BRITISH AND VENEZUELAN INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY EXPERTS SCOOP UN PRIZE

BRITISH AND VENEZUELAN INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY EXPERTS SCOOP UN PRIZE
New York, Dec 1 2010 6:10PM
The head of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) will present British and Venezuelan projects with $25,000 prizes for work they have done to combine information and communications technology (ICT) with education.

Director-General Irina Bokova will present the two laureates – the National Institute of Adult Continuing Education (NIACE) and Infocentro Foundation – with their 2010 UNESCO King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa Prizes at a ceremony in January at the agency's headquarters in Paris.

The two winning projects were selected from a field of 50 entrants that responded to this year's theme "Digital Literacy: Preparing Adult Learners for Lifelong Learning and Flexible Employment."

NIACE is the leading non-governmental organization (NGO) promoting the interests of adult learners in England and Wales, and through its network of 6,000 internet access centres has forged a reputation as an exemplary model to other countries looking to help adults achieve digital literacy.

Infocentro Foundation was selected for its 'Technological Literacy for Older Adults' project, which gives adults free access to ICT services, enabling adult learners to progress from basic computer literacy to more advanced ICTs skills. Infocentro Foundation has enabled almost one million individuals in Venezuela, including those with disabilities, to develop technology literacy skills.

The UNESCO King Hamad Bin Isa Al-Khalifa Prize for the Use of Information and Communication Technologies in Education was instituted in 2005. The prize is funded by the Kingdom of Bahrain and is awarded yearly to two laureates. Individuals, institutions and NGOs are eligible to win the prize for excellent ICT use in enhancing learning, teaching and overall educational performance.
Dec 1 2010 6:10PM
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ENERGY-EFFICIENT LIGHTS CAN SAVE COUNTRIES BILLIONS, MASSIVELY CUT EMISSIONS – UN REPORT
New York, Dec 1 2010 6:10PM
Countries across the world can massively reduce their carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions and save billions of dollars in energy costs, according to a United Nations report released today at a major climate change conference in Mexico.

The 100 Country Lighting Assessment, produced by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Global Environment Facility (GEF), quantifies the emissions reductions and cost savings that can be achieved by shifting from obsolete incandescent lamp technology to compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) in 100 countries that have not yet initiated a transition to energy-efficient lighting.

"In reality, the actual economic benefits could be even higher," said Achim Steiner, UNEP Executive Director, referring to the report's findings, which highlight multi-billion dollar savings and emissions reductions of many millions of tonnes.

"A switch to efficient lighting in Indonesia, for example, would avoid the need to build three-and-a-half coal-fired power stations costing $2.5 billion and similar findings come from other country assessments," Mr. Steiner said.

The findings were compiled by the "en.lighten Initiative," a UNEP-led partnership that involves lighting companies OSRAM and Philips.

"We believe that the 'en.lighten initiative' is an excellent example of a new category of public/private partnerships that will help accelerate sustainable growth in emerging and developing countries," said Harry Verhaar, Senior Director, Energy & Climate Change, Philips Lighting.

Lighting accounts for around 20 per cent of global energy consumption, according to the International Energy Agency. A switch to energy-efficient lighting is perhaps the simplest way to achieve the sort of quick victories needed in the fight against climate change.

CFL bulbs produce the same amount of light as old incandescent light bulbs but use 75 per cent less energy than incandescent bulbs which waste 95 per cent of their energy by emitting heat. CFLs also last up to 10 times longer.

The Assessment was launched in the Mexican city of Cancún, where delegates from around the world have gathered for the 16th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

The UNFCCC is an international treaty which considers what can be done to reduce global warming and to cope with whatever temperature increases are inevitable.

The findings come in the wake of a UN-led report released last week that said that nations can deliver almost 60 per cent of the emissions reductions needed to keep global temperature rise to less than 2 degrees Celsius only if the pledges made at last year's Copenhagen climate change conference are fully met.

Under the Copenhagen Accord, commitments and pledges were made on emissions up to 2020, but these are widely seen to be insufficient to meet the 2 degree warming limit.
Dec 1 2010 6:10PM
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DR CONGO: UN LAUNCHES PATROLS TO HEAD OFF REBEL VIOLENCE DURING HOLIDAY SEASON

DR CONGO: UN LAUNCHES PATROLS TO HEAD OFF REBEL VIOLENCE DURING HOLIDAY SEASON
New York, Dec 1 2010 5:10PM
The United Nations peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has deployed troops as a preventive measure in Orientale Province ahead of the end-of-year holiday season, which has in the past seen increased attacks by illegal armed groups.

Minor attacks by the brutal Ugandan rebel Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) were already reported last week from Nambia and Duru districts, the mission, known as <"http://www.un.org/en/peacekeeping/missions/monusco/">MONUSCO, said at a news conference today in Kinshasa, the capital, announcing the operation Rudia Umbrella.

"The operation consists of increased vigilance through the preventive deployment of troops in certain sensitive areas, intensified patrols and the adoption of a deterrent posture," MONUSCO spokesman Madnodje Mounoubai told reporters.

Another UN operation, Protection Shield, carried out in cooperation with the DRC army in South Kivu province, has achieved "a notable success," as shown by a sharp decrease in violence from the rebel Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), he said. Three rebels surrendered and seven machineguns were recovered.

Since 1999 and under various names, the UN mission, with over 19,000 uniformed personnel on the ground, has overseen the vast country's emergence from years of civil war and factional chaos, culminating most notably in 2006 with the first democratic elections in over four decades.
But fighting has continued in the east, where the bulk of UN forces are deployed.
Dec 1 2010 5:10PM
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US DRAWDOWN IN IRAQ AFFECTING UN ABILITY TO CARRY OUT ITS OPERATIONS, BAN SAYS

US DRAWDOWN IN IRAQ AFFECTING UN ABILITY TO CARRY OUT ITS OPERATIONS, BAN SAYS
New York, Dec 1 2010 4:10PM
The ongoing United States military drawdown in Iraq is making it more difficult for the United Nations to carry out its operations, which range from the humanitarian to the development to the political fields, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon says in his latest <"http://www.un.org/Docs/journal/asp/ws.asp?m=s/2010/606">report on the country.

"While there has been gradual progress over the past several years in making the United Nations more self-reliant in Iraq, certain security and logistical arrangements still being provided by the United States will need to be replaced," he writes in the report, in which he also cites continuing though lower-level violence and the need to build swiftly on gains in the political field to provide essential services to the Iraqi people.

"While steps are being taken in this [security] regard, this will only be possible with strong financial support from Member States," he says, adding that overall the withdrawal of US forces is likely to have a short- to medium-term effect on the security situation as the central Government attempts to assert itself.

Mr. Ban commends all political blocs for reaching agreements that appear to have ended the deadlock in forming a new government after elections in March. "The breakthrough represents a major milestone in democratic progress for Iraq and should pave the way for the first peaceful transition between elected governments under full Iraqi sovereignty," he says.

He urges leaders to swiftly complete forming the new government and ensure that it is inclusive and broadly participatory, adding: "Progress in this regard will help put the country on the path towards democracy, national reconciliation and long-term stability."

He calls for a new impetus to resolve the many political, socio-economic and security challenges, including disputed internal boundaries, particularly the status of Kirkuk, the sharing of natural resources, a revenue-sharing mechanism, hydrocarbon legislation, agreement on the balance between federal, regional, and provincial powers, and respect for human rights.

"In consultation with the new Government of Iraq, <"http://www.uniraq.org/">UNAMI will continue to support efforts to resolve these outstanding issues," he says, referring to the UN Assistance Mission in Iraq.

He calls the recently increasing number of security attacks "a major concern," voicing particular shock at the attack on the Catholic Church of Our Lady of Salvation in Baghdad, which left many dead and scores injured. "It underscores the fact that Christians and minorities in the country continue to face daily threats of violence and intimidation," he writes, also condemning the "heinous" attacks on Shia pilgrims in Karbala and Najaf.

"I urge the Government of Iraq to bring the perpetrators to justice and ensure that all Iraqis, regardless of their religious beliefs, are provided with adequate protection and are able to practice their faith in peace," he adds.

Turning to development and reconstruction needs, he pledges continued UN support. "The formation of a new government will mean very little to ordinary Iraqis unless they begin to see tangible improvements in their lives, particularly in the delivery of essential services and the creation of new job opportunities," he warns.

While the focus in Iraq is shifting to long-term development, there are still many humanitarian needs, particularly with respect to internally displaced persons and refugees, Mr. Ban writes, warning that no significant new contributions have been received for the Iraq Humanitarian Action Plan.

"While thanking the donor community and the Government of Iraq for the support received to date, I reiterate my request for increased resources to allow the United Nations and its partners to continue their support of the vulnerable populations of Iraq," he declares.

On human rights, Mr. Ban notes that the security situation continues to affect civilians, mostly through insurgent and extremist terrorism and violent gang crimes. UNAMI has observed some improvement in detention conditions in Kurdistan, including better living conditions and access to medical services in the facilities.

Non-governmental organizations (NGOs), the report points out, have alleged that Iraqi domestic law and international human rights standards are being systematically violated, citing allegations of torture, ill-treatment and rape of detainees to extract confessions in both State and non-State illegal detention centres.

Turning to UNAMI's role in the country, the Secretary-General cites its facilitation of dialogue between the Arab and Kurdish sides in the north, its continued engagement with the major parliamentary blocs on the status of the constitutional review process in the forthcoming legislative session, and its focus, together with other UN agencies, on key national development initiatives, including in the private sector and employment generation.

"It is my sincere hope that with the formation of a new government, the security situation in the country will improve," he concludes. "However, Iraq will still remain a challenging operating environment in the foreseeable future."
Dec 1 2010 4:10PM
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TAJIKISTAN KEY TO PREVENTING DRUG TRAFFICKING FROM AFGHANISTAN – UN OFFICIAL

TAJIKISTAN KEY TO PREVENTING DRUG TRAFFICKING FROM AFGHANISTAN – UN OFFICIAL
New York, Dec 1 2010 4:10PM
Tajikistan's role in preventing the smuggling of drugs from neighbouring Afghanistan is crucial for better security in the Central Asia region, the head of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (<"http://www.unodc.org/">UNODC) said today, lauding the Government's efforts against narcotics trafficking.

"The flow of drugs from Afghanistan poses a serious threat to security and development throughout Central Asia and beyond, and Tajikistan is the first line of defence," <"http://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/frontpage/2010/November/tajikistan-is-the-first-line-of-defence-in-stemming-afghan-drugs-says-unodc-executive-director.html?ref=fs1">said Executive Director Yury Fedotov, who has been visiting several countries in West and Central Asia.

"We appreciate the difficulties Tajikistan faces in carrying out this dangerous and daunting task," he stated after a meeting with the President of Tajikistan, Emomalii Rahmon, in the capital, Dushanbe.

Mr. Fedotov's discussions with various Government officials, including Foreign Affairs Minister Hamrohon Zarifi, focused on enhanced collaboration between UNODC and the Tajik authorities on border management, drug control, terrorism and corruption at the local and regional levels.

According to UNODC estimates, 15 per cent of all of Afghanistan's opiates and 20 per cent of its heroin is trafficked through Tajikistan.

"We also encourage Tajikistan to become more deeply engaged in regional counter-narcotic initiatives, particularly the Central Asian Regional Information and Coordination Centre (<"http://www.caricc.org/index.php?lang=english">CARICC) and support intelligence-led policing and Operation Tarcet," Mr. Fedotov said, referring to the operation that targets precursor chemicals used to make drugs.

He pledged continued and enhanced cooperation with the Tajik Government to improve the safety of people in that country and the wider region.

"Security ultimately means the ability to ensure the safety of citizens … It is also based on people's confidence that they can live without fear of becoming victims of criminals and drug dealers," Mr. Fedotov said.
Dec 1 2010 4:10PM
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UN-AU MISSION LOOKING INTO DEADLY INCIDENT AT DARFUR DEMONSTRATION

UN-AU MISSION LOOKING INTO DEADLY INCIDENT AT DARFUR DEMONSTRATION
New York, Dec 1 2010 4:10PM
The joint United Nations-African Union peacekeeping mission in Darfur is investigating an incident that took place today at Zalingei University in which at least one person was killed and several wounded when gunfire broke out during a demonstration.

The incident took place as the Doha peace negotiation team, headed by Qatari Foreign Minister Ahmed bin Abdulla Al-Mahmoud and AU-UN Joint Chief Mediator Djibril Bassolé, was meeting with civil society representatives at the university, located in West Darfur.

Once the demonstration began, Mr. Al-Mahmoud and Mr. Bassolé addressed the crowd in attempt to ease the tension.

"However, as the party departed, the protests turned violent, resulting in at least one person killed and several wounded," <"http://www.un.org/en/peacekeeping/missions/unamid/">UNAMID stated in a news release.

The Doha team is on the final leg of a four-day visit to Darfur aimed at advancing the ongoing peace process which seeks to end a conflict in which some 300,000 have been killed and 2.7 million other driven from their homes in the past seven years.

The visit included extensive consultations with the local authorities and representatives of civil society, including internally displaced persons, nomadic communities and other stakeholders.
Dec 1 2010 4:10PM
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UN EVENT HIGHLIGHTS SUCCESSES, CHALLENGES IN BRINGING TERRORISTS TO JUSTICE

UN EVENT HIGHLIGHTS SUCCESSES, CHALLENGES IN BRINGING TERRORISTS TO JUSTICE
New York, Dec 1 2010 4:10PM
The United Nations brought together senior counter-terrorism prosecutors and experts from around the world to New York today to discuss successes by countries in critical areas such as prevention of terrorism and prosecution of terrorism cases, as well as the challenges encountered by different legal systems in bringing perpetrators to justice.

"This seminar is an opportunity for practitioners working on different aspects of the problem to share their views and experience," said Mike Smith, Executive Director of the Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (<"http://www.un.org/en/sc/ctc/">CTED).

The CTED was created to support the Security Council in monitoring how countries implement <"http://www.un.org/en/sc/ctc/">resolution 1373, which was adopted in the wake of the 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States.

The resolution requires all Member States to bring terrorists to justice. However, the country visits and other activities of the Committee have shown that this requirement poses a major challenge for criminal justice systems.

Mr. Smith told a news conference that prosecuting terrorist offences raises particular challenges, especially since very often terrorist attacks happen over several countries.

"They might be planned in one country, the people recruited in another, the materials for it found in a third, and then the attack carried out in a fourth," he said, adding that international cooperation in such circumstances is critical.

In addition to getting the prosecutors to communicate with each other and share their experiences, the seminar hopes to pull together best practices that can be disseminated more widely as part of CTED's efforts to promote good counter-terrorism practice all over the world, Mr. Smith noted.

It also hopes to demonstrate that it is possible, despite the complexity of terrorism cases, to bring terrorists to justice while also respecting the rule of law and human rights, he said.

Welcoming participants to the three-day seminar, Deputy Secretary-General Asha-Rose Migiro said the event highlights the vital importance of cooperation in addressing terrorism in all its aspects.

"You here today are central to fulfilling international obligations at the national level. Your day-to-day work as prosecutors and experts places you on the frontlines of denying safe haven, strengthening border controls, pursuing leads, all in the name of bringing terrorists to justice and helping victims and survivors.

"Sharing information among countries is critical if we are to successfully coordinate our multifaceted response to terrorism," she said, delivering Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's <"http://www.un.org/apps/sg/sgstats.asp?nid=4962">remarks to the meeting.

Ms. Migiro added that the event also highlights the UN's leading role in coordinating the international response to terrorism, including through the series of resolutions adopted by the Council with the aim of preventing and suppressing this "persistent and evolving threat."

In addition, the UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy, adopted by the General Assembly in 2006, reaffirms the collective condemnation by Member States of terrorism in all its forms and manifestations by whomever, wherever and for whatever purposes, she noted.
Dec 1 2010 4:10PM
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GLOBAL ECONOMY UNLIKELY TO IMPROVE SIGNIFICANTLY NEXT YEAR – UN

GLOBAL ECONOMY UNLIKELY TO IMPROVE SIGNIFICANTLY NEXT YEAR – UN
New York, Dec 1 2010 3:10PM
A United Nations report unveiled today paints a gloomy picture of the performance of the global economy next year, with growth projected to be a meagre 3.1 per cent, followed by 3.5 per cent in 2012 – rates that are insufficient to spur the recovery of the jobs that were lost during the economic crisis.

The lack of employment continues to put a damper on economic recovery, according to the World Economic Situation and Prospects 2011 (<"http://www.un.org/esa/policy/wess/wesp2011files/wesp2011_prerelease1.pdf">WESP), prepared by the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (<"http://www.un.org/esa/policy/">DESA), the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) and the five UN economic commissions.

Between 2007 and the end of 2009, at least 30 million jobs were lost worldwide as a result of the global financial crisis, the report, previewed in New York, says. It adds that efforts by governments to embark on fiscal austerity can only further suppress the prospects for a faster recovery of employment.

"We are not out of the woods yet and still major risks are looming," said Rob Vos, the Director of the Development Policy and Analysis Division of DESA, who led the team of UN economists who prepared the report.

"The road to recovery – we expect to be long and bumpy still. The speed of the recovery as we have seen starting in the middle of 2009 has started to decelerate in the middle of this year particularly owing to weaknesses in the major developed economies, but we also expect that to drag down the growth in developing countries," Mr. Vos told a news conference at UN Headquarters.

The report says that serious risks to the global economy include waning cooperative spirit among major economies, which has weakened the effectiveness of responses to the crisis. It notes that uncoordinated monetary responses have become a source of turbulence and uncertainty in financial markets.

Among developed economies, the United States has been on a recovery trajectory, yet the pace of that rebound has been the weakest in the country's post-recession experience, according to the report. At 2.6 per cent in 2010, growth in the US is expected to moderate further to 2.2 per cent in 2011 before improving slightly to 2.8 per cent in 2012.

That pace of growth is not expected to make much of a dent in unemployment rates, and recovering the jobs lost in the US during the crisis would take at least another four years.

Prospects for Europe and Japan are even dimmer, the report notes. Assuming continued, albeit moderate, recovery in Germany, the gross domestic product (GDP) growth in the Euro area is forecast to virtually stagnate at 1.3 per cent in 2011 and 1.9 per cent in 2012.

Japan's initially strong rebound, fuelled by net export growth, started to falter in the course of 2010 as a result of persistent deflation and elevated public debt. The Asian country's economy is expected to grow by a meagre 1.1 per cent in 2011 and 1.4 per cent in 2012.

Among the economies in transition, GDP of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) and Georgia rebounded by about 4 per cent on average in 2010, up from the deep contraction of more than 7 per cent in 2009. In 2011 and 2012, the pace of recovery in South-eastern Europe is expected to be rather subdued.

The survey shows that developing countries continue to drive the global recovery, but their output growth is also expected to shrink to 6 per cent during 2011-2012, down from 7 per cent in 2010, because of the slowdown in the advanced countries and the phasing out of stimulus measures.

Developing countries in Asia, led by China and India, continue to show the strongest growth performance, but will moderate to around 7 per cent in 2011 and 2012, according to the report.

Growth in Latin America is projected to remain relatively strong at around 4 per cent, though less robust than the GDP growth of 5.6 per cent estimated for 2010. Brazil, the engine of regional growth, continues with strong domestic demand to boost export growth of neighbouring countries. The sub-region also benefits from strengthened economic ties with the emerging economies in Asia.

In the Middle East and other countries in Western Asia, recovery is also expected to moderate from 5.5 per cent in 2010 to 4.7 per cent in 2011 and 4.4 per cent in 2012. The average annual output growth will be lower than the pre-crisis rate.

Recovery has been solid in most of Africa, where the rebound is expected to continue at about 5 per cent per year in 2011 and 2012, but this is well below potential, and conditions vary across the region. The economies in East Africa are showing strong growth, but several of the poorest countries, especially those in the Sahel region, have suffered from droughts and conditions of insecurity, which is causing hunger and hampering the recovery of their economies.

Suggestions offered in the report that might lead to sustainable recovery include providing additional fiscal stimulus and redesigning the stimulus and other economic policies to lend a stronger orientation towards measures that directly support job growth, reduce income inequality and strengthen sustainable production capacity on the supply side.

Other options include finding greater synergy between fiscal and monetary stimulus, while counteracting damaging international spill-over effects in the form of increased currency tensions and volatile short-term capital flows; ensure that sufficient and stable development finance is made available for developing countries; and finding ways for credible and effective policy coordination among major economies.
Dec 1 2010 3:10PM
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CÔTE D’IVOIRE: BAN CALLS FOR PROMPT RELEASE OF PRESIDENTIAL POLL RESULTS

CÔTE D'IVOIRE: BAN CALLS FOR PROMPT RELEASE OF PRESIDENTIAL POLL RESULTS
New York, Dec 1 2010 3:10PM
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today warned all sides in Côte d'Ivoire not to interfere with the body overseeing last Sunday's presidential election so that provisional results can be announced today as scheduled – a major step in efforts to reunite a country split in two by civil war.

According to media reports, a supporter of President Laurent Gbagbo yesterday tore up the first announcements of partial results, and journalists were barred from entering the Independent Election Commission's office today. Supporters of former Prime Minister Alassane Ouattara, Mr. Gbagbo's rival in Sunday's run-off vote, accused the president of trying to block the result because he lost. Mr. Gbagbo's supporters have alleged fraud in Mr. Ouattara's base in the north.

"The Secretary-General urges the Independent Electoral Commission to announce the provisional results of the second round of the presidential election without delay, today, 1 December 2010," a <"http://www.un.org/apps/sg/sgstats.asp?nid=4964">statement by Mr. Ban's spokesman said, noting that preliminary findings by international observer missions found that the vote was conducted in an overall satisfactory and credible manner.

Mr. Ban's Special Representative for Côte d'Ivoire, Y. J. Choi, also found the elections to have been conducted in a democratic climate, despite some regrettable incidents, some of which were violent, in different parts of the country.

"He calls upon all stakeholders to allow the Independent Electoral Commission to complete its work without interference in order to ensure the integrity of the results of the election," the statement said. "The Secretary-General emphasizes that any disruption in the electoral process would not be in the interest of the people of Côte d'Ivoire or the future stability of the country."

The West African country, the world's largest cocoa exporter, was split by civil war in 2002 into a Government-controlled south and a rebel-held north, and the UN mission, known as <"http://www.un.org/en/peacekeeping/missions/unoci/">UNOCI, with a current strength of over 9,000 uniformed personnel, has been supporting reunification efforts, of which Sunday's vote was a principal step.

Mr. Ban said that Mr. Choi would continue his efforts to safeguard the electoral process "so that the will of the Ivorian people as expressed in the election will be respected. The United Nations will continue to provide its full support to the completion of the electoral operations and to the Ivorian peace process as a whole," the statement added.

In his latest <"http://www.un.org/Docs/journal/asp/ws.asp?m=s/2010/600">report on UNOCI, which was prepared before Sunday's run-off and released today, Mr. Ban hailed the massive voter turnout during the first round on 31 October, the peaceful atmosphere in which the electoral campaign and the voting were conducted, and the readiness of the candidates and their supporters to accept the results proclaimed by the Constitutional Council.

He voiced concern that the media can still play a negative role in fanning political tensions and inciting violence. "As Côte d'Ivoire stands on the brink of reaching a milestone on the long path from conflict to peace, such divisiveness should belong in the past," he wrote. "The Secretary-General calls on all stakeholders to reject such rhetoric and to hold those who engage in it accountable through the appropriate mechanisms.

"Looking beyond the second round of the presidential elections, the Secretary-General urges Ivorian leaders and their supporters to respect the outcome of the elections and to enter the next phase in a spirit of reconciliation, with the aim of installing the newly elected institutions without delay."

He noted that parliamentary elections still remain to be held and he pledges UNOCI's support for them. "Although the successful conclusion of the electoral cycle represents a critical step in the peace process and will provide a basis for a drawdown of UNOCI, the elections on their own will not provide a solution to the Ivorian crisis," he stressed, calling on the parties to complete remaining issues, particularly reunification-related tasks set out in previous accords.
Dec 1 2010 3:10PM
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COLLAPSES PROMPT UNESCO MISSION TO ASSESS THREATS TO POMPEI

COLLAPSES PROMPT UNESCO MISSION TO ASSESS THREATS TO POMPEI
New York, Dec 1 2010 2:10PM
A series of structural collapses in Pompei have prompted an urgent visit from United Nations experts to examine and assess the extent of the damage at one of the world's most important archaeological sites.

Specialists from the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) will arrive in Italy tomorrow to <"http://www.unesco.org/new/en/media-services/single-view/news/unesco_sends_expert_mission_to_investigate_state_of_pompeis_conservation/">examine the state of conservation at the World Heritage Site, after the destruction of the Schola Armaturarum in early November and further collapses in recent days.

The monitoring mission will identify threats to any other structures and advise on measures, including legal provisions, to stop further incidents. Their findings, along with analysis of any impact of the collapses on the site's status as a World Heritage Site, will be presented during the next session of the World Heritage Committee in Bahrain next June.

The Schola Armaturarum is among the most emblematic buildings at the archaeological site of Pompei, which was destroyed by an eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 A.D. It is thought gladiators used to train in the building before their fights in a nearby amphitheatre.

One of the other buildings affected by the collapses was the well-known House of the Moralist. An external wall there collapsed yesterday, with two more walls elsewhere on the site collapsing today, cueing concern about the state of the ancient Roman city's preservation.

Pompei was inscribed on UNESCO's <"http://whc.unesco.org/en/list">World Heritage List in 1997, along with the neighbouring Herculaneum and Torre Annunziata. Their inscription states that they provide a complete and vivid picture of society and daily life at a specific moment in the past that is without parallel anywhere in the world.
Dec 1 2010 2:10PM
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Ellen Sanchez

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Assange is a victim of a honey trap, but I suspect some info in Wiki leaks might seem like a honey trap... Wikileaks says Canadians are complacent when it comes to terrorism. Wow really? Do tell me.

He stuck his middle finger up to the powers that be, they'll find a way to get him. If it isn't this it will be something else. They need to set an example to others who want to shed light on the secret nastiness world governments engage in daily.

well its very good work by julian assaange. And public has right to know everything....as it could help in mantaining peace in world . but dark side is " It can be cause of world war-3 in nearby future.

3e8ik5tg

UN PUBLISHES BOOK CELEBRATING RICH BIODIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CAUCASUS

UN PUBLISHES BOOK CELEBRATING RICH BIODIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CAUCASUS
New York, Dec 1 2010 1:10PM
The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has published a book celebrating the rich biodiversity of the Southern Caucasus and calling for its preservation.

"Gardens of Biodiversity" is part of FAO's contribution to the International Year of Biodiversity and celebrates the rich diversity of crops and farming techniques of the Southern Caucasus, which comprises Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia.

"The Southern Caucasus is a treasure trove of biodiversity that must not be lost. Only concrete action will ensure that present and future generations can continue to improve their food security and livelihoods. Today we must 'wake-up' and engage in identifying, maintaining and using our genetic resources to meet the challenges of the future to feed a growing world population," said Caterina Batello, Senior FAO Officer and one of the book's authors.

Through photographs, the book documents the genetic resources, rural life and traditional food practices particular to the region, home to some of the earliest evidence of humans practicing farming and the birthplace of many common foods found on plates all over the world.

Crops such as wheat, grapes, apples, apricots, pomegranates, pears and peas are listed as originating in the region, where the hot summers, cold winters and mountainous terrain provide an ideal climate and geography for rich crop diversity.

The diversity is also preserved and promoted by small-scale farming techniques common to the region, with strong attachment to traditional food production systems that have helped to encourage diversity of crops like wheat. All three countries maintain rich collections in their national seed banks

"We have to store germplasm in seed banks, but we also need farmers to preserve and use this genetic material in their day-to-day activities. This book pays homage to that, and we hope it will help focus on the role of farmers in the Southern Caucasus and elsewhere in this important task," said Ms. Batello.

The International Year of Biodiversity provides a timely opportunity to focus on the urgency of safeguarding biodiversity for the wealth, health and well-being of people in all regions of the world, with the idea that restoration of ecosystems can generate wealth, create jobs and alleviate poverty.
Dec 1 2010 1:10PM
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UN CALLS ON HAITIANS TO IGNORE UNOFFICIAL ELECTION RESULTS

UN CALLS ON HAITIANS TO IGNORE UNOFFICIAL ELECTION RESULTS
New York, Dec 1 2010 1:10PM
The United Nations has called on Haitians to ignore unofficial results of Sunday's presidential and legislative elections and to wait for the official results to be announced next Tuesday by the country's electoral council.

"The Provisional Electoral Council should be granted the time and political stability needed to complete its work, the results of which will then be subject to any eventual dispute from candidates, political parties and the Haitian people through legal procedures for settling the issue," the UN Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) said in a news release last night.

"Quick counts or opinion polls are not an exact science. The population and media should not be guided by unofficial results, speculation or purported partial counts which are circulating at the moment."

On Monday Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon <"http://www.un.org/apps/sg/sgstats.asp?nid=4958">called for a speedy solution to the political crisis following media reports that 12 of the 18 presidential candidates had repudiated the vote and their supporters mounted protests. He warned that worsening security would hamper efforts to fight the cholera epidemic in a country already devastated by January's earthquake.

The epidemic has killed some 1,650 people and infected over 72,000 others since it first erupted in October as the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere struggles to recover from the quake, which killed 200,000 people and displaced some 1.3 million others.

MINUSTAH, with nearly 12,000 military and police personnel currently deployed around the country, has been on the ground since mid-2004 after then president Jean-Bertrand Aristide went into exile amid violent unrest.
Dec 1 2010 1:10PM
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BAN CALLS FOR JOINT ACTION BY UN AND WORLD’S LARGEST SECURITY BODY ON MULTIPLE FRONTS

BAN CALLS FOR JOINT ACTION BY UN AND WORLD'S LARGEST SECURITY BODY ON MULTIPLE FRONTS
New York, Dec 1 2010 12:10PM
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today laid out a four-point agenda for cooperation on issues ranging from security to development between the United Nations and the largest regional security organization in the world, embracing 56 States stretching from the United States across Europe and Central Asia to the borders of China.

"The United Nations stands with you as we seek to make this world a safer, more just and more prosperous place for all," he <"http://www.un.org/apps/sg/sgstats.asp?nid=4961">told leaders gathered in Astana, Kazakhstan, for the first summit meeting in 11 years of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (<"http://www.osce.org/">OSCE).

Detailing the four pillars of the agenda – securing peace, fundamental freedoms and human rights, sustainable development, and arms control, disarmament and non-proliferation – Mr. Ban noted that the UN and the OSCE share the conviction that security is not a narrow concept but must be addressed in all its dimensions with a comprehensive approach in an increasingly globalized, complex and connected world.

On securing peace, he cited the close cooperation between the organizations in helping to stem unrest in Kyrgyzstan earlier this year and called for greater OSCE involvement in supporting Afghan national programmes and priorities to ensure that the transition process in the war-torn country is sustainable and irreversible.

Turning to freedom and human rights, Mr. Ban cited the OSCE's leading role in promoting free and fair elections and urged enhanced cooperation in the broader area of democracy-building. "As we all know, credible elections are an essential element of democracy but not a guarantee of good governance," he said.

"Let us redouble our efforts to assist countries in ensuring the primacy of the rule of law and equal access to justice, broad citizens' participation and other hallmarks of inclusive, democratic societies," he added, stressing the need to focus on human rights.

"In the past two decades, we have seen how intolerance and violations of human rights – particularly those directed against minorities and other marginalized groups – have led even to violent conflicts. The OSCE unfortunately sometimes sees violations of its own commitments in this area."

In the area of sustainable development, Mr. Ban highlighted the importance of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), the UN targets that seek to slash a host of social ills, including extreme poverty and hunger, maternal and infant mortality, and lack of access to health care and education, all by 2015.

He also called for reinforced efforts to address climate change, noting that environment-friendly management of water and energy resources is increasingly imperative also in the OSCE area, where the "tragic" drying up of the Aral Sea from irrigation projects "must prompt us to act to prevent similar man-made disasters and indeed security risks elsewhere."

On arms control, he cited progress in nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation but warned that significant challenges remain, adding that the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty is critical to non-proliferation and again calling for "bold action" by all countries, especially those whose ratification is required for the Treaty to enter into force.

"This is an ambitious agenda but I am confident that we can achieve it together," he concluded. "My hope comes from you – and all I have seen throughout the OSCE region. Not so long ago, few would have imagined the peoples of this vast area would be bound so closely together. In the process, the challenges have become more apparent. But so, too, have the impressive common achievements and enormous new horizons of change and opportunity."
Dec 1 2010 12:10PM
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WITH CERTIFICATION COMPLETE, UN AWAITS INAUGURATION OF AFGHAN PARLIAMENT

WITH CERTIFICATION COMPLETE, UN AWAITS INAUGURATION OF AFGHAN PARLIAMENT
New York, Dec 1 2010 12:10PM
Welcoming the completion of the final certification of the results of Afghanistan's parliamentary polls, the United Nations said today it looks forward to the prompt inauguration of this crucial body.

Afghanistan's Independent Election Commission (<"http://www.iec.org.af/eng/">IEC) announced today the completion of the final certification of the results of the 18 September elections for the Wolesi Jirga, or lower house of parliament.

"We look forward to the prompt inauguration of the Wolesi Jirga, as an important further step in Afghanistan's strengthening of its democratic governance," Staffan de Mistura, the Secretary-General's Special Representative, said in a <"http://unama.unmissions.org/Default.aspx?tabid=1741&ctl=Details&mid=1882&ItemID=11091">statement issued in Kabul.

Some 2,500 candidates – including nearly 400 women – vied for the parliament's 249 seats covering all 34 Afghan provinces, plus the Kuchi constituency.

Mr. de Mistura, the head of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (<"http://unama.unmissions.org/default.aspx?/">UNAMA), commended the country's independent electoral authorities, the IEC and the Electoral Complaints Commission (<"http://www.ecc.org.af/en/">ECC) for their committed work in conducting the elections and completing the process in "extremely challenging" circumstances.

"While we have noted that there were significant instances of irregularity and fraud, the IEC and ECC demonstrated their commitment to address these problems in accordance with the electoral law and the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan," he added.
Dec 1 2010 12:10PM
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ICC REQUESTS CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC TO ARREST SUDAN’S PRESIDENT ON VISIT

ICC REQUESTS CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC TO ARREST SUDAN'S PRESIDENT ON VISIT
New York, Dec 1 2010 11:10AM
The International Criminal Court (<"http://www.icc-cpi.int/menus/icc">ICC) today requested the Central African Republic (CAR) to take all necessary measures to arrest the President of Sudan, Omar al-Bashir, and transfer him to the Court, in the event that he arrives in the country.

The ICC in July issued a second arrest warrant for Mr. al-Bashir, adding genocide to the list of charges for crimes he has allegedly committed in Sudan's war-ravaged Darfur region. In March last year, the Sudanese leader became the first sitting head of State to be indicted by the Court, which charged him with two counts of war crimes and five counts of crimes against humanity.

Today's arrest request from the ICC's Pre-trial Chamber to CAR followed information of a possible visit by Mr. al-Bashir to the country, the Court said in a <"http://www.icc-cpi.int/NR/exeres/8F0B6FF8-CF0C-45CE-9BE8-9B0770AB47D3.htm">press release.

The ICC stressed that as a State party to the Rome Statute, CAR has the obligation to execute the warrants of arrest against Mr. al-Bashir. The tribunal requested the CAR to inform the Chamber immediately about any problem which would impede or prevent the arrest and surrender of Mr. al-Bashir in the event that he visits the country.

The Rome Statute is the treaty that established the ICC. It entered into force on 1 July 2002.

On 27 August, the ICC's Pre-Trial Chamber 1 issued two decisions informing the United Nations Security Council and the Assembly of States Parties to the Rome Statute about Mr. al Bashir's visits to Kenya and Chad, "in order for them to take any measure they may deem appropriate."

The Chamber also requested observations from the Government of Kenya on the enforcement of warrants of arrest against Mr. al-Bashir on 25 October, in the event he visits the country. Both Chad and Kenya failed to arrest Mr. al-Bashir when he visited both countries earlier this year.

The UN estimates that 300,000 people have been killed and another 2.7 million forced from their homes since fighting erupted in 2003 in Darfur, pitting rebels against Government forces and allied Janjaweed militiamen. All sides are accused of serious human rights violations.

In May, the ICC's judges referred Sudan's lack of cooperation in failing to arrest the Mr. al-Bashir and other indictees – including Ahmad Harun, a former national government minister of the interior – to the Security Council.

Although Sudan is not a party to the Rome Statute, it is obliged to "cooperate fully with and provide any necessary assistance to the Court and the prosecutor" in accordance with a Council resolution adopted in 2005.

The ICC is a permanent court based in The Hague in the Netherlands and tries people accused of the most serious international offences, such as genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity.

Other than Darfur, the ICC currently has investigations open in four situations: the Democratic Republic of the Congo, northern Uganda, CAR and Kenya.
Dec 1 2010 11:10AM
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CONSERVATION OF ‘CROWN JEWELS OF THE OCEAN’ TO BE STRENGTHENED AT UN MEETING

CONSERVATION OF 'CROWN JEWELS OF THE OCEAN' TO BE STRENGTHENED AT UN MEETING
New York, Dec 1 2010 10:10AM
Managers from the 43 marine sites on the World Heritage List of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) began their first-ever meeting in Hawaii today to explore ways of strengthening the conservation of these "crown jewels of the ocean."

The meeting in Honolulu, which ends on Friday, coincides with the official ceremony for the inscription of the <"http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1326/">Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument which was added to the World Heritage List in August.

"World Heritage – the very words evoke the global mission to protect the most exceptional and iconic places in the world," <"http://whc.unesco.org/en/news/689">said Francesco Bandarin, UNESCO's Assistant Director General of Culture.

He noted that out of nearly 6,000 marine protected areas now designated worldwide, only 43 have the highest internationally recognized status for conservation – UNESCO World Heritage Listing.

The gathering, co-organized by UNESCO's World Heritage Centre, seeks to bring together a stronger community of site managers to play a bigger role in tackling the challenges of ocean conservation.

Today, approximately 1.4 million square kilometres of ocean are protected under the World Heritage Convention, including five of the ten largest marine protected areas on the planet.

Considered the "crown jewels of the ocean," these sites are recognized by the international community for their exceptional beauty, biodiversity, or unique ecological, biological, and geological processes.

Marine World Heritage was first recognized by UNESCO in 1981 with the inscription of Australia's Great Barrier Reef Marine Park on the World Heritage List. It was subsequently joined by emblematic sites such as The Galapagos Islands, Ha Long Bay, Tubbataha Reefs National Park, the Wadden Sea and The Everglades.
Dec 1 2010 10:10AM
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WELCOMING RESULTS IN GLOBAL AIDS FIGHT, UN URGES WORLD NOT TO RELENT

WELCOMING RESULTS IN GLOBAL AIDS FIGHT, UN URGES WORLD NOT TO RELENT
New York, Dec 1 2010 9:10AM
Significant progress in the fight against HIV/AIDS has been achieved over the past three decades, but the world must not relent in its efforts to roll back the pandemic, United Nations officials said today, stressing the importance of preventing new infections and deaths.

"Our common goal is clear: universal access to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support. We must also work to make the AIDS response sustainable," Mr. Ban said in his <"http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2010/sgsm13274.doc.htm">message to mark World AIDS Day, observed annually on 1 December.

"Three decades into this crisis, let us set our sights on achieving the "three zeros" – zero new HIV infections, zero discrimination and zero AIDS-related deaths. On this World AIDS Day, let us pledge to work together to realize this vision for all of the world's people," he said.

He pointed out that despite the untold suffering and death that AIDS had visited upon mankind, the global community had united with passion to take action and save lives.

"Fewer people are becoming infected with HIV. Millions of people have gained access to HIV treatment. More women are now able to prevent their babies from becoming infected with HIV. Travel restrictions for people living with HIV are being lifted by many countries, as stigma gives way – still too slowly – to compassion and recognition of human rights," the Secretary-General said.

He called for stronger commitment to efforts that enabled the world to reach the first part of Millennium Development Goal 6 – halting and beginning to reverse the spread of HIV. "We must continue to chart a new and bold path ahead," Mr. Ban said.

Michel Sidibé, the Executive Director of the Joint UN Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), noted that the number of new HIV infections and deaths have been reduced by nearly 20 per cent, but lamented that some 30 million people had lost their lives to AIDS-related illnesses over the past three decades, while an estimated 10 million people are currently awaiting treatment.

"Our hard-won gains are fragile – so our commitment to the AIDS response must remain strong," Mr. Sidibé said in his <"http://unaidstoday.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/20101201_UNAIDS_EXD_WAD_Msg_en.pdf">message.

"With your commitment and that of UNAIDS and the UN family, we are changing the course of the AIDS epidemic. I have called for the virtual elimination of mother-to-child transmission by 2015," he added, stressing that an "AIDS-free generation is possible in our lifetime."

The latest UNAIDS report released last week shows that an estimated 2.6 million people became newly infected with HIV, nearly 20 per cent fewer than the 3.1 million people infected in 1999. In 2009, 1.8 million people died from AIDS-related illnesses, nearly one-fifth lower than the 2.1 million people who died in 2004.

According to the report, from 2001 to 2009, the rate of new HIV infections stabilized or decreased by more than 25 per cent in at least 56 countries around the world, including 34 countries in sub-Saharan Africa.

Of the five countries with the largest epidemics in the region, four countries – Ethiopia, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe – have reduced rates of new HIV infections by more than 25 per cent, while Nigeria's epidemic has stabilized.

Margaret Chan, the Director-General of the UN World Health Organization (WHO), called in her <"http://www.who.int/mediacentre/news/statements/2010/AIDS_Day_20101130/en/index.html">message for the protection of the human rights of those living with HIV/AIDS and urged all sectors to combat discrimination against those infected.

"Working with people living with HIV is critical for an effective HIV response and Member States need to be mindful of the commitments made in the 2006 Political Declaration on HIV/AIDS to promote better legal and social environments for people to access HIV testing, prevention and treatment," Ms. Chan said.

She stressed that those affected by the disease are entitled to social services, including education, housing, social security and even asylum.

"Ensuring the rights of people living with HIV is good public health practice, by improving the health and well-being of those affected and by making prevention efforts more effective.

"A wide range of countries have enacted legislation to prevent discrimination against people living with HIV. However, in many cases, there is poor enforcements of such laws and stigmatization of people living with HIV and most-at-risk populations persist," she added.
Dec 1 2010 9:10AM
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