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United Nations Daily Highlights, 97-01-02United Nations Daily Highlights Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The United Nations Home Page at <http://www.un.org> - email: unnews@un.orgDAILY HIGHLIGHTSThursday, 2 January 1997This 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
Mr. Kofi Annan has taken up duties as the seventh Secretary-General of the United Nations. On arrival at the UN Secretariat, Thursday morning Mr. Annan was greeted by the Organization's international staff. In a brief statement he said there is a lot to do - "there is lots of good will and we have lots of dedicated staff and the Member States have made it clear that they want changes and they have given us the unanimous support. And I think together we can achieve a lot, bring about the reforms that are necessary, encourage the Member States to work together to honour their commitments to the Organization and together work for the changes that are required if we are to make the United Nations as relevant as it ought to be, as we move into the 21st century." The Secretary-General is most appreciative of the offers of resignations from his senior colleagues. Acting Spokesman Fred Eckhard told correspondents that the Secretary-General last week requested the resignations of all Under-Secretaries-General and Assistant Secretaries- General, except the heads of agencies whose Executive Boards have a word in their nomination. The Secretary-General had received the resignations of all 23 and these would become effective in 30 days. It is the Secretary-General's intention to establish a competent, experienced and dynamic team, and he hopes to complete his senior appointments by the end of February, according to Spokesman Fred Eckhard. An important part of this exercise would be the establishment of a mechanism and a process to address the issue of reform of the UN system to which he attaches a great priority. The objective of this exercise would be to establish first what the business of the UN should be and how to reposition the Organization for the future. Former United Nations Secretary-General Dr. Boutros Boutros-Ghali has praised the staff of the United Nations for its dedication, integrity, imagination and courage in the performance of its duties. In a farewell message to the staff, Dr. Boutros-Ghali recalled that together the staff has had to confront a unique set of challenges during the post- cold war years. These he listed as adapting peace-keeping to new forms of conflict; providing humanitarian aid in the midst of hostilities; advancing the cause of development in a time of neglect and indifference; responding to calls for democratization and protecting human rights; and constructing a new international approach to global problems through a series of world conferences. He noted that all these, as well as other critical problems, have had to be addressed in the midst of a pervasive financial crisis and the stress of far-reaching reforms aimed at fitting the Organization for the 21st century. Dr. Boutros Boutros-Ghali told correspondents on his final day in office as Secretary-General, he will continue to support the United Nations in whatever new position he takes up. He said he is at the disposal of his own Government and the international community, to work in any non-governmental organization dealing with peace, development and democracy. The Security Council met Tuesday for its 35th review of the sanctions against Iraq under the 1991 resolution ending the Gulf War. Council President for the month of December, Ambassador Francesco Paulo Fulci of Italy, read out a statement on behalf of Council members expressing their serious concern over the lack of progress in efforts to solve the questions of prisoner of war and missing persons of Kuwait and of third country nationality and of the return of properties of the Government of Kuwait, including official documents removed from national archives seized by Iraq. This is something like the loss of a memory for an entire nation, he said. The members of the Council also urged the Iraqi authorities to cooperate fully with the other parties in the tri-partite commission on those issues which are reason for particular concern for the countries of the region. Micronesia has become the first Member State to pay its dues in full with the payment of $106,000. For 1996, a total of 98 Member States finished the year paid in full. Five new Member States have taken up non-permanent seats on the Security Council for the next two years. They are Costa Rica, Japan, Kenya, Portugal and Sweden, replacing Botswana, Germany, Honduras, Indonesia and Italy whose 2-year terms ended 31 December 1996. There are fifteen members on the Security Council, including five permanent members: Britain, China, France, the Russian Federation and the United States. The other five non-permanent members of the Council are Chile, Egypt, Guinea-Bissau, Poland and the Republic of Korea. The International Day for Biological Diversity, which marks the entry into force three years ago of the Convention on Biological Diversity, was observed worldwide Sunday 29 December, by the United Nations and its Member States. The Convention is the centrepiece of the international community's efforts to protect and sustainably use some of the Earth's greatest riches - the diversity of life including genes, species and ecosystems. The Executive Secretary of the Convention is quoted as saying that as the new year approaches, 1997 promises to see the Convention make the transition from being a negotiating document to being an active programme that makes itself felt at the local, national and international levels. The UN Development Programme (UNDP), is helping to curb an outbreak of a yellow fever epidemic in Ghana. As of mid-December, over 50 cases of yellow fever and hepatitis have been reported in the northeastern district of Bawku East. The UNDP Resident Coordinator in Accra, Abdoulie Janneh, said the main concern is to get health personnel and vaccines up to the area affected by the outbreak. UNDP will help transport medical personnel and vaccines to affected areas, carry out needs assessment and publicize the need for vaccination. An appeal by the Ghanaian Government for $900,000 has almost been met by donors. The bulk of the funds will be used to purchase yellow fever vaccines. The World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), have made vaccines available immediately for 1.5 million people. 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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