ANTARCTIC FRAGILITY A REMINDER OF IMPORTANCE OF SUCCESS IN COPENHAGEN – BAN

ANTARCTIC FRAGILITY A REMINDER OF IMPORTANCE OF SUCCESS IN COPENHAGEN – BAN
New York, Dec 1 2009 5:10PM
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today urged action on two fronts ahead of next week's United Nations climate change conference in Copenhagen as he marked the fiftieth anniversary of the signing of the Antarctic Treaty and commended European ministers for their work with the UN.

In a video <"http://www.un.org/apps/sg/sgstats.asp?nid=4271">address, the Secretary-General said that international cooperation in and for Antarctica provides an example for all. The Antarctic Treaty, signed by 47 countries, set aside the continent as a scientific preserve, established freedom of scientific investigation and banned military activity.

"I urge you to do your part to ensure that this month's conference in Copenhagen lays the foundation for a legally binding climate treaty," said the Secretary-General.

"Commercial activities, in particular unsustainable fishing, adverse impacts of tourism and biological prospecting, could jeopardize the integrity of the fragile Antarctic ecosystem. But the greatest threat is climate change," he added.

Meanwhile, at the ministerial council meeting of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) in Athens, the Secretary-General called the bloc "an invaluable partner of the United Nations" and urged ministers to do their part to make Copenhagen a success.

"I look forward to new initiatives emanating from the long-standing cooperation among the OSCE, the UN Environmental Programme, the UN Development Programme and the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (<"http://www.unece.org/">UNECE), under the umbrella of the Environment and Security Initiative."

In a <"http://www.un.org/apps/sg/sgstats.asp?nid=4269">statement delivered on his behalf by Ján Kubiš, Executive Secretary of UNECE, the Secretary-General added that the UN Regional Center for Preventive Diplomacy in Central Asia works with the OSCE to tackle climate change and manage shared resources, such as water.

"The relationship between the OSCE and the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe has continued to be exemplary. By joining forces to promote cross-border economic and environmental cooperation, the two are addressing a variety of socio-economic drivers of potential conflict," the statement read.
Dec 1 2009 5:10PM
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SINGER-SONGWRITER STEVIE WONDER DESIGNATED UN MESSENGER OF PEACE

SINGER-SONGWRITER STEVIE WONDER DESIGNATED UN MESSENGER OF PEACE
New York, Dec 1 2009 5:10PM
United States singer-songwriter Stevie Wonder is joining the prestigious roster of United Nations Messengers of Peace to advocate for the Organization's work, with the artist – blind since birth – championing people with disabilities.

"Our newest Messenger of Peace is someone who is admired by millions of people and has given back to millions of people," Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said today ahead of Mr. Wonder's official designation at a news conference on Thursday.

"I recognize that he has consistently used his voice and special relationship with the public to create a better and more inclusive world, to defend civil and human rights and to improve the lives of those less fortunate. Stevie Wonder is a true inspiration to young people all over the world about what can be achieved despite any physical limitations."

He will join 10 other Messengers of Peace – individuals widely recognized for their talents in the arts, academia, literature, sports and entertainment – in helping to raise worldwide awareness of UN ideals and activities. Through their public appearances, contacts with the international media and humanitarian work, they expand public understanding of how the UN helps to improve the lives of people everywhere.

The other Messengers of Peace and their areas of focus are: conductor Daniel Barenboim (peace and tolerance); actor George Clooney (peacekeeping); author Paulo Coelho (poverty and intercultural dialogue); actor Michael Douglas (disarmament); primatologist Jane Goodall (conservation and environmental issues); violinist Midori Goto (Millennium Development Goals and Youth); Princess Haya Bint al Hussein (Millennium Development Goals and hunger); cellist Yo-Yo Ma (youth); actor Charlize Theron (ending violence against women); and Nobel Laureate Elie Wiesel (human rights).

"Stevie Wonder's activism has been pivotal in US and world events," the UN noted in a news release, citing the 1983 campaign he spearheaded to make Martin Luther King Day a national holiday in the US, and his advocacy for ending apartheid in South Africa.

He has been recognized for his philanthropic efforts, including the President's Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities, the Children's Diabetes Foundation, Junior Blind of America and the creation of the Wonder Vision Awards Program. For over 10 years, he has provided toys for children and families in need with his annual House Full of Toys benefit concert.

His career as a recording artist has reflected his concern with humanitarian issues. He has written, produced and/or performed songs relative to charities in support of disabilities, AIDS, cancer, diabetes, hunger and homelessness, domestic abuse and many other causes on behalf of children and adults.
Dec 1 2009 5:10PM
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PUBLIC HEARINGS START AT UN WORLD COURT ON KOSOVO INDEPENDENCE QUESTION

PUBLIC HEARINGS START AT UN WORLD COURT ON KOSOVO INDEPENDENCE QUESTION
New York, Dec 1 2009 4:10PM
The International Court of Justice (ICJ), the United Nations' principal judicial organ, today began public hearings on the question of Kosovo's unilateral declaration of independence from Serbia early last year.

Thirty UN Member States and the Provisional Institutions of Self-Government (PISG) of Kosovo, which authored the declaration of independence from Serbia in February 2008, are scheduled to speak during the hearings, which will run until 11 December.

Both Serbia and the PISG are slated to address the <" http://www.icj-cij.org/homepage/index.php?lang=en">ICJ today.

In October 2008 the General Assembly voted to request the ICJ to give an advisory opinion on the legality of the move by Kosovo, where ethnic Albanians outnumber Serbs and other minorities by about nine to one.

The ICJ, also known as the World Court, is tasked with settling legal disputes between UN Member States and with giving advisory opinions on legal questions. It is based in The Hague in the Netherlands.
Dec 1 2009 4:10PM
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UN’S MIDDLE EAST ENVOY URGES HALT TO DEMOLITIONS, EVICTIONS IN EAST JERUSALEM

UN'S MIDDLE EAST ENVOY URGES HALT TO DEMOLITIONS, EVICTIONS IN EAST JERUSALEM
New York, Dec 1 2009 4:10PM
The top United Nations envoy to the Middle East today reiterated Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's call for an immediate end to demolitions, evictions and the instalment of Israeli settlers in Palestinian neighbourhoods, as he visited the Sheikh Jarrah area in East Jerusalem, outside a house that was occupied by settlers.

"Provocative actions such as these create inevitable tensions, undermine trust, often have tragic human consequences and make resuming negotiations and achieving a two-State solution more difficult," read a statement issued by the spokesperson for the UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, Robert Serry.

Last week senior UN political official Haile Menkerios told the Security Council that Israel's refusal to freeze settlement activity was one of several key challenges to the peace process.

Mr. Ban has issued a series of statements recently calling for a halt to Israeli settlement activity and the demolition of Palestinian homes and evictions in East Jerusalem.

In October he stated that Jerusalem must be the capital of two States – Israel and Palestine – with arrangements for the holy sites acceptable to all, if peace in the Middle East is to be achieved.
Dec 1 2009 4:10PM
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GLOBAL CHALLENGES CALL FOR STRONGER COOPERATION BETWEEN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES – MIGIRO

GLOBAL CHALLENGES CALL FOR STRONGER COOPERATION BETWEEN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES – MIGIRO
New York, Dec 1 2009 4:10PM
The United Nations Deputy Secretary-General today called for stronger and more innovative cooperation between developing countries, particularly neighbouring States, to tackle global challenges such as poverty, hunger and climate change.

"Development does not occur in a vacuum," Asha-Rose Migiro <"http://www.un.org/apps/dsg/dsgstats.asp?nid=193">told the UN High-Level Conference on South-South Cooperation, taking place in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi. "It has proved to be most successful when coupled with strategies to increase cross-border trade and investment."

The three-day meeting, which began today will review 30 years of progress since the UN Conference on Technical Cooperation among Developing Countries, held in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in 1978.

Ms. Migiro said that since Buenos Aires, millions of men, women and children have been lifted out of extreme poverty and a number of developing countries had achieved the fastest pace of economic growth in human history.

"The international community can only welcome higher South-South investments in agriculture, education, health and infrastructure development, particularly here in Africa," she stated.

At the same time, South and North alike faced multiple crises, including hunger – which now afflicted an unprecedented 1 billion people – as well as unemployment, slumping trade and looming climate change.

"Solutions to these and other ills require stronger cooperation, starting with one's immediate neighbours," said the deputy UN chief.

Ms. Migiro added that South-South cooperation should not replace North-South cooperation, but rather complement it. "Together we can harness the great endowments of the South and achieve the internationally agreed development goals."

Helen Clark, Administrator of the UN Development Programme (<"http://www.undp.org/">UNDP) and Secretary-General of the Conference, told the participants that her agency aims to support and facilitate the exchange of knowledge and experience across the South to help accelerate development.

She added that, in light of the current global recession, developing countries needed ready access to most relevant knowledge and best practices in order to devise their own responses. To that end, UNDP had witnessed that many countries had begun looking to their neighbours in the South for responses more suitable to addressing the current financial crisis.
Dec 1 2009 4:10PM
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UNICEF ANNOUNCES NAME OF STAFFER KILLED IN KABUL GUEST HOUSE ATTACK

UNICEF ANNOUNCES NAME OF STAFFER KILLED IN KABUL GUEST HOUSE ATTACK
New York, Dec 1 2009 4:10PM
The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) has confirmed the identity of one of its staff members who was killed along with four other UN workers on 28 October when militants attacked a guest house in Kabul, Afghanistan.

Teshome Mandefro Ergete of Ethiopia had worked for <"http://www.unicef.org/media/media_51948.html">UNICEF Afghanistan since September, serving as an expert in drilling wells for fresh water.

In a statement issued yesterday UNICEF's Executive Director Ann M. Veneman said it was with "great sadness" that the agency confirmed that Mr. Ergete had been killed in the attack.

"His remains have now been formally identified through genetic testing, and his family has been informed," Ms. Veneman said. "UNICEF extends its deepest condolences to Teshome's family and friends. He died in the service of humanity."

Mr. Ergete was killed alongside UN security officers Lawrence Mefful and Louis Maxwell and two volunteers with the UN Development Programme (UNDP), Jossie Esto and Yah Lydia Wonyene.

The militants attacked the guest house, which was home to more than 30 UN staff members, in the early hours of 28 October, armed with automatic weapons, grenades and suicide bomb vests.

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and other senior UN officials paid tribute to the victims of the attack for their courage and their willingness to serve others.
Dec 1 2009 4:10PM
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WOMEN ARE MAJOR AGENTS FOR PROGRESS IN CLIMATE CHANGE, DEVELOPMENT GOALS – BAN

WOMEN ARE MAJOR AGENTS FOR PROGRESS IN CLIMATE CHANGE, DEVELOPMENT GOALS – BAN
New York, Dec 1 2009 3:10PM
Women, among the first victims of climate change and enduring social ills, must also be seen as principal agents for change both in curbing global warming and in attaining the United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) to improve the lot of humankind, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said today.

"Think of the women who, as a result of desertification linked to climate change, will have to forage even farther and longer for wood and water," he told the Women's International Forum that brings together some of the world's most pre-eminent women. "Think of the women small-holder farmers who could see their crop yields fall by half over the next decade because of increasingly erratic rainfall.

"Think of the women who depend directly on the environment for their livelihoods and for the well-being of their families and communities," he said, stressing that in most parts of the world, more than half, sometimes 70 to 80 per cent, of the burden is borne by women. "People who have been the least responsible for causing climate change are suffering first and worst from its effects.

"But let us also remember: to see women only as victims is to miss the point. So let us also think of the women who are custodians of local knowledge about food rationing, water harvesting, and forest conservation. Let us recognize how their insights can point the way toward sustainable natural resources management and green prosperity for all."

With just six days left until the opening of the UN climate change summit in Copenhagen, Mr. Ban said he was looking to women to take up the call for a fair and effective agreement that will reduce emissions while helping vulnerable communities adapt.

"Science demands that we act. So does economic common sense," he declared. "Some say tackling climate change is too expensive, especially at a time of global economic and financial upheaval. They are wrong. We will pay an unacceptable price if we do not act now."

Turning to the MDGs, the targets adopted at a UN summit in 2000 that seek to slash extreme hunger and poverty, infant and maternal mortality, and lack of access to education and health care, all by 2015, Mr. Ban cited the stark challenges: 93 million children, mostly girls, not in school; a woman dying every minute during pregnancy and childbirth from preventable and treatable problems; millions of women without access to decent work and social security.

"On development, too, we need to think again: of the women who change their communities," he said. "Consider Bangladesh, where the success of microfinance has transformed the lives of its people, mainly through the empowerment of its rural women.

"Consider also the women who are shaping the policies of their countries through their growing presence in parliament. Our efforts to reach the MDGs and our response to the global economic crisis must place women at the centre of decision-making."

He pledged to appoint more women to senior posts, noting that since taking office three years ago nine new women under-secretaries-general (USG) have been appointed and he would soon name two more to the posts of Associate Administrator of the UN Development Programme (UNDP) and as head of the new gender equality entity.

"We have more women USGs than at any time in UN history – and many of them are the first women appointees to positions which have traditionally been held by men over the past six decades," he said noting that the number of women in senior UN posts has increased by 40 per cent during his tenure. "I will continue to do everything I can to ensure the equality and empowerment of women and girls."
Dec 1 2009 3:10PM
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BAN CALLS FOR EXTENSION OF UN DISENGAGEMENT FORCE ON ISRAELI-SYRIAN FRONT

BAN CALLS FOR EXTENSION OF UN DISENGAGEMENT FORCE ON ISRAELI-SYRIAN FRONT
New York, Dec 1 2009 2:10PM
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is calling for a six-month extension for the 35-year-old United Nations mission observing the ceasefire between Israel and Syria on the Golan Heights, terming its presence "essential" due to overlying regional tensions despite calm on that particular front.

"The situation in the Israel-Syria sector has remained generally quiet," he says in his latest <"http://www.un.org/Docs/journal/asp/ws.asp?m=s/2009/597">report to the Security Council on the UN Disengagement Observer Force (<"http://www.un.org/en/peacekeeping/missions/undof/">UNDOF) established in May 1974 following the agreed disengagement of Israeli and Syrian forces after the 1973 war.

"Nevertheless, the situation in the Middle East is tense and is likely to remain so, unless and until a comprehensive settlement covering all aspects of the Middle East problem can be reached… Under the prevailing circumstances, I consider the continued presence of UNDOF in the area to be essential," he adds, calling on the Council to extend its mandate, most recently renewed in June, until 30 June 2010.

He notes that both Syria and Israel have agreed to the proposed extension and warns that the $45 million in funding for the 1,040-strong force approved by the General Assembly for the period from 1 July 2009 to 30 June 2010 faces a shortfall of $19.9 million as of 30 September. "The outstanding contributions impede the ability of the Secretariat to support the operations of the Force and to reimburse Member States contributing troops to the Force," he writes.

Mr. Ban calls on Israel and Syria to resume the indirect peace talks, initiated under the auspices of Turkey, aimed at a comprehensive peace, noting that during the reporting period of the last six months, as in the past, both sides denied inspection teams access to some of their positions and imposed restrictions on the Force's freedom of movement.

"Both sides continued to construct new and renovate existing defensive positions in the respective areas of limitation," he adds, also warning of an increased threat to UNDOF personnel and local inhabitants in the area from long-planted mines with deteriorating detonation systems.
Dec 1 2009 2:10PM
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UN OFFICIALS URGE END TO DISCRIMINATION AS THEY MARK WORLD AIDS DAY

UN OFFICIALS URGE END TO DISCRIMINATION AS THEY MARK WORLD AIDS DAY
New York, Dec 1 2009 2:10PM
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today led senior United Nations officials in marking World AIDS Day by calling for an urgent end to discrimination against people living with HIV/AIDS to help combat the spread of the disease.

Mr. Ban <"http://www.un.org/apps/sg/sgstats.asp?nid=4266">said that progress in reversing the AIDS epidemic in some countries is outpaced by new infections on a global scale, making it one of the leading causes of premature death worldwide.

"I urge all countries to remove punitive laws, policies and practices that hamper the AIDS response, including travel restrictions against people living with HIV," said Mr. Ban. "Successful AIDS responses do not punish people; they protect them."

Laws that institutionalize discrimination against groups most at risk of the infection, such as sex workers, drug users and men who have sex with men only fuels the epidemic and prevents cost-effective interventions, he added.

"We must ensure that AIDS responses are based on evidence, not ideology, and reach those most in need and most affected," said the Secretary-General. "On this World AIDS Day, let us uphold the human rights of all people living with HIV, people at risk of infection, and children and families affected by the epidemic."

Speaking at an event in South Africa, the Executive Director of the Joint UN Programme on HIV/AIDS (<"http://www.unaids.org/en/KnowledgeCentre/Resources/FeatureStories/archive/2009/20091201_WAD_MS.asp">UNAIDS) Michel Sidibé also underscored the importance of an AIDS response based on human rights.

"Universal obstacles to human rights are getting in the way of universal access," Mr. Sidibé told a gathering at the Swedish Embassy in Pretoria.

Later in the day, Mr. Sidibé told President Jacob Zuma that he is "giving hope to millions who have been waiting for South Africa to join the front line in the global response."

According to 2007 estimates, some 5.7 million people are infected with HIV in South Africa, the largest population living with the disease around the world. Sub-Saharan Africa is the world's hardest hit region, accounting for over two-thirds of all people living with HIV and nearly three quarters of AIDS-related deaths in 2008.

Mr. Sidibé praised President Zuma for the bold and ambitious goals he set out "to accelerate the AIDS response and cut new infections in half, and scale up treatment to 80 per cent of those who need it by 2011."

He said that by cutting the number of new infections in Africa in half by 2015, an estimated 2.25 million infections will be averted, saving around $12.5 billion in treatment costs. "That is a huge gain, financially and in human lives."

In her message to mark the Day, UN Development Programme (<"http://content.undp.org/go/newsroom/2009/december/helen-clark-on-the-occasion-of-world-aids-day.en">UNDP) Administrator Helen Clark noted a recent UNAIDS report which highlighted significant successes in increasing access to life-saving treatment over the last five years, with more than 4 million people in developing countries receiving the necessary medication and almost 3 million lives saved already. New HIV infections have also been reduced by 17 per cent globally since 2001.

Miss Clark said that significant successes in tackling the spread of HIV/AIDS are attributable to promoting the participation of marginalized and vulnerable populations, and the global campaign to drive down the price of key drugs and prevention technologies.

"Unfortunately success is uneven across regions, countries and populations," she said. "Far too often, prevention programmes are still not reaching those most in need. Too little is being done in too many places to empower girls and women. Stigmatizing homosexuals and refusing to provide harm reduction services for drug users also sets back prevention and treatment work."

She noted that for every two people put on treatment, five become newly infected with HIV.

Among the most visible commemorations for the Day will be a UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (<"http://portal.unesco.org/en/ev.php-URL_ID=33437&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html">UNESCO) initiative, in which landmark monuments around the world are set to dim their lights to stress the urgency of halting the epidemic.

The Eiffel Tower in Paris is slated to join the "Lights for Rights" operation by switching off its lights for five minutes this evening, along with the Empire State Building and the Brooklyn Bridge in New York among other sites.
Dec 1 2009 2:10PM
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ANOTHER $6 MILLION NEEDED TO HELP TAJIKISTAN’S FLOOD VICTIMS, UN SAYS

ANOTHER $6 MILLION NEEDED TO HELP TAJIKISTAN'S FLOOD VICTIMS, UN SAYS
New York, Dec 1 2009 1:10PM
As temperatures plummet below zero degrees Celsius in southern Tajikistan, the United Nations humanitarian wing today called for $6 million to help victims whose homes were destroyed during spring flooding and mudflows earlier this year.

The Central Asian country was pummelled with heavy rains in April and May, causing the deaths of dozens of people and forcing more than 3,000 others to permanently flee their homes.

The Office of the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (<"http://ochaonline.un.org/">OCHA) and the Government of Tajikistan appealed in August for $7.7 million to help recover and rebuild disaster-resilient communities. So far, only $1.7 million – or 21 per cent – of the total amount has been received, said OCHA spokesperson in Geneva, Elizabeth Byrs.

In Khuroson, a hard-hit district in the southern part of the country, more than 1,000 people live in tents by day and seek warmth in schools or with host families by night, Ms. Byrs added. Others are staying with resettled neighbours or relatives. The concern now is especially grave as temperatures in December can reach negative 25 degrees Celsius.

The Tajik Government, private sector and religious organizations have provided new dwellings to more than 150 families. Other aid organizations have been constructing water systems in the new settlements and providing cash and basic necessities, such as bed linen, blankets and towels, for setting up new homes.

In addition, food has been provided for the displaced and also to the host families to reduce the strain in their limited food supplies from taking in more people.

However, the under-funded housing project is limiting peoples' abilities to rebuild their lives.

"The people who are left homeless are struggling to survive. They cannot count on the hospitality of equally poor families indefinitely," said Ilija Todorovic, the interim United Nations Resident Coordinator in Tajikistan, following a visit to Khuroson. "The international community has to prevent the mudflow victims from spiralling ever deeper into poverty."
Dec 1 2009 1:10PM
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TOP UN OFFICIAL CALLS FOR TRANSITION, NOT EXIT, STRATEGY FOR AFGHANISTAN

TOP UN OFFICIAL CALLS FOR TRANSITION, NOT EXIT, STRATEGY FOR AFGHANISTAN
New York, Dec 1 2009 1:10PM
Just hours before President Barack Obama formally announces the United States' strategy for Afghanistan, the top United Nations envoy there today underscored the need for a long-term commitment from the international community for the country, stressing that now is not the time to talk about an exit strategy.

"I think we should talk about transition strategy, which is something completely different," the Secretary-General's Special Representative for Afghanistan, Kai Eide, told reporters in the capital, Kabul.

Mr. Eide, who also heads the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (<"http://unama.unmissions.org/Default.aspx?tabid=1741&ctl=Details&mid=1882&ItemID=6592">UNAMA), said vital to a "transition strategy" is the building up of Afghan institutions, which can help to ensure the sustainability of gains made.

"It really means pushing more and more responsibilities on to the Afghan authorities, allowing them to take more responsibilities," he stated, adding that Mr. Obama might also be thinking about the same strategy.

"If we are to deliver services to the people, it can't be done by international parallel structures. It has to be done by Afghan institutions. That's going to take time, but the longer we wait the more time it will take."

The Special Representative said that the next five to six months "can give us a momentum that has been lost during the election process," and the international community has to "re-assert" a long-term commitment to Afghanistan that can aid efforts to achieve peace and development.

"That long-term commitment depends on a high degree of confidence and trust between the Government and the international community," he noted.

The way forward between Afghanistan and its international partners will be among the issues discussed at a conference to be convened on 28 January in London. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has welcomed the upcoming gathering, and a further high-level conference to be convened in Kabul a few months later, as opportunities to discuss the country's agenda in the wake of its recent presidential elections.

"These conferences would thus constitute defining moments in the reconfiguration of the relationship between Afghanistan and the international community," he said in a statement issued on Saturday.
Dec 1 2009 1:10PM
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AID LIFELINE TO SCORES OF THOUSANDS IN EASTERN CHAD THREATENED BY BANDITRY, UN REPORTS

AID LIFELINE TO SCORES OF THOUSANDS IN EASTERN CHAD THREATENED BY BANDITRY, UN REPORTS
New York, Dec 1 2009 12:10PM
Increased banditry, kidnappings of relief workers and attacks on humanitarian compounds in eastern Chad are threatening crucial aid for nearly 100,000 people, many of them refugees or internally displaced persons (IDP), the United Nations reported today.

Some 70 humanitarian organizations in eastern Chad are assisting 256,700 Sudanese refugees from the strife-torn Darfur conflict, 168,000 Chadian IDPs and around 150,000 people in host villages, and several have temporarily suspended or reduced their activities due to the insecurity in the Assoungha and the Dar Sila areas.

"The kidnapping of relief workers is a new element in bandits' operations in eastern Chad, Darfur and northern CAR (Central African Republic)," the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (<"http://ochaonline.un.org/">OCHA) said in its latest update, citing the recent kidnapping of an international Red Cross staff member, attacks on two non-governmental organizations (NGO) and the abduction of two French nationals.

"This new security challenge [kidnapping] exacerbates the chronic banditry," it added. "To date at least 96,500 people in needs are at risk of deteriorating living conditions due to the continued suspensions or reduction of operations by several humanitarian organisations."

Peacekeepers from the UN Mission in Chad and the Central African Republic (<"http://www.un.org/en/peacekeeping/missions/minurcat/">MINURCAT) have increased their patrols in the area, offering escorts to those humanitarians who accept and working with them to better respond to their protection needs, while the Government has taken some security measures, sending in some police protection, OCHA reported.

Assoungha remains the area the most affected, with organizations covering food security, health, water, sanitation and education continuing to suspend their activities. In the Dar Sila area, too, several organizations have decided to temporarily suspend activities or relocate international staff to safer areas, maintaining only minimal services.

The late start to the rainy season and weak rainfalls have exacerbated the situation, with surveys indicating a 30 per cent decrease in national agricultural production. Efforts to assess the situation in Assoungha were impeded by the kidnapping of the Red Cross expert, who was in charge of the exercise, and information on the food situation there is still lacking.

Dec 1 2009 12:10PM
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NEW CHIEF OF UN NUCLEAR WATCHDOG TAKES UP POST

NEW CHIEF OF UN NUCLEAR WATCHDOG TAKES UP POST
New York, Dec 1 2009 11:10AM
The new chief of the United Nations International Atomic Energy Agency (<"http://www.iaea.org/index.html">IAEA) began his four-year term today, voicing his commitment to tackling the many challenges facing the nuclear watchdog, including non-proliferation and nuclear security.

"The situation surrounding the agency is stormy now. We have a lot of difficult challenges, but I would like to do my best," Director General Yukiya Amano <"http://www.iaea.org/NewsCenter/News/2009/amanofirstday.html">said at a meeting with staff at the agency's headquarters in Vienna.

"I would like to address the global issues that include non-proliferation of nuclear weapons, enhancing nuclear security, addressing the energy need, providing good health care, and water management, among others.

"I will try to be an impartial, reliable, and professional Director General," added the career diplomat and lawyer from Japan, who is now the fifth person to head the IAEA since it was founded in 1957.

Mr. Amano, who has a lengthy record of working on disarmament and non-proliferation issues, succeeded Mohamed ElBaradei, who headed the agency between 1998 and this year.
Dec 1 2009 11:10AM
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AHEAD OF HARSH WINTER, UN DISTRIBUTES AID FOR 200,000 VULNERABLE AFGHANS

AHEAD OF HARSH WINTER, UN DISTRIBUTES AID FOR 200,000 VULNERABLE AFGHANS
New York, Dec 1 2009 10:10AM
The United Nations refugee agency today began distributing relief items in Kabul as part of a nationwide programme to help some 200,000 vulnerable Afghans survive the upcoming winter.

Blankets, warm clothes, charcoal and other winter supplies were provided today to 1,500 returnees and internally displaced people (IDPs) in the capital, where temperatures can plummet to minus 20 degrees Celsius in January, the coldest month. In other regions, such as the central highlands area, winter temperatures are as low as minus 30 degrees.

In addition to returnees and IDPs, the disabled, the elderly and single mothers are also expected to benefit from the assistance package provided by the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (<"http://www.unhcr.org/cgi-bin/texis/vtx/home">UNHCR).

"We have pre-positioned winter supplies throughout Afghanistan based on an earlier needs assessment of tens of thousands of families across the country," UNHCR spokesperson Andrej Mahecic <"http://www.unhcr.org/4b1517c29.html">told reporters in Geneva.

"Supplies were strategically moved to the areas with harsh winters, such as the western region, where heavy snow would otherwise impede access," he stated, adding that the agency has teamed up with the Government and local partners to ensure aid can reach areas that are difficult to access.

The winterization programme will continue over the coming weeks and is expected to be complete by end of December.

Mr. Mahecic said that UNHCR's winter assistance strategy has emphasized preparedness rather than emergency response. "By giving out warm clothes, shoes and other winter relief early in the season, we hope to prevent illness and hardship for the most vulnerable people."
Dec 1 2009 10:10AM
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UN RIGHTS EXPERT PLEASED DEFAMATION NO LONGER CRIMINAL OFFENCE IN MALDIVES

UN RIGHTS EXPERT PLEASED DEFAMATION NO LONGER CRIMINAL OFFENCE IN MALDIVES
New York, Dec 1 2009 10:10AM
An independent United Nations human rights expert today welcomed the adoption of a bill by the Parliament of the Maldives to decriminalize defamation, and urged other States to take similar action.

The bill adopted on 23 November abolishes articles 150 through 166 of the country's Penal Code, which deal with defamation of a person's "name, integrity, or dignity," which carried a sentence of exile, house detention or fine.

UN Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression, Frank La Rue, welcomed the move, which he had called for following his visit to the Maldives in March.

He also urged all States which have not already done so to repeal criminal defamation laws in favour of civil laws.

"In addition, any provisions that allow public officials to bring defamation suits with regard to their actions in public office should be totally eliminated," he stressed.

Mr. La Rue also said he looked forward to the implementation of other recommendations he made with regard to the Maldives, including the adoption of an anti-monopoly legislation, particularly with regard to communications.
Dec 1 2009 10:10AM
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UN RIGHTS CHIEF SAYS SWISS BAN ON MINARETS ‘CLEARLY DISCRIMINATORY’

UN RIGHTS CHIEF SAYS SWISS BAN ON MINARETS 'CLEARLY DISCRIMINATORY'
New York, Dec 1 2009 9:10AM
The United Nations human rights chief spoke out today against the Swiss ban on the building of new minarets, calling it a discriminatory and deeply divisive step which risks putting the county on a "collision course" with its international rights obligations.

"I hesitate to condemn a democratic vote, but I have no hesitation at all in condemning the anti-foreigner scare-mongering that has characterized political campaigns in a number of countries, including Switzerland, which helps produce results like this," High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay stated.

The ban results from a referendum held on Sunday on the subject, which was not supported by the Government of Switzerland, she noted in a news release.

Ms. Pillay said that banning an architectural structure that is associated with one religion only is clearly discriminatory.

"Some of the politicians who proposed this motion argued that it wasn't targeting Islam or Muslims," she said. "Others claimed that banning minarets would improve integration. These are extraordinary claims when the symbol of one religion is targeted."

The High Commissioner added that such a ban is "discriminatory, deeply divisive and a thoroughly unfortunate step for Switzerland to take, and risks putting the country on a collision course with its international human rights obligations."

Yesterday Asma Jahangir, the Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief, voiced her regret at the vote and its negative consequences for Muslims in Switzerland.

"Indeed, a ban on minarets amounts to an undue restriction of the freedom to manifest one's religion and constitutes a clear discrimination against members of the Muslim community in Switzerland," she stated.
Dec 1 2009 9:10AM
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