United Nations Daily Highlights, 04-08-25

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From: The United Nations Home Page at <http://www.un.org> - email: [email protected]

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NOON BRIEFING

BY STEPHANE DUJARRIC

ASSOCIATE SPOKESMAN FOR THE

SECRETARY-GENERAL

OF THE UNITED NATIONS

UN HEADQUARTERS, NEW YORK

Wednesday, August 25, 2004

UN SUDAN ENVOY POINTS TO NEED FOR POLITICAL SOLUTION IN DARFUR

In Khartoum today, the Secretary-Generals Special Representative for Sudan, Jan Pronk, and his Deputy, Manuel Aranda da Silva, held a press conference prior to the departure on Thursday of the Joint Implementation Mechanism verification mission to Darfur.

Pronk indicated the positive political steps being taken by the Government of Sudan but reiterated his concern regarding the situation on the ground in Darfur, particularly in terms of security for the internally displaced. He spoke of the need for a political solution to the Darfur crisis to be pursued by the Government and the rebel movements, as well as the need for the Government to achieve a substantial and verifiable improvement of the security situation in the selected areas.

Aranda da Silva briefed the media on the revised UN Appeal for the Sudan for the remainder of 2004, which was officially issued today simultaneously in Khartoum and Geneva. He indicated that a total of $434 million is still required to respond to the Sudan's most urgent humanitarian needs through the end of the year.

On Tuesday afternoon, Assistant Secretary-General for Political Affairs Tuliameni Kalomoh briefed the Security Council in closed consultations about the situation in Darfur.

Following the consultations, Council members issued a press statement in which they expressed strong support for the leading role of the African Union in addressing the humanitarian crisis. They welcomed the resumption of the talks taking place in Abuja, and urged all parties to work together to end the violence and resolve the issues that would relieve the ongoing humanitarian suffering in Darfur. Members also expressed appreciation for Pronks work and said they looked forward to his briefing the Council on September 2.

UN SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE ENDS FIRST VISIT TO IRAQ

The Secretary-Generals Special Representative for Iraq, Ashraf Jehangir Qazi, left that country today, ending his first visit.

He is going to meet with officials from UN agencies in Geneva, before going to New York to meet senior UN officials early next month.

Deputy Special Representative Ross Mountain will take over as the senior UN official in Iraq until Qazi returns.

Asked whether Qazi would speak to the press when he comes to New York, the Spokesman said that a briefing by Qazi was being actively pursued.

DEPUTY HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS APPOINTED

Secretary-General Kofi Annan is pleased to announce the appointment of Mehr Khan Williams as Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights.

Khan Williams has worked for the United Nations since 1976. She has held senior management positions in New York, Florence and Bangkok with UNICEF and has also served as Acting Director of the United Nations Information Centre in Sydney. She currently serves as a Special Advisor to Carole Bellamy, the head of UNICEF.

In addition to holding senior management positions in the United Nations, Khan Williams has written extensively on development and human rights issues for the international media.

Khan Williams was born in India in 1945 and is a national of Pakistan.

AFGHANISTAN ELECTIONS ON TRACK, SECURITY COUNCIL IS TOLD

The Secretary-Generals Special Representative for Afghanistan, Jean Arnault, this morning briefed the Security Council on the preparations for that countrys October election.

He said that the overall results of voter registration was good, with 10.5 million Afghans registered, but added that there remained imbalances in some areas in southern Afghanistan most affected by insecurity.

Arnault said that the United Nations is reasonably confident that groups like the Taliban will not be able to undermine the electoral process at the national level, but is concerned that violence could cause some Afghans to stay away from polling sites in the South and elsewhere.

He stated his belief that an election that meets popular expectations is within reach.

Arnault began his presentation to the Councils public meeting on Afghanistan by expressing his condolences for the people who died when two Russian airplanes went down after departing from Moscow last night.

Asked how the number of Afghans registered compared to the number of eligible voters, the Spokesman said that the 10.5 million registered Afghans comprised some 90 percent of eligible voters.

Asked about security concerns for UN staff in Afghanistan, the Spokesman said that the United Nations is always concerned about staff security, and has taken measures to upgrade security in Afghanistan, both at the management level and in terms of the deployment of resources on the ground.

SECURITY COUNCIL TO DISCUSS UN MISSION IN DR CONGO

At 3:00 this afternoon, the Security Council will hold consultations on the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

It will receive a briefing from Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations Jean Marie Gu�henno on the UN Mission in that country.

HAITI SIGNS AGREEMENT WITH UN AND OAS ON DEMOCRATIC PROCESS

Haiti has signed an agreement with the United Nations and Organization of American States to help reinforce the democratic process there.

The United Nations Development Programme says the agreement which pledges presidential, parliamentary and local elections was signed yesterday and the funds will go into a trust fund set up by the UN to finance the elections. Already, $9 million in US aid has been made available to help cover costs.

The aid will be spent on training electoral personnel, creating a new voter registration system and setting up an electronic voting system.

OCHA NOTES COMPLEX HUMANITARIAN SITUATION IN HAITI

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reports that the humanitarian situation in Haiti remains complex, structural and multidimensional.

It adds that the country isnt prepared to respond adequately to natural disasters because of reasons that include chronic poverty and environmental degradation.

OCHA recently coordinated a rapid assessment to the northwest following reports that the current harvest, due in September, could fail in some areas. The OCHA team noted that coping mechanisms were exhausted and that rural populations and other vulnerable groups had already seen their meager reserves reduced.

In addition, OCHA says that the World Food Programme has received less than half of its required $7.9 million, which means that any disaster during the current cyclonic period could exhaust the current scarce resources.

UNHCR SAYS LIBERIANS FACE DIFFICULTY COMING HOME

Liberian refugees who have begun to return home are facing difficulties, given the destruction, lack of opportunity and insecurity in parts of the country, the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) says.

UNHCRs Representative in Liberia, Moses Okello, says that the majority of returning Liberians are ending up in a camp situation in their own country, as conditions are still not conducive for a return in safety and dignity.

Also, the UN Panel of Experts for Liberia is currently conducting its first monitoring and assessment visits to parts of the country. That visit is to conclude on Friday, and panel members will return to Liberia from early September until early November, and will submit the final panel report to the Security Council this December.

Office of the Spokesman for the Secretary-General

United Nations, S-378

New York, NY 10017

Tel. 212-963-7162 -

press/media only

Fax. 212-963-7055

All other inquiries to be addressed to (212)

963-4475 or by e-mail to: [email protected]

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