, who prefers to remain anonymous is a former staff member who served during the 1950s. The donor was a peacekeeper during the 1956-57 Un operation carried out during the Suez canal crisis. A UN Spokesman, Ahmad Fawzi said the mystery donor, in his letter to the Secretary-General said that peacekeepers in the old days were not really in danger of being killed or taken hostage and would want his contribution be used towards the well-being and success of UN peacekeepers in areas where they are most needed. The office of the Comptroller is currently deciding in which Trust Fund the money should be deposited, the Spokesman said. For information purposes only - - not an official record From the United Nations home page at <http://www.un.org> - email: unnews@un.orgUnited Nations Daily Highlights Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |