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UN Daily News Issue DH/5494
Monday, 28 September 2009
In the headlines: • UN-backed negotiations on climate change pact
• Cuba tells Assembly that new US administration
• Action against Brazilian embassy in Honduras
• Ban urges greater focus on drought, desertification
• Philippines: UN dispatches disaster response official
• Fugitive Rwandan ex-mayor goes on trial at UN war
pick up pace
would be disaster – top UN official in wake of deadly storm
•
Sanctions against Myanmar ‘unjust,’ Prime Minister tells General Assembly
must translate words into action in combating climate change crimes court for genocide
• Climate change antithetical to sustainable development, nations tell Assembly
• Guinea: Ban condemns ‘excessive use of force’
• Global economic turmoil has cemented bonds
• Nigeria issues call at UN for reinforced fight against
• Denuclearization of Korean Peninsula hinges on US
against protesters
illicit small arms trade
between poorer nations, UN hears moves, DPR Korea tells UN
More stories inside
UN-backed negotiations on climate change pact pick up pace 28 September - Climate change negotiations are picking up pace as they enter their final stretch towards the December conference in Copenhagen, Denmark, where countries are expected to wrap up talks on a new agreement to curb greenhouse gas emissions, the United Nations reported today. Some 4,000 people – including government delegates from 177 countries and representatives from the private sector and environmental organizations – have gathered today in Bangkok, Thailand, for the two-week penultimate round of negotiations ahead of the meeting in the Danish capital. The Bangkok talks come on the heels of last week’s high-level summit – the largest ever on climate change – convened by Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon at UN Headquarters in New York. That event drew some 100 heads of State and government who issued a call for a comprehensive pact to be reached in Copenhagen. The leaders also underscored the need to boost action to help the world’s most vulnerable and poorest adapt to global warming, as well as the importance of industrialized countries agreeing on ambitious emissions reduction targets. “Your words have been heard around the world. Let your actions now be seen. There is little time left. The opportunity and responsibility to avoid catastrophic climate change is in your hands,” Mr. Ban said at the end of the New York summit.
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The negotiations in the Thai capital are expected to centre on the five areas discussed by world leaders in New York last week: adaptation action, technology, capacity building, finance and REDD (reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation in developing countries). “Developing countries in our region have the potential to achieve a resource-efficient, low-carbon development pathway, but they cannot be expected to do this alone,” Noeleen Heyzer, who heads the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), told the participants today. She urged those in attendance to endeavour to achieve a “breakthrough on the arrangements and provisions for finance and technology for developing countries, which is key to unlocking the current impasse.” The last round of negotiations before the Copenhagen conference will take place in Barcelona, Spain, in November.
Action against Brazilian embassy in Honduras would be disaster – top UN official 28 September - Any action taken against the Brazilian embassy in Honduras where ousted Honduran President Jose Manuel Zelaya has taken shelter would be a disaster, the top United Nations political official said today.
Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs B. Lynn Pascoe
“I must say the situation there took a seriously bad turn with the threats on the Brazilian embassy,” Under-Secretary-General B. Lynn Pascoe told a news conference at UN Headquarters in New York, referring to published reports that the de facto government has given the embassy 10 days to decide whether to grant Mr. Zelaya asylum or hand him over.
“It’s a very serious problem for all of us. It would be a disaster if any action were taken to violate international law on the inviolability of the embassies. We’re also concerned to see the worsening situation as the de facto government has been turning up the screws internally, closing media outlets and also taking state of emergency measures against the population. “We’re very concerned about all of that and have been trying to work with others to see whether we can move that process forward,” he added, reiterating UN readiness to provide whatever help it can to resolve the crisis and its full support for the efforts of Costa Rican President Óscar Arias Sánchez to mediate the crisis. Addressing the General Assembly’s annual high-level debate today, Honduran Foreign Minister Patricia Isabel Rodas Baca called for Mr. Zelaya’s return to power. She expressed her appreciation for the support shown for her country’s “long way back towards our democracy.” The ousted leader, the official said, is “calling out for life to be respected, for integrity to be respected, for the freedom of speech to be respected.” Mr. Zelaya, she stated, is appealing for “this sad story of persecution” to never be repeated. On Friday the Security Council stressed the need to ensure the security of the Brazilian Embassy where Mr. Zelaya turned up last week after being ousted by the military in June. Giving an overview of the “unprecedented” week-long diplomacy and talks on dozens of world crises on the sidelines of the annual high-level debate of the General Assembly, Mr. Pascoe called it the most intensive effort on peace and security issues that he has seen at the UN in the three years he has been here. He cited progress in some areas, noting that talks between the UN and representatives of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) had been “more positive, much more fruitful” than in recent weeks. “In my view it was an extraordinary week in terms of doing exactly what the UN is supposed to do… pushed front and Error! Bookmark not defined. UN
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centre of the discussion the most serious international events of the day and I think the UN really served that function,” he said. He noted that Mr. Ban himself held over 75 bilateral meetings with national leaders beyond the multilateral meetings he attended, such as the Security Council session on nuclear disarmament and the Quartet session on Middle East peace. “I think one thing that is very interesting to me about this process is this is a time when people come not really so much, some of them perhaps, to be seen but mostly to really coordinate positions, to talk about what’s going on, to talk about where we’re headed in the future,” he said.
Philippines: UN dispatches disaster response official in wake of deadly storm 28 September - The United Nations humanitarian wing has dispatched a disaster response official to the Philippines in the wake of this weekend’s deadly tropical storm, which has reportedly triggered some of the worst flooding in more than four decades and resulted in over 70 deaths and a rising number of missing and injured people. Other aid staff in the UN country office will operate from the disaster operations centre in the coming days to ensure proper coordination with the Government, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said today.
Police evacuate an elderly couple from a flooded section of a suburb east of Manila in the Philippines
A state of calamity has been declared in eight regions of the country, including the capital, Manila, where heavy downpours have inundated homes and uprooted people from their homes. Electricity outages, inaccessible roads and lack of communications are hampering the rescue and relief efforts, OCHA said.
Several UN agencies have begun responding in the wake of the disaster. The UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has released 2,000 kits containing non-food items and is assessing the need for further kits and water and sanitation support. The head of the World Food Programme (WFP) said that it will, as a first step, provide vital food rations to approximately 180,000 Filipinos in the worst-affected areas. “I want to assure the people and Government of the Philippines of our support for food assistance as part of a swift and coordinated recovery effort,” Executive Director Josette Sheeran said in a statement. On Sunday, WFP participated in a Government-organized helicopter fly-over of the worst-affected areas. A joint rapid needs assessment between the Government and UN agencies is currently under way. Meanwhile, the World Health Organization (WHO) said it will provide, as an immediate response, $42,000 to support health needs in the wake of the storm.
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Sanctions against Myanmar ‘unjust,’ Prime Minister tells General Assembly 28 September - Sanctions imposed on Myanmar have no moral basis and create an obstacle to development and economic growth, the South East Asian country’s Prime Minister told the General Assembly today as he called for an end to the measures.
Prime Minister Thein Sein of Myanmar
“As sanctions are indiscriminate and of themselves a form of violence, they cannot legitimately be regarded as a tool to promote human rights and democracy,” Prime Minister Thein Sein said in his address to the Assembly’s annual General Debate at United Nations Headquarters in New York.
“Sanctions are being employed as a political tool against Myanmar and we consider them unjust,” Mr. Sein said. “I would like to state that such acts must be stopped.” The Prime Minister stressed Myanmar’s improved socio-economic standing in recent years, saying that without the economic sanctions progress would accelerate at a greater pace. In a meeting with Myanmar’s Prime Minister later in the morning, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon made it clear that the onus was on the Government to create the conditions for credible and inclusive elections next year, according to a statement attributable to his spokesperson. The Secretary-General stressed the importance of releasing Daw Aung San Suu Kyi – the pro-democracy leader and Nobel laureate who has spent a large part of the last 18 years in detention – and all other political prisoners to ensure a free and fair ballot. Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs B. Lynn Pascoe also told journalists today that there was agreement at last week’s meeting of the Group of Friends on Myanmar – attended by 14 foreign ministers – that pressure must be applied on the Government to release Ms. Suu Kyi and other political prisoners. He said that participants in the Group of Friends meeting, which was hosted by Mr. Ban, seemed to indicate that “sanctions as sanctions” would not work, but had to be balanced by positive outreach. In his address to the Assembly, Mr. Sein said “the transition to democracy is proceeding. Our focus is not on the narrow interest of individuals, organizations or parties but on the larger interest of the entire people of the nation.” Peace and stability in the country and the successful holding of the democratic elections are essentials for the democratization process of Myanmar, he noted, stating that a “new State constitution was approved by 92.48 per cent of the eligible voters in a nationwide referendum held in May 2008.” Multiparty general elections will be held in 2010, and in accordance with the new Constitution the parliament will be convened and a government will be formed along the lines of a presidential system, he added. Mr. Sein said that the aspirations of the people will be fulfilled by all citizens participating in the democratic process – “whether they agree with us or not. “Democracy cannot be imposed from the outside and a system suitable for Myanmar can only be born out of Myanmar society. Citizens of Myanmar are the ones who can best determine their future. They can judge the merits of democracy and make adjustments in accordance with their genius.” Mr. Sein also spotlighted the shortfall in funding for the country’s recovery effort in the wake of Cyclone Nargis, which Error! Bookmark not defined. UN
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killed almost 130,000 people and devastated much of Myanmar in May 2008. The Post-Nargis Recovery and Preparedness Plan (PONREPP) has outlined rehabilitation projects for 2009 to 2011, along with further plans to effectively respond to similar natural disasters in the future, he said. “PONREPP will require $691 million over a period of three years,” said Mr. Sein. “To date, only half of that amount has been committed by the international community.”
Guinea: Ban condemns ‘excessive use of force’ against protesters 28 September - Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has deplored the “excessive use of force” after dozens of protesters in Guinea were killed today when security forces opened fire on an opposition rally in the capital, Conakry. Media reports state that at least 58 people died when armed and security forces began firing to disperse the demonstrators. A market in the Guinean capital Conakry Mr. Ban is “shocked by the loss of life, the high number of people injured and the destruction of property as a result of the excessive use of force,” according to a statement issued by his spokesperson, adding that he sends his condolences to the families of the victims.
The Secretary-General urged authorities in Guinea and the security forces “to exercise maximum restraint and to uphold the rule of law, including respect for basic human rights.” The statement added that Mr. Ban urged all sides in the impoverished West African country to “commit to a peaceful, consensual transitional process” through the early holding of credible, transparent elections. “To this end, the Secretary-General calls upon the National Council for Democracy and Development (CNDD) to respect its earlier commitments not to participate in the elections. He calls on all Guinean stakeholders to cooperate fully with the International Contact Group on Guinea.”
Nigeria issues call at UN for reinforced fight against illicit small arms trade 28 September - There is an urgent need for a rejuvenated fight against trafficking in small arms, a top Nigerian official said at the General Assembly today, stressing the ties between that trade and piracy and oil smuggling in the Niger Delta. “The proliferation of small arms in West Africa is fast turning the region into a major transit point for illicit drugs, thus also facilitating the growth of criminal syndicates, some with enough firepower to challenge a nation’s military force,” Chief Ojo Maduekwe, Nigeria’s Foreign Minister, said at the Assembly’s annual high-level debate.
Foreign Minister Ojo Maduekwe of Nigeria
He appealed to the international community to check the scourge by implementing existing agreements, as well as creating new and legally binding ones. Stepped-up efforts, Mr. Maduekwe said, are needed to achieve the goal of “preventing, combating and eradicating illicit trade in small arms and light weapons, and regulating the transfer of conventional weapons in general.” He expressed support for fully implementing the 2001 United Nations Programme of Action on Small and Light Weapons, which calls for international cooperation and assistance to strengthen the ability of States in identifying and tracing illicit arms and light weapons. Error! Bookmark not defined. UN
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Cuba tells Assembly that new US administration must translate words into action 28 September - Cuba’s Foreign Minister told the General Assembly today that it is still waiting for the global optimism generated by the new United States administration to be translated into action, calling for an end to the decades-long embargo against the Caribbean nation.
Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla of Cuba
With the election of President Barack Obama in the US, “it seemed that a period of extreme aggressiveness, unilateralism and arrogance in the foreign policy in that country had come to an end and the infamous legacy of the George W. Bush regime had been sunk in repudiation,” Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla said at the Assembly’s annual high-level debate.
In spite of Mr. Obama’s calls for change and dialogue, “time goes by and the speech does not seem to be supported by concrete facts,” the Cuban official said. “His speech does not coincide with reality.” The current US authorities have displayed “uncertainty” in overcoming the “political and ideological trends” propagated by the previous administration, he noted. “The detention and torture centre in the Guantanamo Naval Base – which usurps part of the Cuban territory – has not been shut down,” Mr. Rodríguez Parrilla said. “The occupation troops in Iraq have not withdrawn. The war in Afghanistan is expanding and is threatening other States.” In April, the US announced it was going to “abolish some of the most brutal actions taken by the George W. Bush administration” preventing contact between Cubans living in the US and their relatives in Cuba. “These measures are a positive step, but they are extremely limited and insufficient,” the foreign minister stressed. Most importantly, the economic, commercial and financial blockade against Cuba is still in place, he pointed out. “Should there be a true desire to move towards change, the US Government could authorize the export of Cuban goods and services to the United States and vice versa.” Further, Mr. Obama could allow US citizens to travel to Cuba, the only country in the world they cannot visit, Mr. Rodríguez Parrillo emphasized. “The US blockade against Cuba is an act of unilateral aggression that should be unilaterally terminated,” he said, expressing his country’s wiliness to normalize relations with the US.
Ban urges greater focus on drought, desertification in combating climate change 28 September - Desertification, land degradation and drought are among today’s most pressing global environment challenges, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said, urging greater attention to these issues in the fight against climate change, which he said has tended to focus on cutting greenhouse gas emissions.
Desertification is caused by climatic variations and human actions
“Desertification and land degradation destabilize societies, entrench poverty and exacerbate climate change,” Mr. Ban said in a message to the Ninth Session of the Conference of Parties to the UN Convention to Combat Desertification, taking place in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
“Expanding deserts suffocate livelihoods and ways of life. The more than two billion people who live on the world’s Error! Bookmark not defined. UN
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drylands are also among the poorest and most vulnerable. They bear the brunt of change and are least able to cope,” he said. The Secretary-General noted that in addressing climate change, the international community has tended “quite understandably” to focus on cutting greenhouse gas emissions. But tackling the issue in all its complexity also requires going beyond mitigation, and taking into account the intrinsic linkages between desertification, land degradation and climate change. “Three-quarters of all disasters globally are now climate-related, up from half just a decade ago, and we can expect worse,” he stated, adding that these disasters are exacerbated by desertification and land degradation. “There is only one way forward. We must strengthen our ability to adapt to a changing climate,” Mr. Ban said. Sustainable land management can make a critical contribution through carbon sequestration, land reclamation and efforts to combat soil loss and restore vegetation. Such steps can not only strengthen resilience, but also enhance agricultural production, food security and economic development, he pointed out. The Secretary-General said that when world leaders gather in Copenhagen in December to seal a new agreement to curb greenhouse gas emissions, “the land agenda – and most of all the people who rely on the land for their jobs, sustenance and very survival – should be part of the picture.”
Fugitive Rwandan ex-mayor goes on trial at UN war crimes court for genocide 28 September - A former Rwandan mayor, who had been on the run for eight years, went on trial today at a United Nations war crimes tribunal on charges of genocide and crimes against humanity in the 1994 massacres in the small Central African nation.
2003 poster of fugitives wanted by the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR)
Grégoire Ndahimana, former mayor of Kivumu and one of the last 13 indicted fugitives until his arrest in the neighbouring Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) last month, pleaded not guilty to all the charges arising from the 1994 genocide, when an estimated 800,000 ethnic Tutsis and Hutu moderates were killed by Hutu militants, mainly by machete, during a period of less than 100 days.
Mr. Ndahimana, 57, a high-level figure in the rebel Forces démocratiques de libération du Rwanda (FDLR) in eastern DRC, was handed over last week to the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) sitting in Arusha, Tanzania, a transfer facilitated by the UN Mission in DRC, known as MONUC. He was indicted in 2001 and had been on the run since then. He is charged with four counts of genocide, or alternatively complicity in genocide; conspiracy to commit genocide; and crimes against humanity for extermination. He is alleged to have been responsible for killing or causing serious bodily or mental harm to Tutsis in Kivumu, and to have planned the massacres of mostly ethnic Tutsis who sought refuge at Nyange Parish, in conjunctions with Father Athanase Seromba, already sentenced to 15 years in the first instance and to life imprisonment after dismissal of his appeal, and Fulgence Kayishema, who is still at large. Mr. Ndahimana was arrested on 10 August at Kachuga Camp in North Kivu during a combined operation by the ICTR, MONUC and DRC law enforcement agencies. Also today, an ICTR Appeals Chamber heard oral arguments in the appeal lodged by Protais Zigiranyirazo and the prosecution against two 20-year and one 15-year concurrent jail sentences for genocide and extermination as a crime against humanity. Mr. Zigiranyirazo, 71, a brother-in-law of late Rwandan President Juvenal Habyarimana, alleges that the Trial Chamber
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committed numerous errors of law and fact, and asked the Appeals Chamber to overturn his convictions or alternatively reduce his sentence, while the prosecution is seeking a life sentence, or alternatively a total effective sentence greater than 20 years of imprisonment. In all, 81 people have been indicted by the ICTR for serious violations of international humanitarian law committed in the Rwandan genocide.
Climate change antithetical to sustainable development, nations tell Assembly 28 September - With countries least responsible for climate change bearing the brunt of the man-made phenomenon, sustainable development is being jeopardized by climate change, nations said at the General Assembly today. Foreign Minister Lyonpo Ugyen Tshering of Bhutan underscored that while climate change’s “adverse effects will spare none,” small developing countries will suffer disproportionately. His country, he said, has a fragile mountain ecology and global warming threatens agriculture, the backbone of Bhutan’s economy. Nearly 30 of the nation’s 3,000 lakes are in danger of bursting, while climate change is increasing the likelihood of flash floods, landslides, forest fires and droughts, Mr. Tshering noted. Cyclone Aila in May had “disastrous and widespread effects in Bhutan touching every corner of the country,” he stressed, adding that Bhutan does not have the capacity to ensure that appropriate adaptation and mitigation measures are taken due to limited resources. Any discussion on climate change “must relate to equity and the right of developing countries to be able to provide better livelihoods to their people,” the official stressed. Also emphasizing the threat to sustainable development posed by climate change today was Wilfred Elrington, Belize’s Attorney General, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade. “We know all too well from the impacts of we are observing today that piecemeal action is not sufficient,” he said. In the face of increasing greenhouse gas emissions, Mr. Elrington said that any response requires ambitious mitigation targets and bolstered support for adaptation mechanisms. Given that small island developing States are already experiencing the devastating impacts of global warming, “then avoiding those adverse effects on these particularly vulnerable countries should be the benchmark for determining our targets and our levels of support,” he emphasized. Neighbouring Mexico today highlighted the need for economic incentives to encourage countries to fulfil their commitments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Foreign Minister Patricia Espinosa Cantellano told the Assembly that her Government has proposed, in the context of the climate change negotiations leading up to Copenhagen, an innovative financing scheme – known as the Green Fund – that rewards the efforts of those States who adopt policies geared to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, without jeopardizing their development goals. “The Green Fund fully responds to the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities,” she told the Assembly, adding that it is not just another financial mechanism which responds to conventional criteria.
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“All countries must be able to receive financing, but the scale of the contribution will result from a combination of factors, which take into account, among others, levels of development, size of population, and volume of emissions,” she said. Fander Falconi, Ecuador’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade and Integration, attributed the blame for climate change to “rich nations and over-consuming elite,” and “for that reason they must assume the costs of carbon emission reduction.” In the face of the economic crisis, wealthy nations must make an additional effort to slash emissions, he stressed. Also necessary are “reparations that recognize the ecological debt, historic responsibility for excess of emissions during several decades even when the warming effect was already detected,” Mr. Falconi said.
Global economic turmoil has cemented bonds between poorer nations, UN hears 28 September - The strengthening of ties between developing countries has been one of the few positive consequences of the global economic meltdown, the leaders of two Caribbean nations told the General Assembly today.
Foreign Minister Maxine McClean of Barbados
South-South cooperation has “played a quiet but important role over the years in promoting trade and investment among developing countries,” Foreign Minister of Barbados Maxine McClean told the annual high-level General Debate at United Nations Headquarters in New York.
“This has served to enhance the value of such cooperation and presents great potential for future growth and development,” added Ms. McClean. Ms. McClean underscored the importance of the UN in a multilateral approach to problem-solving amid the current crises facing the world, stressing that the world body is the institution best suited to mobilize global responses. “Regrettably, over the past year the United Nations has been relegated to a subordinate role in the search for solution to the ongoing economic and financial crisis,” she noted. “Barbados will not be complicit in any effort to marginalize the United Nations, which has had a unique and legitimate role in global economic decision making and rule setting.” Also emphasizing the pivotal role of the growing trend in exchange of goods and services between developing nations, Foreign Affairs Minister for Saint Lucia Rufus George Bousquet today told the 192-member Assembly that South-South support had become an effective tool for economic development and foreign policy. “An ever-changing global landscape has impelled developing countries to take initiatives to safeguard the common interests of each other as they possess diverse assets that can be complementary,” said Mr. Bousquet. He spotlighted Cuba’s international medical assistance programme which serves the Caribbean, as well as the region’s historic and cultural ties with Africa along with recent developments, such as the African Union Diaspora initiative as examples of the cooperation among poorer countries. “We in Saint Lucia have received support from the Kuwaiti Funds to assist in infrastructural development,” Mr. Bousquet added. “We are reaching out to the world for cooperation and collaboration in the advancement of our development efforts.”
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Denuclearization of Korean Peninsula hinges on US moves, DPR Korea tells UN 28 September - Denuclearization is the ultimate aim of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), but achieving a nuclear-free Korean Peninsula depends on whether the United States adjusts its policies, a top official from the East Asian nation told the General Assembly today.
Vice-Foreign Minister Pak Kil Yon of Democratic People's Republic of Korea
“We have never denied the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and the rest of the world,” Pak Kil Yon, Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs, told the 192-member body’s highlevel debate.
Further, the DPRK has done “everything it could to realize the peaceful reunification of the country, remove nuclear threats and sources of war, and secure peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula,” he said. But the US wants to prevent the region from shedding its nuclear weapons as part of its own Asian strategy, Mr. Pak said. To realize the Peninsula’s denuclearization, he stressed that the US must “discard the old concept of confrontation and show the ‘change’ in practice.” The official emphasized that the DPRK’s possesses nuclear weapons to deter war, but stressed that the country will “act in a responsible manner in management, use and non-proliferation” of the arms. In his address to the Assembly last week, President Lee Myung-bak of the Republic of Korea (ROK) said that peace across North-East Asia hinges on a nuclear weapons-free Korean Peninsula. “Denuclearization is a prerequisite to paving a path toward genuine reconciliation and unification in the Korean Peninsula, which is the only remaining divided region in the world,” he said. The ROK, Mr. Lee said, will play an active part in global efforts to dismantle the DPRK’s nuclear programme, urging the country to return to the Six-Party Talks, also involving Japan, China, Russia and the US. The 1992 Joint Declaration on the Denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula – by which dialogue and exchanges are increased between the two nations – must continue to be the blueprint, he stated. In June, the Security Council unanimously adopted a resolution condemning the DPRK’s 25 May nuclear test conducted in “violation and flagrant disregard” of relevant Council resolutions, a move that Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon sent a “clear and strong” message to Pyongyang. The June resolution also demanded that the DPRK “not conduct any further nuclear test or any launch using ballistic missile technology.”
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Sudan speaks out during UN debate about renewed tribal clashes in south 28 September - The upsurge in tribal fighting in southern Sudan this year threatens the stability not just of the country but the entire region, a senior Sudanese official told the General Assembly today, calling for greater commitment from the international community to help bringing last peace.
Armoured personnel carriers from UNAMID guard a supply convoy [File Photo]
Ghazi Salahuddin Atabani, an adviser to the Sudanese President and head of his country’s delegation, told the Assembly’s high-level debate that the renewed fighting threatened the positive steps being taken to implement the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA), the 2005 pact that ended the long-running civil war between north and south.
Hundreds of civilians have been killed since the start of the year in deadly clashes between ethnic groups in southern Sudan, with the most recent attacks earlier this month claiming the lives of more than 100 people and forcing thousands of others to flee their homes. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has spoken out against the violence and warned against retaliatory attacks. Today, Mr. Salahuddin said “these conflicts threaten not only the stability of the Sudan and the south but also the stability of the whole region,” calling on the Government of Southern Sudan – created as a result of the CPA – to take greater responsibility for maintaining peace and security. As part of the CPA national legislative elections are scheduled to take place in April next year, and the adviser said his Government remained committed to ensuring they are staged peacefully and successfully. “We invite the international community to support financially and materially the conduct of elections in deeds and in words ,” he said, voicing disappointment that the many donors have not fulfilled their pledges to support the implementation of the CPA, especially regarding the rehabilitation and reintegration of former combatants from the civil war. Turning to the conflict in Darfur, Mr. Salahuddin said that region was experiencing “positive and far-reaching developments” towards peace, thanks in part to greater cooperation between the Government and the joint African UnionUN peacekeeping force (known as UNAMID). “That policy has led to far-reaching improvement in the humanitarian situation in Darfur, as recognized and attested by UN documented reports,” he said, adding that there have been “massive” returns of internally displaced persons (IDPs) to their home villages across Darfur. “We, [the] Government, [the] people and [the] international community must seize this opportunity to foster this trend.” The adviser also stressed his Government’s commitment to the efforts of the Joint AU-UN Mediator, Djibril Bassolé, and Qatar to bring about a lasting peace deal with Darfur’s many rebel groups.
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Hungary champions rights of minorities during address to General Assembly 28 September - Vibrant minority groups strengthen countries rather than undermine them, Hungary’s Foreign Minister told the General Assembly today as he warned of “alarming tendencies” to curtail the political, cultural and educational opportunities worldwide in the wake of the financial crisis. Speaking on the fifth day of the Assembly’s annual high-level segment, Péter Balázs said it was time for the international community to pay special attention to respect for minority Foreign Minister Péter Balázs of Hungary rights, particularly at the upcoming meeting in November in Geneva of the second Minority Forum. “The presence of flourishing minority communities does not weaken a State, but rather makes it stronger,” Mr. Balázs said. “Trust between the majority and minority within a country can be built on this basis.” He noted that extreme nationalist, racist, anti-Semitic and xenophobic movements and sentiments have re-emerged or become stronger since the global economic crisis began. “We are witnessing alarming tendencies with a detrimental effect on the political participation, cultural life and educational opportunities of minorities… We cannot allow those alarming trends to prevail or roll back the advance of democratic values and human rights.” Mr. Balázs stressed the need to preserve the cultural and linguistic identities of national minorities and the upholding of their human rights in general. In his address the Foreign Minister also discussed the concept of “responsibility to protect,” the principle that requires governments to protect their citizens against genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity. “We strongly believe that there is a clear and urgent need for further institution-building in the field of the prevention of genocide and mass atrocities. “That is the reason why Hungary prepared this year a feasibility study on the establishment of the Budapest Centre for the International Prevention of Genocide and Mass Atrocities. Such a centre could stimulate worldwide cooperative efforts in the next few years to establish a well-functioning system for the prevention of genocide and mass atrocities, through a dynamic and systematic approach of early action mechanisms.”
Burkina Faso: UN dispatches experts to assess contamination in wake of floods 28 September - The United Nations has sent two experts to assess contamination of water and soil in Burkina Faso, one of the countries hit hardest by the devastating West African floods, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) announced today.
Burkina Faso's main hospital Yalgado Ouédraogo under floodwater
The experts – one from Sweden and the other from Switzerland – were dispatched by the joint UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and OCHA Environment Unit to examine the impact of flooding in the capital, Ouagadougou, and the areas immediately outside the country’s urban centres.
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40,000 who found shelter with host families. Flooding has wreaked havoc on the country’s infrastructure, causing serious damage to the Central University Hospital, bridges, dams, roads, schools and agriculture, inundating large swathes of farmland and destroying crops. Last week, OCHA reported that only 1.6 per cent of the $18.4 million appeal launched in response to the emergency humanitarian crisis has been funded.
Ban again urges Sri Lanka to resettle hundreds of thousands displaced by war 28 September - Failure to rapidly resettle nearly 300,000 Sri Lankans displaced by the Government’s final onslaught against Tamil separatists and further suffering under harsh conditions in the camps could result in growing bitterness, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon warned the island’s Prime Minister today. In talks with Ratnasiri Wickramanayaka at United Nations Headquarters in New York, Mr. Ban stressed in particular the need to resolve the problem in view of the approaching monsoon season, while acknowledging the Government’s efforts to address post-conflict challenges in Sri Lanka.
A feeding centre for the internally displaced in Sri Lanka
In May the Government declared an end to its military operation against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), ending more than two decades of fighting. Mr. Ban noted that he had repeatedly brought up the issue of internally displaced persons (IDPs), the politic al process and reconciliation, and accountability for alleged violations during the long ethnic war in his various telephone conversations with President Mahinda Rajapaksa and messages conveyed through visits by senior UN officials. The incident between IDPs and the army in Menik Farm two days ago resulting in gunshot injuries of two children was a sign of growing frustrations in the camps. The Prime Minister assured Mr. Ban that the Government was keen to implement earlier pledges to resettle all IDPs out of the camps by January, but he emphasized that much international aid was needed to facilitate these efforts, especially for demining. Mr. Ban underlined the importance of winning the trust and confidence of the population in the North, especially those in the IDP camps, as failure to do so could undermine the prospects for reconciliation. Mr. Wickramanayaka indicated that efforts toward an inclusive political framework were continuing, including through close engagement with minority representatives such as the Tamil National Alliance. Mr. Ban stressed the need to expedite a serious, independent and impartial accountability process to look into alleged violation of international law during the conflict as a critical part of moving forward and building peace in Sri Lanka. The Prime Minister thanked Mr. Ban for UN support and appealed for the Organization to use its influence to facilitate international support for Sri Lanka’s recovery efforts. Both reaffirmed their commitment to continue close engagement in addressing common concerns during this critical transitional phase. The Secretary-General welcomed the delegation’s pledge to share with the UN the Government’s recovery and resettlement plans through regular exchanges in a comprehensive and transparent manner. He highlighted that this would help the UN and others to support national post-conflict efforts more effectively.
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Ban outlines steps to boost ‘strategic’ UN-African Union peacekeeping partnership 28 September - Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has outlined steps to boost the African Union’s capacity to successfully carry out United Nations-authorized peacekeeping operations, including helping the regional body in the areas of finance, logistics and human resources.
UN and African Union flags raised at UNAMID
“I am fully committed to supporting the African Union as it fulfils its potential as a partner of the United Nations in pursuit of peace in Africa,” he wrote in a new report to the Security Council, affirming his intent to strengthen the “strategic” partnership between the two bodies in the area of peace and security.
The report includes a detailed assessment of the recommendations of the AU-UN panel set up to consider support to AU peacekeeping operations which issued its own report last December. The panel recommended, among others, that the UN and the AU take concrete steps to strengthen their mutual relationship and develop a more effective partnership when addressing issues on the joint agenda. It also suggested the use of UN-assessed funding for AU-led and UN-authorized peacekeeping operations on a case-by-case basis, for up to six months, to be provided mainly in kind and only when there is an intention to transition the mission to a UN peacekeeping operation. Mr. Ban noted in his report that the AU and its subregional organizations have been able to “deploy quickly, with limited resources and as a first response, when challenging circumstances have required a robust intervention.” In addition to obtaining predictable and sustained financial resources for its operations, the major challenge for the AU, said the Secretary-General, is the lack of sufficient institutional capacity in key management, support and strategic planning functions. He added that the UN is currently working with the AU Commission on a number of initiatives to build the necessary capacity. The UN will also undertake a number of initiatives to help the AU address some of its deficiencies in the areas of finance, logistics, human resources and procurement. These include embedding several AU human resources personnel at UN Headquarters to observe the UN system at work, as well as creating senior capacity within the Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO) to act as a conduit between the Department of Field Support and the AU to share best practices. The UN could also provide a ‘standby arrangement’ to assist the AU to deploy a mission consisting of a small team of experienced UN personnel in critical ‘start-up’ functions, such as planning, financial management and procurement, Mr. Ban said. He also underlined that many of the challenges that apply to the immediate peacekeeping demands of the AU will remain relevant in operationalizing the African Standby Force. “While the African Standby Force has the potential to make a major contribution to peace and security in Africa, it will require long-term financial, material and logistics commitment from partners and increasingly from the member States of the African Union,” stated Mr. Ban. He emphasized the requirement for the provision of sustainable and predictable resources to ensure success of AU peacekeeping operations authorized by the UN, while adding that, ultimately, it will be the responsibility of AU member States to provide the necessary resources.
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He added that when peacekeeping is determined the best course of action to address a conflict in Africa, it is essential that the two bodies work together to build consensus and support for the operation and to align mandates with objectives and available resources.
Chad deplores slow deployment of UN peacekeeping mission 28 September - Chad today deplored the delay in deploying the full United Nations peacekeeping mission to its eastern border with Sudan, where the spill-over from the Darfur conflict is undermining already precarious socio-economic development and has led to the recruitment of child soldiers by various armed groups. “It is more than imperative that the parties concerned in this mission redouble their efforts to make up for this delay, whose prolongation constitutes a daily danger for the people we are all responsible for protecting,” Chadian Foreign Minister Moussa Faki Mahamat told the General Assembly.
Foreign Minister Moussa Faki Mahamat of Chad
He pledged his country’s full support for the UN Mission in the Central African Republic and Chad (MINURCAT ), whose mandate includes creating a more secure environment and relocating refugee camps in eastern Chad away from the border with Sudan. At present MINURCAT has only some 2,350 troops, less than half its mandated maximum of 5,200. He stressed that Chad is collaborating closely with the UN to find a solution to the Darfur crisis where more than six years of fighting between the Sudanese Government, militia allies and rebels have killed some 300,000 people and displaced 2.7 million others, with over 200,000 of them as refugees in eastern Chad. “Whatever MINURCAT’s efforts or my country’s efforts to provide security for camps of refugees and the displaced, the real solution to the Darfur crisis can only be political to allow refugees and displaced to return to their homeland,” he added, calling it totally erroneous to believe that Chad was feeding the Darfur conflict by supporting Sudanese rebels. Mr. Mahamat said the fighting had given rise to “the phenomenon” of child soldiers. “During different campaign Chad’s national army has managed to recover hundreds of children who have been handed over to the care of UNICEF (UN Children’s Fund) to reintegrate them in civilian life,” he told the Assembly on the fifth day of its 64th annual General Debate. “An inspection and sensitization campaign has recently been launched in various barracks in the country in collaboration with UNICEF and certain diplomatic missions in N’Djamena (the capital) to prevent this phenomenon and eradicate it where it exists.”
Dialogue vital to resolving Nagorno-Karabakh dispute, Armenia tells UN 28 September - The ongoing dispute over the Nagorno-Karabakh region, which is part of Azerbaijan’s territory but is occupied by Armenian forces, could be settled as long as both sides refrain from taking action that hampers the peace process, Armenia’s Foreign Minister told the General Assembly today. Edward Nalbandian accused Azerbaijan for misrepresenting the “essence” of the problem, including over the weekend when Azeri Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov, speaking before the Assembly, tried to “smother ethnic cleansings and its policy of violence against the people of Nagorno-Karabakh.”
Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandyan of Armenia
In his address, Mr. Mammadyarov said the first steps that need to be taken to end the conflict include the withdrawal of Armenian forces, the rehabilitation of the affected territories, the return of internally displaced persons (IDPs) to their homes, and the opening of all communications.
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Mr. Nalbandian told the Assembly’s high-level debate today about what he described as Azerbaijan’s aggression against the region, adding that its hostilities were fuelled by “the held of mercenaries, closely linked to terrorist organizations.” He said that “in order to create an opportunity for progress… [on Nagorno-Karabakh] the parties should commit to refrain from steps that could hamper dialogue and the peace process.” The Joint Declaration signed last November by Armenia, Azerbaijan and Russia provides a solid foundation for the settlement of the dispute, he stressed. The senior official also underscored the importance of the principle of self-determination, which he characterized as “an unconditional clause of international law; it is about liberty, freedom of any people to choose its future and fate, and to defend its collective rights whenever those rights and that future are jeopardized.” Last year the General Assembly adopted a resolution on Nagorno-Karabakh calling for the immediate, complete and unconditional withdrawal of Armenian forces from “all the occupied territories of Azerbaijan.” The text reaffirmed “the inalienable right of the population expelled from the occupied territories” to return to their homes, and to achieve that it called for the comprehensive rehabilitation of all conflict-affected territory. No State should recognize as lawful the current situation in Nagorno-Karabakh, nor provide aid or assistance to maintain that situation, according to the text, which also called for “normal, secure and equal conditions of life for Armenian and Azerbaijani communities in the Nagorno-Karabakh region” so that “an effective democratic system of self-governance” can be built up. In addition, the resolution voiced support for international mediation efforts to the dispute, particularly the work of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Minsk Group Co-Chairmen.
Time to act to combat global hunger is now, Ireland tells UN debate 28 September - The fact that one billion people on the planet suffer from hunger represents a collective failure by the international community, Ireland told the General Assembly today, stressing that the time to act together to eradicate this scourge is now. “Hunger is the result of many failings,” Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Peter Power said in his address to the Assembly’s annual high-level General Debate. “Its eradication, and nothing less than its eradication, must be our goal.” Minister of State for Overseas Development Peter Power of Ireland
Ireland, which has experienced famine in its own land, has placed food security and related sectors as a cornerstone of its aid programme, he noted, adding that it aims to ensure that 20 per cent of its assistance by 2012 is focused on hunger. Mr. Power said he was very encouraged by the event held at UN Headquarters on Saturday, under the leadership of Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, on boosting global food security. Speaking at that event, Mr. Ban said last year’s food crisis highlighted the fact that the world’s food systems are in crisis, that they are failing too many people and many of the poorer nations. “There is more than enough food in the world, yet today, more than one billion people are hungry. This is unacceptable,” he told the gathering. Mr. Power said it is clear what needs to be done to ensure a world free from chronic hunger. “We must tackle hunger in a comprehensive way to move from responding to symptoms to addressing the fundamental causes.” In addition, it is necessary to invest in agriculture and agricultural research, and in particular to support women farmers, as Error! Bookmark not defined. UN
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well as to invest in rural infrastructure, enhance nutrition and support national and regional plans. “Our aim is to halve the number of hungry by 2015,” the Minister noted, referring to one of the eight globally agreed Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). But despite the wealth and advanced technology available in the world, the number of hungry is growing daily. “We have a small window of time to achieve this objective. The time for concerted action by all of us is now.” Among the areas that have been particularly hard hit is the Horn of Africa, where UN officials predict that hunger is likely to grow owing to a combination of poor crop prospects, below-average rainfall, violence and displacement. “The number of people suffering from poverty and hunger has not been reduced; it has rather multiplied in many folds,” Eritrea’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Osman Saleh, told the Assembly. He said that the peoples of Africa have been “victims of poverty and hunger,” and cited the need for “fundamental” change in the UN to not only preserve peace and security, but also to eradicate poverty and hunger. Food security, said Angola’s Minister of External Relations, is one of the main concerns of the African continent due to its importance to health, productivity, social and political stability and economic growth. “Hunger and poverty, aggravated by the fact that they are linked to endemic diseases such as malaria and tuberculosis, cause millions of deaths annually in Africa and are devastating an entire generation, dramatically jeopardizing the development and progress of the continent,” Assunção Afonso dos Anjos told the Assembly. He said he believed it is possible to substantially reduce the food security deficit in Africa if the international community is willing to maintain reserves of food and medicines for emergency aid and people in need, as well as work to adopt national and regional integrated strategies and programmes in areas such as agriculture, trade, transports, water, and training.
UN partners with African initiative to slash numbers of starving on the continent 28 September - With over three million children dying from hunger around the world every year and child mortality rates rising in Africa, the United Nations food agency today announced a new partnership to expand efforts in the fight against malnutrition in subSaharan Africa.
WFP Executive Director Josette Sheeran
The World Food Programme (WFP) and a UN-backed initiative, known as the Millennium Villages Project, have joined forces to establish “undernourishment-free zones” in 80 villages across 10 African countries.
The partnership aims to ensure school meal coverage for all children in primary school, find the best way of meeting the nutritional needs of children affected by HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and other pandemics, and work with smallholder farmers to boost productivity and incomes. “The hungry and malnourished cannot wait,” WFP Executive Director Josette Sheeran told reporters at UN Headquarters in New York. “We must act now to build the partnerships and take the comprehensive steps necessary to win this fight,” she added. Ms. Sheeran stressed that the historic $20 billion pledge to fight hunger and food insecurity made in July by the Group of Eight industrialized countries (G8) in L’Aquila, Italy, must be followed by concrete actions. “No one organization can do it alone, and we will leverage a growing collaboration with the Millennium Villages project to deliver powerful solutions to malnutrition,” she said.
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The Millennium Villages Project works with impoverished rural communities to transform village life in “hunger hotspots” across sub-Saharan Africa through practical measures, such as investing in improved seed and fertilizers for raising crop productivity, nutrition and school meals; long lasting insecticide-treated bed nets to reduce malaria; clinics to dispense effective treatment and care, and safe drinking water. “Hunger stands at the core of extreme poverty,” said Professor Jeffrey Sachs, Director of the Earth Institute at Columbia University and Special Adviser to Secretary General Ban Ki-moon. “Without enough food, people suffer, die of disease, and too often descend into violence and conflict,” said Mr. Sachs. “Without enough food, a farmer cannot feed her family, much less earn an income and look after the children in the household.” The Millennium Villages Project is a collaboration between the Earth Institute, the Millennium Promise Alliance, and the UN Development Programme (UNDP) aiming to help its 80 villages reach the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), global targets for cutting extreme poverty and hunger in half by 2015.
Africa must have full Security Council representation – DR Congo tells Assembly 28 September - The Security Council must be fully reformed and enlarged to include a proper African representation, particularly since two thirds of the issues it addresses concern the continent, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) told the General Assembly today. “The present UN system does not correspond in its current concept to the hopes of its founders and to the letter of the Charter that its creation was able to inspire,” DRC Foreign Minister Alexis Thambwe Nwamba said as the Assembly entered the fifth day of its annual General Debate.
Alexis Thambwe Mwamba, Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Democratic Republic of the Congo
“Whatever the outcome of negotiations under way on this issue, my delegation remains committed to the idea that the Security Council must take into account the political and numerical weight of Africa in the General Assembly (where the continent holds 53 national seats), and this above all because two thirds of the situations that come before the Council concern it.” That is why the DRC reiterates its plea for full African representation in al decision-making organs and above all the Security Council, he added. Referring to his own country, where the UN played a major role in efforts to restore stability and hold free, democratic elections in 2006 after years of civil war, Mr. Nwamba noted that conflict and above all the use of rape and other sexual violence as a weapon of war continued in the conflict-torn east of the country where fighting has persisted between the national army, rebels and other armed groups. “Sexual violence against women and girls in the east of the DRC constitute in our view the most shameful and serious crimes that humanity has ever known in this 21st century,” he said, noting that two eastern provinces, North and South Kivu, account for 80 per cent of the national total of such crimes. “Just must be done for these violated women and girls,” he declared, stressing President Joseph Kabila determination to put an end to impunity and adding: “Despite this apocalyptic picture the situation in eastern DRC tends to improve.” He cited joint operations with neighbouring governments over the past year against Rwandan and Ugandan rebels and noted that operations were continuing against Rwandan rebel hold-outs in South Kivu. Niger also called for greater African representation in the Security Council and said the multilateralism embodied by the UN and the cooperation between the world body and regional organizations are the surest means to preserve peace and Error! Bookmark not defined. UN
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international security. “We rejoice at the renewed dynamism in cooperation between the Security Council and regional organizations, in particular the African Union (AU),” Foreign Minister Aïchatou Mindaoudou told the Assembly. “We believe that this is a measure capable of creating lasting solutions for peace and security in Africa.” Such cooperation would be useful in treating the most sensitive issues such as the politico-juridical concept of the principle of universal jurisdiction, she said, repeating AU concerns over the inappropriate use of such a principle. Ms. Mindaoudou also noted progress made in preventing and managing conflicts in Africa. “We salute the engagement and good will of others in carrying out concerted actions to assure international peace and security,” she said. “Indeed, as the framework that is best shared by countries and other actors or our planet, the United Nations must serve as a crucible to work for the achievement of a more balanced international community.”
Haiti: UN peacekeeping mission condemns shooting of judge 28 September - The United Nations peacekeeping mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) today condemned “in the strongest terms” an armed attack wounding a judge from the small Caribbean country in an attempt to undermine justice. Maitre Jean Carves, who has recently presided over kidnapping cases, was shot on Thursday, MINUSTAH said in a news release denouncing the attack as “unacceptable interference” with the authority of justice. “He is not the first magistrate victim of an armed attack,” said Danielle Saada, Chief of the Justice Section of MINUSTAH. “The crime must be denounced and punished,” added Ms. Saada. “The mission will provide its full support to the National Police so that the perpetrators are apprehended and brought to justice, the same justice they are trying to silence.” MINUSTAH also expressed its sympathy to Judge Carves and members of his family, while wishing him a speedy and complete recovery.
At UN, Arab nations call on Israel to seize opportunity for peace 28 September - The moment has come for Israel to take action to achieve a lasting peace in the Middle East, Arab nations told the General Assembly’s high-level debate today, calling for an immediate end to settlement activity. Through its measures, including settlement building, Israel “challenges the will of the overwhelming majority of the international community,” Foreign Minister Walid AlMoualem of Syria said at United Nations Headquarters. Foreign Minister Walid Al-Moualem of the Syrian Arab Republic
“Peace and occupation cannot coexist,” he stressed, calling for a “genuine political will” to end the long-running conflict.
Mr. Al-Moualem appealed for an end to the “lip service” being paid to the need for peace, which, he said, is “categorically different from working for peace.” He welcomed the engagement by the new United States administration, the UN Security Council, the European Union, the Organization of the Islamic Conference and the Non-Aligned Movement, but lamented that the momentum has been dampened by Israeli positions and actions.
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For its part, Oman said that it calls “upon Israel to seize the historical opportunity to establish a just and comprehensive peace in the Middle East that would achieve security and peaceful coexistence between the States and peoples of the region,” Yousef Bin Al-Alawi Bin Abdulla, the country’s Foreign Minister, said today. “Squandering this opportunity by Israel will constitute a grave loss for the Israeli people,” he added. The establishment of an independent Palestinian State on the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, among other measures, will help ensure a peaceful coexistence between Arab states and Israel and promote development in the region, Mr. Abdulla told the heads of State and government gathered in New York. “Peace, based on these principles, will be one of the most important gains of the people of the regions which would lead towards ending regional crises and eradicating the root causes of terrorism,” he underscored. The conflict is still continuing because of the “lack of a methodology based on a just and balanced peace,” as well as the “conspicuous absence of a binding mechanism for implementation,” Shaikh Khalid Bin Ahmed, Bahrain’s Foreign Minister, said in his address to the Assembly. The Arab side, he pointed out, has gone to great lengths to delineate its position that peace is both strategic and irreversible. The international community must, therefore, do its part by exerting pressure on Israel to freeze and ultimately dismantle its settlements. Last week, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon voiced his strong support for Palestinian efforts to complete the building of state institutions in two years, and pledged the full assistance of the UN towards this goal. The plans to build up Palestinian institutions were announced last month by Prime Minister Salam Fayyad, and reportedly include disentangling the Palestinian economy’s dependence on Israel and foreign aid, trimming the size of the government, increasing the use of technology and unifying the legal system. “I strongly support the Palestinian Authority’s plan to complete the building of the state apparatus for Palestine in two years, and pledge the UN’s full assistance,” Mr. Ban said in a message to the Ad Hoc Liaison Committee. “The significance of this goal should not be lost on any of us. Nor can we underestimate the urgency of the moment,” he told the gathering, which was attended by Mr. Fayyad and other officials. “Either we move forward, towards two States living side-by-side in peace, or backwards towards renewed conflict, deeper despair and long-term insecurity and suffering for Israelis and Palestinians alike. The status quo is untenable.”
Ban and Iraqi leader discuss request for probe into deadly terror attacks 27 September - Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has discussed Iraq's request for the United Nations to set up an independent international commission to probe deadly bombings and attacks that have struck the country since 2008 with President Jalal Talabani.
President Jalal Talabani of Iraq with Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon
The Iraqi leader issued the call during his address last week to the annual high-level debate of the General Assembly, in which he said the scope and nature of the attacks – including the explosions last month that killed around 100 people in the capital, Baghdad – meant they can only have been carried out with external help and warranted an outside investigation.
During their meeting yesterday at UN Headquarters in New York, the Secretary-General and Mr. Talabani talked about Iraq's request for the appointment of a senior UN official to inquire into the causes and circumstances of the 19 August blasts in Baghdad.
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Mr. Talabani had also stated in his address that once the commission has carried out its work, a special international court should then be set up to try those accused of committing the crimes. Among the other issues discussed during Saturday's meeting were Iraq's relations with its neighbours, and the legislative polls scheduled to be held in January 2010. The Secretary-General acknowledged the importance of ongoing support by the UN towards the conduct of the upcoming elections, according to his spokesperson.
Tourism plays key role in preserving world's rich diversity, says UN official 27 September - Tourism can play a vital role in preserving the rich cultural and natural diversity across the world by promoting sustainable development and global understanding, says a senior United Nations official. In a message for World Tourism Day, the acting head of the UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) noted that while globalization can be a means to improve economic collaboration and understanding, it cannot come at the cost of diluting the world's rich cultural diversity. Taleb Rifai “In this respect, travel and tourism can and must play a key role,” said Taleb Rifai. “Tourism shares the social responsibility of promoting the positive aspects of globalization and as such must direct these global networks towards balanced and sustainable development,” he stated. World Tourism Day, observed annually on 27 September, is being celebrated this year in Accra, Ghana, and features a think tank around the theme “Tourism: Celebrating Diversity.” This year's celebration marks the 30th anniversary of the Day and aims to highlight the wealth of cultural and natural diversity across the globe as well as the role of sustainable tourism in preserving this diversity. Mr. Rifai noted that diversity is one of the driving forces behind tourism and can allow all nations to share the numerous benefits brought about by building stronger ties with other countries. “As such, tourism is an undisputed catalyst for building understanding, fostering social inclusion and promoting higher standards of living,” he said. “This type of unity and collaboration is increasingly important as the world comes together to face climate change and ensure sustainable development, particularly in the context of the current economic crisis.” The Madrid-based UNWTO serves as a global forum for tourism policy issues and a practical source of tourism know -how. Its membership includes 161 countries and territories and more than 370 affiliate members representing the private sector, educational institutions, tourism associations and local tourism authorities.
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Increasingly complex conflicts put aid efforts at risk, warns UN refugee chief 28 September - As global conflicts become more complex – involving State armies, militias and insurgents – humanitarian efforts are increasingly put at risk, the United Nations refugee chief warned today. Opening the 60th annual session of the governing body of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), António Guterres said that providing humanitarian relief in an environment where the line separating the civilian from the military has become blurred is both “difficult and dangerous.”
António Guterres, UN High Commissioner for Refugees
Recalling the attacks on his own staff in Pakistan in recent months, Mr. Guterres said the targeting of humanitarian workers “undermines not only the operations in question, but the very foundations of humanitarian action.” Among the greatest challenges the agency faces, he cited shrinking humanitarian space and actions taken by some countries to limit access to their territories by asylum-seekers – which were not in keeping with international law. Such actions add to the problem of secondary movements as asylum-seekers “search out States where they have some hope of having their protection needs recognized,” said the High Commissioner. “A truly European asylum space in this context is a must.” He described “an arc of crisis” stretching from southwest Asia to the Great Lakes region of Africa – home to two thirds of the world’s refugees and three quarters of the 14.5 million internally displaced persons (IDPs) assisted by UNHCR in 2008. In addition, almost all of the major displacement in 2009 had occurred within this area, notably in Pakistan, Somalia and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Mr. Guterres also noted that although some 600,000 refugees voluntarily repatriated in 2008, this is down 17 per cent over the previous year and was the second lowest return figure in the past 15 years. “Massive repatriation movements are decelerating as the situations in Afghanistan, southern Sudan, DRC and elsewhere are less and less conducive to return and reintegration,” he said. The High Commissioner also updated delegates at the week-long meeting on the on-going reform process within the agency which he said is aimed at “finding the resources to protect more people, rescue more lives and bring home more refugees in safety and dignity.” Staffing at the agency’s Geneva headquarters has been reduced by 30 per cent, while global activities have increased by more than 50 per cent, he said. Work carried out by UNHCR’s Global Service Centre in Budapest would result in savings of $13 million in rent and salaries in 2010 as compared to what it would have cost in Geneva.
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Nuclear, humanitarian issues top Ban's talks with DPR Korea official 27 September - Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon reiterated his hope that the nuclear and other outstanding issues faced by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) will be resolved through dialogue, as he met on Sunday with a top official from Pyongyang. During his talks with Vice Foreign Minister Park Gil Yon, Mr. Ban took note of the reported intention of the DPRK to engage in both bilateral and multilateral dialogue with concerned parties regarding the nuclear issue, according to the Secretary-General's spokesperson. The United Nations Security Council imposed additional sanctions on DPRK in June after previous demands that the country not conduct any further nuclear or missile tests went unheeded. Mr. Ban – who has previously called on Pyongyang to engage in dialogue, including through the Six-Party Talks that bring together the DPRK, the Republic of Korea, Japan, China, Russia and the United States – encouraged the country to respond positively to the recent initiatives by the concerned parties. During today's talks, held at UN Headquarters, Mr. Ban also voiced concern about the humanitarian and human rights situation in DPRK. He highlighted the need for proactive efforts to enhance donor commitments to meet the country's serious food security needs, and encouraged DPRK to increase access and information sharing.
Afghanistan, at UN, calls for revitalizing relations with international community 28 September - Afghan Foreign Minister Rangin Dadfar Spanta today called for revitalizing the sense of partnership and cooperation between Afghanistan and the international community, and said that despite irregularities the recent elections were a success. “We must aim to build upon our many joint achievements as well as to address our mutual shortcomings and deficiencies,” he told the General Assembly on the fifth day of its 64th annual General Debate, citing the upcoming international conference on Afghanistan.
Foreign Minister Rangin Dâdfar Spantâ of Afghanistan
“What the Afghan nation expects and deserves from a renewed partnership with the international community is the reassurance of long-term commitment and solidarity. They are rightly fearful of being abandoned once again to lawlessness, extremism, and external interference. “Abandoning the Afghan nation, which has endured years of suffering and pain, will undermine the spirit of collective cooperation and the ideals of the UN. It will also undermine, for many generations to come, the moral credibility of those who fail to honour their promises and commitments to Afghans. Furthermore, it will embolden extremists in the region and beyond,” he added. He expressed profound gratitude for all the international help so far, adding: “The generous support and sacrifices of the international community were vital to our proud achievements in Afghanistan.” On the August elections, he cited the struggle with terrorism, drugs, weak state institutions and corruption but said a new Afghanistan is emerging, one that is a growing democracy with rising state institutions, a budding civil society, a growing Error! Bookmark not defined. UN
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private sector and strong international solidarity. “It was the first time in the modern history of Afghanistan that Afghan institutions were tasked with organizing and holding a nationwide election,” Mr. Spanta added. “Taking into account the socio-historic realities of Afghanistan, we have passed this national test successfully… “As with any emerging democracy, undoubtedly, there were irregularities. But one should not as sess a young terroristinflicted democracy with the criteria of stable, prosperous, and centuries-old democracies. This is not a call to condone fraud and irregularities. But in passing judgment, we should be conscious of the context, the process and the full picture, rather than of only one aspect or issue.” He said that in an increasingly interdependent world the UN must assume greater responsibility for finding collective solutions to poverty, underdevelopment, environmental degradation, extremism, fundamentalism, terrorism, cultural prejudice, the spread of weapons of mass destruction and the arms race. “Rather than just managing and reacting to problems, the UN must find ways to address the structural causes of the world's problems and conflicts. To these ends, closer cooperation between the UN, the International Criminal Court, international financial organizations and global civil society is vital in moving towards more just and equitable relations between nations,” he declared. Afghanistan’s northern neighbour, Uzbekistan, told the Assembly that the Afghan war was the source of security threats in Central Asia. “It is not a secret any more that the Afghan problem, which began 30 years ago, has no military solution,” Foreign Minister Vladimir Norov told the Assembly. “It is impossible to improve and radically change the situation in the country without solving such urgent issues as reconstruction of Afghanistan’s economy, communications and social infrastructure destroyed by war, without involving in this process the Afghan people.” He also stressed the interdependence of the world, calling for close cooperation between the UN and such regional structures as the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, which groups China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. For its part, Germany – one of the biggest troop contributing nations and main bilateral donors to Afghanistan – said that “against the backdrop of the difficult security situation, the further build-up of Afghan security forces gains an even greater importance,” Thomas Matussek, Germany’s Ambassador to the UN, said. To this end, Germany will continue to send more police instructors to Afghanistan, he said. In the face of criticism, he pointed to “encouraging accomplishments,” especially economic growth and the rehabilitation of infrastructure. “The basic prerequisites for Afghanistan’s sustainable development are good governance, the resolute fight against corruption and an improvement in state services,” Mr. Matussek stressed. “These are essential if the population is to once again nurture hope for the future.”
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Widened G20 would include views of more nations, South-East Asian nations tell UN 28 September - The so-called Group of 20 (G20) industrialized nations must be reformed to strike the perfect balance between effectiveness and inclusiveness, top officials from Singapore and Malaysia told the General Assembly today. The G20 played a crucial role in helping to ameliorate the impact of the financial crisis, Singapore’s Foreign Minister George Yeo told the Assembly’s annual high-level debate. Foreign Minister George Yeo of Singapore
“Though not ideal, it is the most important driver of change we have right now,” he said, adding that the United Nations is “too intricate” to deal with such problems.
But for the G20 to be effective and legitimate, “it is not enough for leaders to confer and make general exhortations,” Mr. Yeo stated. These gatherings should not be confined to the same nations every time, he said, calling for “variable geometry in membership.” The official proposed different participants for different subjects, stressing that “the views of small States, which comprise the majority of UN members, must not be ignored.” He emphasized that “a balance has to be struck between effectiveness and inclusiveness,” since a gathering that is too big would be too unwieldy, while a meeting that is too small would lack “representation and legitimacy.” Recognizing that power shifts never occur smoothly, Mr. Yeo called for a collective effort in putting a new global system into place. “We should not be lulled by the temporary easing of the global economy into thinking that the worst is behind us and that we can return to our old ways again.” For his part, Foreign Minister Datuk Anifah bin Haji Aman of neighbouring Malaysia said that while the G20 includes a greater number of nations than the Group of Eight (G8), “questions still remain as to how representative and inclusive it truly is.” Mr. Aman underscored that that “the choice between legitimacy and effectiveness is often a false one.” Malaysia, he said, was the first to call for reform of the Bretton Woods institutions and bolstering the international financial regulatory system in the wake of the Asian financial crisis. “This means that ideas and solutions are not the monopoly of the large and power,” the Foreign Minister emphasized.
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More efforts needed to promote rights of youth, Tunisia tells UN debate 28 September - Calling for 2010 to be proclaimed the International Year of the Youth, Tunisia’s Foreign Minister today urged the United Nations and its Member States to boost their efforts to ensure that young people do not feel marginalized and become attracted to extremism.
Foreign Minister of Tunisia Addresses General Assembly
Abdelwaheb Abdallah told the General Assembly’s annual high-level segment, held at UN Headquarters in New York, that youth “are our real wealth” and therefore it was critical to introduce measures to make them more active in decision-making processes.
“Globalization, with its numerous problems and major challenges, urges us to take care of our youth and constantly listen to their concerns in order to preserve them from exclusion and marginalization, protect them from the dangers of seclusion and extremism, as well as from carelessness and estrangement, while instilling in them the culture of tolerance and moderation,” he said. Mr. Abdallah said the African, Arab and Islamic States, as well as the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), had already backed a proposal from Tunisia to make next year the International Year of the Youth and he hoped the entire General Assembly would support a resolution on the subject during the current session. The Foreign Minister said next year could also feature a World Youth Conference under the auspices of the UN and other international organizations, to be attended by young people from across the world and to conclude with a pact outlining common values among the participants. “We strongly hope that this initiative will contribute to deepening the awareness about the position that the youth shall enjoy within our societies so that they become an active stakeholder in the success of our development process,” he said. Mr. Abdallah also said that youth have a vital role to play in promoting dialogue and enhancing mutual respect between peoples, as well as values such as tolerance and moderation.
Cote d'Ivoire: UN assisting in delivery of electoral materials for long-awaited polls 28 September - The United Nations mission in Côte d’Ivoire has begun preparing for the delivery of electoral materials across the country ahead of the long-awaited presidential polls, which were to have been held as far back as 2005, and are now slated for 29 November. Today the mission, known as UNOCI, supervised and led the removal of voting equipment from the Abidjan seaport to the warehouses of the Independent Electoral Commission. A shipment of electoral logistical support materials for Côte d'Ivoire provided by UNOCI arrives
This first batch of materials – which includes ballot boxes, polling booths and kits – will be distributed in the east and south of the country, with further deliveries for the central region and the capital Yamoussoukro expected on 1 October.
UNOCI was established by the Security Council in 2004 to help ensure a ceasefire and pave the way for permanent peace and democratic elections after civil war split the country into a Government-ruled south and a rebel-controlled north. Headed by Yoon-jin Choi, the mission has been providing technical and logistical support for preparations for the elections, including for voter identification and registration. Error! Bookmark not defined. UN
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The Security Council will be discussing the situation in Côte d’Ivoire tomorrow in a ministerial-level meeting attended by Mr. Choi.
UN forum on reproductive health in protracted crises kicks off in Spain 28 September - Health officials, many from countries either in or recovering from longrunning crises, are meeting at a United Nations forum in Granada, Spain, to find ways to meet the neglected sexual and reproductive health needs of people during and immediately after crisis situations. The “Consultation on Sexual and Reproductive Health in Protracted Crises and Recovery” is organized by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the World Health Organization (WHO), in association with the Andalusian School of Public Health.
A midwife examines a pregnant woman at a clinic
“Today, there are still barriers to the full and effective implementation of sexual and reproductive health services during protracted crises and in the recovery phase that follows,” says Dr. Daniel Lopez Acunã, Director of Recovery and Transition Programmes in WHO’s Health Action in Crises Cluster. “This results in lower coverage of family planning, much higher rates of maternal mortality, ranging from 660 to1,800 deaths for every 100,000 live births, and in a decreased ability to prevent and manage gender-based violence.” The three-day forum brings together health officials from countries such as Sudan, Liberia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Afghanistan, Nepal and the occupied Palestinian territories, as well as representatives of UN agencies involved in health, humanitarian partner organizations, academia and the donor community. In addition to reviewing past experiences and lessons learned, the gathering will focus on identifying ways to include sexual and reproductive health services as a central part of humanitarian and recovery health interventions. “We are observing a shift in pattern in emergencies from the acute and sudden onset to a more complex situation of recurrent and protracted crises,” says Dr. Jemilah Mahmood, Chief of UNFPA’s Humanitarian Response Branch. “Humanitarian response that follows also needs to shift its focus increasingly on achieving longer-term objectives that allow for more sustainable action.” The best way to address reproductive health needs in protracted crises and recovery phases, in her view, is to ensure all stakeholders work together to re-establish a functional health system. “Full establishment of comprehensive health services from primary health care up to tertiary level care can only be achieved by providing financial resources, strengthening health systems, and developing human resource that will address the sexual and reproductive health needs of the affected population.”
Namibia urges UN Member States to take harder line against coups d’état 28 September - Governments that come to power through coups d’état should be banned from participating in all United Nations institutions, Namibia’s Foreign Minister told the General Assembly today, urging Member States to take a tougher line against undemocratic transfers of power. Speaking on the fifth day of the high-level debate, Marco Hausiku said the 192-member General Assembly should “urgently pass a resolution” that prohibits unelected regimes from participating in UN activities. “There is a need for the UN to support the AU [African Union] principle position of not recognizing governments that come
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to power through military coups,” he said. On Friday the Assembly voted to deny a delegation from Madagascar, where the president was ousted earlier this year following violent political unrest, permission to address the high-level segment. Today, Mr. Hausiku called for closer cooperation between the UN and the AU, especially on issues of peace and security. “Such cooperation should also include the areas of financing, logistics, transfer of technology and training,” he added. Mr. Hausiku also welcomed the recent joint communiqué of the UN Security Council and the AU’s Peace and Security Council on strengthening the capacity of the AU in peacekeeping operations. Currently the AU and UN have a joint peacekeeping operation in the Darfur region of western Sudan (known as UNAMID) that is working to quell the fighting and alleviate humanitarian suffering.
At UN, Peru issues call for greater efforts to stamp out drug trafficking 28 September - Labeling illicit drug trafficking, with its ties to terrorism and other criminal activities, as a “transnational threat,” a senior Peruvian official called for a renewed fight against the drug trade at the General Assembly’s annual high-level debate toady. Narcotics drug trafficking “is not receiving due attention,” Foreign Minister José Antonio García Belaunde said, underscoring “its dangerous link with terrorism and violence in general, whose consequences not only affect the security and the rights of millions of people, but also the environment.”
Foreign Minister José Antonio Garcia Belaunde of the Republic of Peru
Trafficking nets $500 billion – equivalent to 8 per cent of global trade – annually, while the long arm of drug consumption reaches over 200 million people, he noted. Mr. García Belaunde cited the 2008 report of the International Narcotics Control Board, which found that drug traffickers in South America are engaged in money laundering and recruit intelligence experts and specialists at the highest levels of all sectors. He appealed for joint global efforts to stamp out the scourge, emphasizing that eradicating illicit crops must complement prevention, rehabilitation and alternative sustainable development programmes. “In Peru, drug dealers are working together with the remnants of terrorist groups,” the Foreign Minister told the 192member Assembly. “The situation exponentially increases violence of… criminal groups and if we do not solve the problem now, perhaps we will be in a situation of unsuspected consequences in the future.” The Latin American nation has earmarked over $600 million to address drug trafficking, but it cannot fight the production of illegal substances alone, he stressed. “International action cannot be postponed,” Mr. García Belaunde said. Africa, too, is now afflicted with the drug trade and Guinea’s Foreign Minister Alexandre Cécé Loua called for the support of the international community in fighting it. “The CNDD (National Council for Democracy and Development) and the Government attach an especial importance to the struggle against drugs and narcotics trafficking in our country which, unfortunately, has in recent years become one of the transit points in West Africa for this trade,” he told the Assembly.
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“The recent discovery of toxic substances and clandestine laboratories in certain towns in our country illustrate the gravity of the situation.” The CNDD took power after the death of President Lansana Conté of Guinea last December, at a time when SecretaryGeneral Ban Ki-moon stressed the need for a peaceful, democratic and constitutional transfer of power. Mr. Loua said presidential elections were now slated for January.
Timor-Leste praises UN for critical role in securing sovereignty 28 September - The Foreign Minister of Timor-Leste today paid tribute to the United Nations for the world body’s role over the past decade and more in supporting the SouthEast Asian nation on its path to independence. “It was through the United Nations that a solution was found for what was then tabled as the ‘question of East Timor,’” Timorese Foreign Minister Zacarias Albano da Costa told General Assembly. “It was the United Nations that shouldered the responsibility of finding a just solution to that question and was indeed able to do so with success,” Mr. da Costa said in a speech to the annual General Debate at UN Headquarters in New York.
Foreign Minister Zacarias Albano da Costa of Timor-Leste
Mr. da Costa noted that the decision to employ the UN to resolve his country’s conflict through peaceful means and to defer to the UN Charter was a wise one. “The engagement with the United Nations continues to be the policy of Timor-Leste today,” he added. “Timor-Leste has benefited greatly from this engagement, through the dedicated work of successive UN missions and through the presence and work of the various United Nations agencies, funds and programmes.” Timorese turned out in huge numbers on 30 August 1999 to vote in a popular consultation on their future. The result – announced five days later on 4 September – was an overwhelming choice for independence over autonomy within Indonesia. UN administrators moved in soon after the vote, which was followed by widespread violence in which 1,500 to 2,000 people were killed, and helped shepherd Timor-Leste to its eventual independence as a State in 2002. “The UN’s current mission in Timor-Leste, UNMIT, is a testament to the need for a longer term engagement by the UN,” said Mr. da Silva, noting that the crisis in 2006 – when tensions within the security sector led to deadly riots – was a reminder of the fragility of peace when State institutions are still weak and need strengthening.
The UN Daily News is prepared at UN Headquarters in New York by the News Services Section Error! Bookmark not defined. UN and News Centre • www.un.org/news of the News Media Division, Department of}Public Information (DPI)
