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United Nations Daily Highlights 96-07-09United Nations Daily Highlights Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The United Nations Home Page at <http://www.un.org> - email: unnews@un.orgDAILY HIGHLIGHTSTuesday, July 9, 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 Assembly of the Heads of State and Government of the Organization of African Unity (OAU) has recommended the candidature of Dr. Boutros Boutros- Ghali for a second term as Secretary-General of the United Nations. At the Thirty-Second Ordinary Session of the Organization currently in session, in Yaounde, Cameroon, the OAU reaffirmed the historic importance of the election of an African as Secretary-General of the UN, underscored Dr. Boutros-Ghali's action since his election and recalled the tradition and practice at the UN, of re-electing the incumbent Secretary-General for a second term. The two Angolan parties have taken several steps to meet the agreed time- table, UN Spokesman Sylvana Foa said today. Representatives of the Angolan Government and the Uniao Nacional para a Independencia Total de Angola (UNITA) began talks on constitutional amendments necessary for the formation of a government of unity and national reconciliation. In addition, discussions for another meeting between President Dos Santos and Mr. Savimbi are taking place now, she added. As of Monday, out of a declared strength of 62,500 UNITA troops, 52,857 had been quartered and registered, 5,889 of whom had deserted, Ms. Foa said. Approximately 62,000 family members were being accommodated in satellite camps near the quartering sites, she noted. UNITA was still withholding heavy weapons and probably the best military units, she said. However, there has been some improvement in the quality of weapons surrendered in the last few weeks. The United Nations Angola Verification Mission (UNAVEM) was actively encouraging the parties to finalize their plans for demobilization and social reintegration of ex- combatants, she added. Representatives of some 150 countries are participating in a high- level meeting to assess progress being made to reduce emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases responsible for changing global climate patterns and for warming of the planet. Insurance executives representing some 60 insurance companies called for early and substantial reductions in greenhouse gas emissions as they addressed delegates at the second session of the Conference on Parties to the Climate Change Convention (COP-2) currently meeting in Geneva. The executives presented a position paper highlighting the industry's concern that, while the effect of climate change on the frequency or severity of extreme weather events remains unknown, it is clear that even small shifts in regional climate zones or storm patterns could lead to increased property damage. "When a major industry such as the insurance sector starts to worry, so should we", said Elizabeth Dowdeswell, Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). "Insurers know from experience how expensive it can be when people fail to protect themselves adequately from risks", she noted. Among other issues, the insurers also urged Governments to promote scientific research that will establish the threshold level of atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases that should be considered dangerous. This year, the COP will consider a report which assesses whether action currently being taken or planned by the industrialized, "Annex 1" countries will meet their Convention commitments. In 1992, 155 Governments, including the European Union, signed the UN Convention on Climate Change at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro. It entered into force on 21 March 1994 and has now been ratified by some 160 countries. Under the Convention, industrialized Governments agreed to reduce to 1990 levels their emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases by the year 2000. The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) has signed an agreement with Rotary International committing the two organizations to cooperate "to save the lives of millions of young people who are at risk because of the threat of HIV/AIDS", according to UNAIDS. The Agency notes that the primary cause for the spread of HIV is unprotected heterosexual sex. To save lives, teenagers must be engaged in a process which informs them of the risks, motivates behaviour change, and gives them the skills and means for protection. The business and professional leaders who belong to Rotary clubs are uniquely positioned to improve AIDS awareness in their communities. Rotarians around the world are putting their network at the service of a new UN initiative to work on this vital campaign, UNAIDS adds. Fiji has become the 77th Member State to pay its assessed contribution of $108,770 to the UN regular budget, UN Spokesman Sylvana Foa said today. UN Spokesman Sylvana Foa today announced that the American Library Association has chosen the United Nations Blue Books and two other UN publications as well as the UN Homepage on the Internet to be among the 57 Best Government Documents of 1995. "The UN Homepage in 1995 was one thing, it is much improved now", she noted. 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 |
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