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United Nations Daily Highlights 96-07-16United Nations Daily Highlights Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The United Nations Home Page at <http://www.un.org> - email: unnews@un.orgDAILY HIGHLIGHTSTuesday, July 16, 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
United Nations Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali today briefed the Security Council following his extended mission abroad. Later, he told journalists that among the issues discussed were the problems of the dispute between Cameroon and Nigeria on the Bakassa Peninsula, and what he has done to contribute to the settlement of that dispute; Burundi and the Arusha plan; the problem of Liberia and the timing of elections there; Western Sahara; Timor; and meetings he held with Heads of State while he was away on mission. Dr. Boutros-Ghali on Monday met the Iraqi negotiator Ambassador Abdel Amir Al-Anbari, a UN Spokesman said. The Ambassador submitted to the Secretary- General his Government's distribution plan, in accordance with the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on the oil-for-food formula signed on 20 May. She said the Secretary-General was in the process of studying the plan against the MOU. The Security Council today received the second report on Bosnia and Herzegovina, UN Spokesman Sylvana Foa said. The report, submitted by Carl Bildt, the High Representative in Bosnia, covers the period March to June 1996. She noted that it contained both good and unfavourable elements with respect to the peace plan. In his report, the High Representative states that "despite the progress in the daily lives of ordinary people, the political tensions that caused and drove the war, are still very much in evidence", Ms. Foa said. Although $1.8 billion had been requested, only $1 billion has been pledged so far. The refugee problem is exacerbated by transfers of territory and refugees returning only to areas where their own group constitutes the majority. Furthermore, none of the Parties have cooperated fully with the Criminal Tribunal in handing over indicted persons, despite promises to do so. The Parties have also failed to implement commitments to respect human rights, including encouragement or tolerance of ethnic harassment. Ms. Foa said the report concludes by noting that in spite of all obvious problems, the goals of the peace agreement can be achieved, "even though this may take more than just one year". World Food Programme (WFP) Executive-Director, Catherine Bertini has welcomed Monday's announcement by United Nations Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali that the Government of the Sudan had permitted WFP to resume use of the C-130 aircrafts for the month of July, UN Spokesman Sylvana Foa said. However, the Executive-Director stated that the concession was inadequate, she added. The logistics of the operation mean that only "224 tonnes of food in the allotted period" would be delivered. "Far too little given the urgency and extent of the needs", according to the Executive-Director. The Agency again appeals to the Government of the Sudan to allow it to continue using C-130 aircraft without a time limit, as otherwise "the gradual and widespread starvation for some 700,000 continues". The WFP also joins the Secretary-General in expressing the hope that the Government of the Sudan will continue to fully abide by the fundamental principles of neutrality, impartiality and transparency that are so essential to continue Operation Lifeline Sudan, she added. Nearly 90 countries are worse off economically than they were 10 years ago, according to the Human Development Report 1996, released by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Tuesday. The Report looks at the widening gaps between rich and poor within countries and among continents. It shows that failing to put people at the centre of development puts brakes on everybody's gains, in developing countries as well as industrialized countries. The Human Development Index, the basic feature of the Report, ranks countries on the basis of life expectancy, education and basic purchasing power. Specific indexes focus on detailed aspects of development, such as the relationship between wealth, poverty and social investment, employment, and the role of women. It also looks at issues such as the rate and cost of HIV/AIDS infection. Eighty-nine countries are worse off economically than they were 10 years ago, the Report states. This leads to global polarization between haves and have nots. The Report notes that no country can sustain high levels of economic growth without a strong foundation of human development. "Job creation serves as the essential bridge between economic growth and human development", it adds. Representatives from over 100 countries are to gather for a week at Aarhus, Denmark, from 22 July, to begin negotiating an international agreement on biosafety, according to the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP). The meeting will seek to progress on drafting a protocol to the Convention on Biological Diversity, for the safe transfer, handling and use of living modified organisms that may have adverse effects on the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity, UNEP says. The results of the Aarhus meeting are to be reported back to the biodiversity Convention's 3rd Conference of the Parties when it meets beginning 4 November in Buenos Aires. "As long as the obstacles to access and the cost of higher learning create barriers to merit, all of us must work and think very hard about those we are leaving out", United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Director-General Federico Mayor, told the International Association of University Presidents (IAUP) on Monday. In his keynote speech at the IAUP's eleventh Triennial Conference in San Francisco, Mr. Mayor said those who have benefited from university education should be vigilant regarding "why we do what we do" rather than focus only on improving efficiency. Mr. Mayor was awarded the honorary degree of Doctor of Laws by California State University in recognition of his personal and scientific achievements and his dedicated service to the world community. More than 700 university presidents from 140 countries attended the meeting. "The responsibility for the genocide lies directly with certain elements of the Rwandan people", says Secretary-General Boutros Boutros- Ghali in his introduction to the newly released The United Nations and Rwanda, 1993-1996, the tenth volume in the "Blue books" series. However, Dr. Boutros-Ghali notes that "the international community must also bear some of the burden for allowing the disaster to reach such horrendous proportions". The Secretary-General notes that the genocide in Rwanda in 1994 was one of the greatest catastrophes to befall a nation since the Second World War. It was also an international tragedy that resulted in "the expectation that the international community, in a new global era, could and would act swiftly and resolutely in the name of peace, justice and global solidarity" suffering "a distinct setback", he adds. However, the book points out that after the initial international hesitation, the entire United Nations system was mobilized to help stabilize the situation, alleviate the suffering of the survivors and assist the country on the path of reconstruction. The Blue book series, published by the Department of Public Information (DPI), was recently cited by the American Libraries Association for a Notable Government Documents award. A 15 per cent rise in food production is expected in Rwanda, according to the findings of a Crop and Food Supply Assessment Mission sent by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Food Programme (WFP) to Rwanda from 7 to 15 June. The joint Mission attributes the rise in production to an increase in planted area with the return of refugees to the fields, improved security and assistance from the international community. However, this year's production is still well below the pre-crisis level. Some 600,000 people will need emergency food aid during the second half of the year, the United Nations food Agencies note. They also warn that "there is a need to look beyond the next agricultural season towards a thorough rehabilitation of the agricultural sector". International assistance will be important in this regard, they add. 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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