[14 August, 2005]

UN FOOD AGENCY INCREASES AID TO 'CHRONICALLY IMPOVERISHED' SUDAN REGIONS

The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) today expressed concern about chronically impoverished regions in the southern, central and eastern parts of Sudan, and said it was increasing its assistance to those areas despite critical funding shortages, a lack of sufficient jet fuel and the transport obstacles of the rainy season. Speaking at a press briefing in Geneva, WFP spokesperson Christiane Berthiaume said an annual "hunger gap" had developed in many parts of the country. The agency was particularly concerned about the regions of Bahr El Ghazal in the South, and the Kordofans in central Sudan and Red Sea State and Kassala in the East after Inter-agency rapid needs assessment missions earlier this year. Worse-than-expected crop failure and new displacement in conflict areas led in May to an upward revision, to $1.9 billion, of the estimate of total funds needed for humanitarian programmes in the country, which was ravaged by a decades-long civil war in the south and separate conflict involving rebels, the Government and militias in the Darfur region since 2003. Most of those funds have yet to be received (UN News Service)

[09 August, 2005]

PALESTINIAN MILITANTS KIDNAP THEN RELEASE UN STAFF IN GAZA STRIP

A Palestinian militant group kidnapped three staff members of the main United Nations agency helping Palestinian refugees in the Gaza Strip this morning, releasing them several hours later following negotiations. The employees of the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East were taken in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip just before noon local time. After talks, the nature of which has not been disclosed, they were released into the custody of UNRWA and of the Palestinian Authority. They have now returned safely to the Agency's headquarters in Gaza. The 55-year-old agency has been providing education, health care, social services, micro-credit and emergency relief to over 4 million Palestinian refugees living in the West Bank, the Gaza Strip, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria. For more details go to UN News Centre at http://www.un.org/news (UN News Service)

[24 July, 2005]

SECURITY COUNCIL WELCOMES POST-ELECTION INSTITUTIONS IN CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC

The United Nations Security Council today called on international donors and financial institutions to 'generously' assist the fragile, newly-elected institutions in the Central African Republic (CAR), stressing that their support will be essential for the impoverished country's socio-economic recovery. In a statement read out in a formal meeting by Ambassador Adamantios Vassilakis of Greece, which holds the 15-nation body's presidency for the month of July, the Council, pleased by the successful presidential and legislative elections, which took place in two rounds on 13 March and 8 May, invited the CAR Government and all political and social forces to "consolidate national dialogue and ensure national reconciliation with a view to achieving sustainable development in their country." In its statement, the Council requested Secretary-General Kofi Annan to explore the possibility of setting up a follow-up committee or enlarging the Committee of Foreign Partner to Follow Up on the Electoral Process to support the reconstruction efforts initiated by the Central Africans (UN News Service)

[13 July, 2005]

ANNAN WELCOMES AGREEMENT TO RE-START TALKS ON DPR OF KOREA

United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan today welcomed the agreement reached in Beijing by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) and United States negotiators to resume the six-party talks aimed at achieving a peaceful resolution of the DPRK nuclear issue. "The Secretary-General would also like to commend the intensive international efforts, including in particular China and the Republic of Korea for the constructive and tireless work undertaken by them towards this end," said a statement issued by Mr. Annan's spokesman in New York today, referring to other parties to the talks, which also include Japan and the Russian Federation. It also said that Mr. Annan was strongly encouraged by the determination expressed by the participants of the six-party talks to aim for actual progress at the resumed talks, which should lead to negotiating a stable, secure and prosperous Korean Peninsula free of nuclear weapons. (UN News Service)

[27 June, 2005]

TORTURE REPORTED WITH GROWING FREQUENCY WORLDWIDE - UN EXPERTS

Torture is reported with growing frequency from all regions of the world and the lives of individuals and their sense of security continue to be scarred by it on a daily basis, United Nations human rights officials said today in a message ahead of the UN International Day in Support of Victims of Torture being marked on Sunday. The joint statement by UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour, the UN Committee against Torture, the Special Rapporteur of the Commission on Human Rights on torture and the Board of Trustees of the UN Voluntary Fund for Victims of Torture, recalled the obligations of states to take effective measures to prevent all acts of torture or cruel inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. "The importance of prevention cannot be overemphasized," it declared, reminding states of their obligation to investigate and punish all acts of torture and cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment or punishment and strengthen efforts to fight impunity. (UN News Service)

[20 June, 2005]

UN PEACEKEEPER KILLED, TWO OTHERS INJURED IN DR OF CONGO - UN MISSION

An Indian peacekeeper was killed and two of his colleagues injured yesterday when they were caught in an exchange of fire between government troops and a group of unidentified gunmen in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), the United Nations mission there said today. The incident took place 20 kilometres north-west of Goma, the UN Organization Mission in the DRC said, adding that Force Commander General Babcar Gaye has noted that the mission is counting on the collaboration of the national army with regards to investigating the incident.

[10 June, 2005]

SECURITY COUNCIL CONDEMNS MASSACRES OF CIVILIANS IN WESTERN COTE D'IVOIRE

The United Nations Security Council today strongly condemned the recent massacres of civilians in the western Cote d'Ivoire town of Duekoue, and urged Ivorian authorities to conduct an inquiry into the killings immediately so the perpetrators can be brought to justice and condemned. In a statement to the press following a briefing by a senior UN official on the incident, Ambassador Jean-Marc de la Sabliere of France, Council President for the month of June, said the 15-nation body had called on the Ivorian parties to refrain from any hostile action and warned them against any escalation of violence. Mr. de la Sabliere said the Council also recalled that the Ivorian authorities are responsible for ensuring the security of civilians and for promoting respect for human rights (UN News Service)

[30 May, 2005]

Russia has Young Peacemakers Movement under UN Aegis

MOSCOW (RIA Novosti commentator Olga Sobolevskaya) - May 29 marks a significant date on the calendar. It is International Day of UN Peacekeepers. Russia, which has been part of UN peacekeeping operations for 32 years, has its own Movement of Young Peacemakers and Schools of Peace. Its numbers are still small. It includes 1,100 members and 60 schools. Nevertheless, according to its head, co-chairman of the Council of Children's Public Movement of Moscow Valery Gergel, "many children desire to become participants of the Movement," and those include not only Russian, but also Belarussian and Ukrainian children. "Children like to be peacemakers. They consider it a prestigious and honorable duty," says Valery Gergel. He believes the media, as an influential educator of young people, must promote the image of a hero who is capable of attaining high goals without using violence or weapons. "Every day, hundreds of UN peacekeepers, Russian and foreign, risk their lives for the sake of peace and stability on Earth.

[23 May, 2005]

UN Mussion Probes Shooting Deathes of 2 Peacekeepers in Burundi

Two South African soldiers with the United Nations peacekeeping mission in Burundi were dead today, one of them allegedly killed by a volley of gunshots from a companion who then shot himself to death, leaving four others in the group wounded, a UN spokesman said. The UN Operation in Burundi said it was conducting a full investigation into the matter. The soldiers are part of a UN force to help maintain peace in the tiny Central African country, which has been emerging from a decade-long civil war and is preparing for elections later this year (UN News Service)

[16 May, 2005]

Annan, European Official Flag 2005 as 'Decisive Year' for UN and the World

United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan and the head of the European Commission May 13 stressed their shared goal of strengthening multilateral institutions and emphasized that 2005 was a decisive year for the UN and the world on a wide range of issues. The Secretary-General and European Commission President José Manuel Barroso ended a private meeting at UN Headquarters in New York with a joint call for action-oriented decisions to be taken this coming September at the General Assembly's summit-level review of the Millennium Declaration, where world leaders are expected to formally consider the comprehensive reform agenda outlined in Mr. Annan's "In Larger Freedom" report. The two reviewed UN-European Union cooperation, and discussed the process leading up to the September summit. Mr. Annan welcomed EU support for UN reform, and for the ongoing consultations on reform led by the Assembly President. (UN News Service)

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