United Nations Daily Highlights, 97-11-24

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From: The United Nations Home Page at <http://www.un.org> - email: unnews@un.org

DAILY HIGHLIGHTS

Monday, 24 November 1997

HEADLINES

• United Nations Secretary-General proposes a follow on civilian mission in Haiti to support police.
• Four United Nations staff members kidnapped in northern Somalia are released unharmed.
• Secretary-General says UN force should remain in The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia for six more months.
• Croatia requests United Nations to leave civilian police monitors in the country when UN Mission pulls out.
• UN seeks $406 million to assist war-affected areas in former Yugoslavia.
• General Assembly President says no decision will be taken this year on increasing Security Council membership.
• Food emergencies persist in 20 African countries, according to UN Food and Agriculture Organization.
• Austerity measures hamper assistance by UN relief agency for Palestinian refugees, Commissioner-General says.
• Foreign Ministry of Tajikistan says certain forces are trying to torpedo the country's peace process.

The Secretary-General says that while the Haitian National Police has made "substantial strides forward", its development into a professional force continues to be slow and uneven.

In a report to the Security Council, Mr. Annan recalls President Rene Preval's request of 29 October for continued United Nations assistance to make the Haitian National Police a more professional force. The Secretary- General says that mission, to be known as the United Nations police mission in Haiti (MIPONUH), would be composed of 290 police officers, including a 90-strong special police unit.

According to the Secretary-General, the police personnel of MIPONUH, which would have its headquarters in Port-au-Prince, would continue to carry personal weapons. The mission would oversee the technical assistance to the Haitian National Police funded by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and would work closely with the joint Civilian Mission of the United Nations and the Organization of American States (MICIVIH).

The police mission in Haiti would be assisted by the special police unit which would be based in Camp Maple Leaf in Port-au-Prince. Operating on a 24-hour basis, the members of the special unit would not undertake any patrolling activities.

Based on consultations with Member States, the Secretary-General states that the main tasks of the new mission will continue to be undertaken by personnel from Argentina, Benin, Canada, France, India, Mali, Niger, Senegal, Togo, Tunisia and the United States. He further says that the Government of Argentina has offered to contribute the special unit.

The initial cost of MIPONUH for a period of six months is estimated at $14 million. This estimate provides, in addition to the civilian police and the special unit, for some 72 international and 133 local personnel, as well as 17 United Nations Volunteers.

A United Nations Spokesman told reporters in New York that the staff members had been kidnapped in Elayu west of Bosaso. Those kidnapped comprised two staff from the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), one from the United Nations Centre for Human Settlements (HABITAT), and one from the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS), as well as an official of the European Union.

The staff members have been flown to the United Nations Office in Nairobi, Kenya for debriefing, the Spokesman said.

In a new report to the Security Council, the Secretary-General notes that the stability of the country remains contingent upon developments in other parts of the region which are unpredictable and can be inherently dangerous. One factor is the uncertainty of the outcome of the presidential elections in Serbia. Also of concern is the increased violence in Kosovo, which has raised fears of a spillover effect on ethnic Albanians in The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. Slow progress in the implementation of the Dayton Peace Accords has also underscored the need for an international commitment to the region.

Reviewing recent developments, the Secretary-General notes that there have been exchanges of fire along the Albanian border. "In numerous instances, United Nations personnel have been exposed to indiscriminate firing by armed individuals along the border." Domestically, inter-ethnic tensions and economic difficulties are hampering efforts to strengthen stability, according to the report.

In making his recommendation for extending the Force for six months, the Secretary-General says it should keep its current strength of 750 troops, 35 military observers and 26 civilian police monitors. But the Secretary- General also anticipates further reductions in the strength of UNPREDEP in the longer-term.

The report presents two broad options for the future configuration of the Force. By one, it would consist of two task forces composed of 400 soldiers operating from four base camps. "The predominant task of the military would be to act, through their presence, as a psychological deterrent." The second option would involve a total of 100 United Nations military observers operating from eight team offices throughout the country's northern and western border areas. "This option would provide a reasonably flexible patrolling and monitoring capability, again responsive to prevailing circumstances."

According to the Transitional Administrator, William Walker, when UNTAES ends its mandate, the United Nations was to transfer monitoring responsibilities over to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). "The fact that President Tudjman has asked that the United Nations maintain a post-UNTAES civilian police monitoring function is really quite a positive step because the OSCE was not certain that it had enough people or experience to carry out that particular function", Ambassador Walker told reporters in New York. "If the United Nations Security Council accepts the request of President Tudjman, that would be an ongoing United Nations civilian police monitoring function."

Ambassador Walker said that UNTAES had largely fulfilled its mandate in terms of demilitarizing the region and promoting peace and security. "The region is for the most part demilitarized. There are still lots of small weapons around, but the big stuff has all been taken out some time ago."

In launching the appeal, the UN Department of Humanitarian Affairs noted that since the signing of the Dayton Peace Agreement two years ago, there has been noticeable progress in efforts to build lasting peace in the region. However, much still remains to be done. The United Nations estimates that up to 1.6 million displaced persons and refugees remain uprooted. Several million landmines throughout the region continue to threaten lives and to discourage people from returning to their homes. The infrastructure in the war-affected areas has suffered severe damage.

The appeal, jointly launched by all relevant United Nations agencies, will work to redress these problems. It will serve to promote durable solutions in the region for uprooted persons, particularly by allowing minorities to return to their homes. United Nations agencies will work to rehabilitate areas with large numbers of returnees, refugees, and displaced persons. They will also rebuild support systems and services damaged by the war. Assistance will be provided to those in need, and work will be carried out to support peace building in the area.

Participating in these activities are the United Nation High Commissioner for Refugees, United Nations Development Programme, United Nations Department of Humanitarian Affairs, World Food Programme, United Nations Children's Fund, World Health Organization, Food and Agriculture Organization, International Labour Organization, International Organization for Migration, United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, United Nations Population Fund, and the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.

"After having held intensive consultations, it is my understanding that we will not be taking any decisions on this item at this stage", President Udovenko told the Assembly on Monday. "I have received assurances to this effect and am satisfied with these assurances."

Mr. Udovenko also announced his intention to convene a meeting this week of the working group dealing with the question of equitable representation on, and increase in, the membership of the Security Council.

The working group was established in December of 1993 and began its work the following January to consider all aspects of the question of increase in the membership of the Security Council, and other matters related to the Security Council. It held three sessions during the last year and heard a number of proposals for reforming the Council.

According to the group's latest report, "all proposals, written or oral, remain on the table".

FAO's Global Information and Early Warning System has found that the emergencies have been caused by a combination of adverse weather conditions and, in some cases, civil strife. Drought reduced secondary- season food production in Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Somalia, and large parts of Ethiopia. In Somalia, the situation continues to be compounded by heavy rains which started in October and resulted in the flooding of agricultural areas, mainly the Juba valley. The floods have created an uncertain prospect for the production of cereal.

In the Great Lakes region, according to FAO, population dislocation and continuing insecurity, as well as unfavourable weather conditions in some areas, caused food shortages in the region. In Burundi, food output has dipped since the crisis there and subsequent imposition of an embargo by neighbouring countries. The food supply situation in Rwanda has also deteriorated in recent months, according to the FAO report.

In Sierra Leone, the food supply situation deteriorated following the coup d'etat of 25 May, and food prices have increased sharply.

In Senegal, the Gambia, and Mauritania harvest prospects are mixed following mid-season dry spells in parts of the Sahel last summer. Although rainfall improved in late August and September, harvest for rain-fed crops remain unfavourable.

In southern Africa the situation is currently stable, according to FAO, which adds, however, that there is general concern about the possibility of a drought in the coming season connected to the El Ni¤o phenomenon.

Over the past five years, the Agency's budget has not been fully funded, forcing UNRWA to freeze or cut expenditures. Following an outcry over proposed cuts, donors provided a reprieve of $20 million which "enabled us to scrape through 1997", Mr. Hansen said. "However, as you know, a reprieve is not a solution, it is simply a postponement." He appealed to the international community to fully fund the Agency's 1998 budget at the Pledging Conference for UNRWA, scheduled for next week. "Now, as we face 1998, I appeal to you to find a more permanent solution to UNRWA's financial difficulties, by ensuring its viability in the years ahead. You can start by financing the budget which you approve."

UNRWA provides education, health care, relief assistance and social services to the 3.4 million Palestine refugees registered with the Agency in Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. Agency services include elementary and preparatory schooling, vocational and technical training, comprehensive primary health care, assistance relating to hospitalization, environmental health services in refugee camps, relief assistance to particularly needy households, and developmental social services for women, youths and persons with disabilities.

In a statement transmitted by the Permanent Representative of Tajikistan to the United Nations, Ambassador Rashid Almov to the United Nations Secretary- General, the Foreign Ministry says that there are forces which are opposed to the agreement reached between the Government of Tajikistan and the United Tajik Opposition.

The statement cites, as an example, the kidnapping on 18 November, of two staff members of the mission of the Technical Assistance to the Commonwealth of Independence States and Georgia, and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in Tajikistan. The fate of the kidnapped staff so far remains unknown, and the kidnappers have not been identified, according to the statement.

The Foreign Ministry of Tajikistan says that "the gangsters who committed this terrorist act" were trying to intimidate international staff in the country. The statement notes that the kidnapping was committed on the eve of the forthcoming international conference of donor countries scheduled in Vienna, Austria in the next few days. The conference has been convened to tackle post-conflict economic development of Tajikistan.

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