SECRETARY-GENERAL WELCOMES PEACEFUL POLLS IN GABON

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has welcomed the peaceful presidential elections in Gabon, calling on the people of the African nation to continue supporting the democratic process.

In a statement issued by his spokesperson yesterday, Mr. Ban urged all Gabonese "to ensure the will of the people is respected."

He also asked the people to heed the appeal by Interim President Rose Francine Rogombé "for calm and responsibility" as the votes from the 30 August polls are counted.

In June, the Secretary-General paid tribute to the late Gabonese president, Omar Bongo Ondimba, underscoring "the key role he played in the search for peace and stability not only in the Central Africa subregion, but also in other parts of the continent," according to a statement.
________________

DOZENS OF UN VOLUNTEERS HEAD TO TIMOR-LESTE TO SUPPORT LOCAL POLLS

Dozens of United Nations Volunteers (UNV) are heading to Timor-Leste to help the fledgling nation's upcoming local elections.

The first batch of the 62 international volunteers arrived last week, with the next two groups scheduled to reach Timor-Leste this month.

UN Volunteers have played a key support role for all electoral processes in the country, starting with the Popular Consultation in 1999.

For this year's village polls, the Timor-Leste Government has requested the volunteers' assistance in areas including field operation, logistics, civic and voter education, and monitoring.

In his most recent report on the country, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said he is encouraged by the strides made by the leaders and people of Timor-Leste since violence shook the small Asian nation in 2006, but warned that the root causes of that crisis, including poverty and unemployment, still linger.

In late April 2006, fighting – attributed to differences between eastern and western regions – erupted when 600 striking soldiers, or one-third of the armed forces, were fired. Ensuing violence claimed dozens of lives and drove 155,000 people, 15 per cent of the total population, from their homes.

In the more than two years since that crisis, Timor-Leste, which the UN shepherded to independence in 2002, has "made remarkable progress in overcoming the most visible reminders of that year," Mr. Ban writes in his latest report on the UN mission in the country (UNMIT).

The Secretary-General's Special Representative, Atul Khare, briefed a United States Congressional delegation, the first-ever to Timor-Leste, on UNMIT's mandate and activities, as well as on strides made to consolidate stability in the wake of the 2006 crisis.

The bolstering of the relationship between the two countries "can help deepen the understanding that democracy in a young nation like Timor-Leste provides the best avenue for redressing societal grievances, and hence creates the conditions for better long-term security and development," he said at today's meeting in the capital, Dili.
________________

MYANMAR: STEPPED UP EFFORTS TO PREVENT CHILD SOLDIERS’ RECRUITMENT – BAN

In spite of some positive steps, greater efforts are crucial in Myanmar to prevent the recruitment of child soldiers and to release all children associated with South-East Asian nation's armed forces, according to a new report by Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.

Mr. Ban called on the Government to engage with the country task force to finalize an action plan – ensuring the security and safety of monitors, witness and victims, among other measures – which conforms to international standards.

In the report to the Security Council on children and armed conflict in Myanmar, he urged authorities, "as a matter of priority," to "redress the prevailing culture of impunity, to launch investigations into all incidents of recruitment and use of children, and to prosecute people responsible for such acts under the Penal Code."

"Building on the limited progress thus far, the Government should, with immediate effect, cease the arrest, harassment and imprisonment of children under the age of 18 for desertion and/or attempting to leave the army, and continue to work with the country task force to monitor such cases and to ensure the swift and unconditional surrender of children," Mr. Ban said.

He also pointed to the "continued lack of humanitarian access" in Myanmar, especially in contested and ceasefire areas, as an obstacle to providing much-needed assistance."

The Secretary-General cited the "best interest of the child" principle in calling on authorities to ensure full, unimpeded and safe access for children and to allow the UN and other humanitarian organizations to deliver relief supplies to all parts of the country, "without exception."

________________

BAN ‘APPALLED’ AT SUICIDE ATTACKS AT AFGHAN PROVINCIAL COUNCIL OFFICE

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has condemned today's suicide attacks in southern Afghanistan, in which two people were reportedly killed and a large number of civilians injured, including one staff member serving with the United Nations mission in the country (UNAMA).

Mr. Ban is "appalled and deeply saddened" by the attacks which occurred at the Provincial Council Office near the UN Office in Kandahar City, his spokesperson said in a statement.

"Such attacks indiscriminately targeting people and institutions committed to building a better future for the country are morally repugnant and can only set back the efforts to foster peace, reconciliation and stability in Afghanistan."

The statement added that the Secretary-General is deeply concerned at the escalation of violence in Afghanistan. Just last month terrorist attacks against government buildings in the capital, Kabul, left at least 20 people dead and many more injured.

Last week in Moscow, Mr. Ban told the Special Conference on Afghanistan that terrorism, in addition to illicit drug trafficking and organized crime, is seriously impeding progress in the strife-torn nation.

He had noted that the country's security situation is at a "delicate juncture," but added that while conditions have deteriorated in recent months, indications of "new thinking and new commitment" from Afghanistan's international partners are reasons for cautious optimism.

Afghanistan and its international partners met yesterday in The Hague and outlined a vision for the country that has four main priorities: strengthened security, enhanced regional cooperation, improved economic growth and stronger institutions.

With regard to addressing insecurity, there was a commitment by the participants at the meeting – which included President Hamid Karzai, Mr. Ban and the Secretary-General's Special Representative and head of UNAMA, Kai Eide – to increasing the size and capability of the Afghan Security Forces, which will gradually take the lead in protecting the Afghan people.
________________

DR CONGO: UN MISSION SUPPORTS CALENDAR FOR ELECTORAL REVIEW PROCESS

The United Nations peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has welcomed the announcement by the Independent Electoral Commission of a timetable for the electoral review process for local polls.

The operation will kick off in the Kinshasa and Bas-Congo provinces in June and will expand in August to the rest of the vast African nation.

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's Special Representative for DRC, Alan Doss, welcomed the move and assured the Electoral Commission of UN support in line with the mandate of the mission, known as MONUC.

He said the review process for local elections will complete a national endeavour that began in 2005 with the identification and enrolment of all eligible voters.

Meanwhile, MONUC reports that more combatants are continuing to leave the ranks of the ethnic Hutu militia known as the Democratic Liberation Forces of Rwanda (FDLR), which has been the target of a joint military operation conducted by Rwanda and the DRC.

From 1 January to 24 March this year, the mission has helped repatriate 640 fighters and 914 of their dependents. Just last weekend a senior member of the FDLR leadership as well as three other officers, 15 soldiers and their dependents decided to enter the process of voluntary repatriation.

"This is a very good decision," noted Mr. Doss. "By choosing to drop their weapons, they have chosen a better future."

The voluntary disarmament, demobilization, repatriation, reintegration and rehabilitation (DDRRR) programme for the ex-militia is managed by MONUC. The ex-combatants surrender to joint patrols of the mission and the DRC Armed Forces (FARDC), while civilians are repatriated by the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

The FDLR and other Rwandan militias have been a key factor in the resurgence of violence last August in North Kivu province, where some 250,000 civilians have been uprooted by fighting.
________________

Sri Lanka: No Let-Up in Army Shelling of Civilians

We receive reports of civilians being killed and wounded daily in the 'no-fire zone, while the Sri Lankan government continues to deny the attacks. The Tamil Tigers' use of civilians as human shields adds to the bloodshed."

Brad Adams, Asia director at Human Rights Watch

Tamil Tigers Unwilling to Release Their Hold on 150,000 People

The Sri Lankan army, despite government denials, is indiscriminately shelling the "no-fire zone" in northern Sri Lanka where thousands of civilians are trapped by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), Human Rights Watch said today, citing new information from the region. More than 2,700 civilians have reportedly been killed over the last two months, and the number of casualties rises daily.

"We receive reports of civilians being killed and wounded daily in the 'no-fire zone, while the Sri Lankan government continues to deny the attacks," said Brad Adams, Asia director at Human Rights Watch. "The Tamil Tigers' use of civilians as human shields adds to the bloodshed."

A doctor at the makeshift hospital in Putumattalan, inside the government-declared "no-fire zone," told Human Rights Watch over the phone early today that dozens of dead and wounded civilians were being brought to the hospital daily. The interview was interrupted by shelling, audible over the phone; the doctor later explained that an artillery shell had struck approximately 250 meters from the hospital, killing two civilians and wounding seven others. Another shell struck about a kilometer from the hospital, also killing and wounding civilians.

When Human Rights Watch spoke to the doctor at about 5 p.m., he said the hospital had received 14 bodies and 98 wounded that day. He told Human Rights Watch that the shelling appeared to come from the direction of government positions three kilometers to the west.

The doctor described another artillery attack inside the no-fire zone on March 21, 2009:

"Between 10 and 11 a.m. on March 21, a shell hit a shelter about 200 meters from a church in Valayanmadam [three kilometers south of Putumattalan]. When I went to the site in the evening, two bodies were still lying at the site, while three bodies had already been buried. Nine people had been injured."

The Sri Lankan government continues its official denials of any attacks in the no-fire zone, including in discussions with top international officials. For example, in his phone conversation with the United Nations secretary-general, Ban Ki-moon, on March 17, President Mahinda Rajapaksa claimed that "no firing whatever was being carried out on the No Fire or Safe Zones declared by the security forces."

Collecting accurate information from the conflict zone is extremely difficult, as the government continues to block access for media and independent observers.

Civilian casualties in the 25-year-old armed conflict with the LTTE have skyrocketed since January. According to a UN document reprinted in the media, the UN country team in Sri Lanka has documented 2,683 civilian deaths and 7,241 injuries in the six weeks from January 20 to March 7. A copy of the patient list from the makeshift hospital in Putumattalan on file with Human Rights Watch contains the names of 978 people brought to the hospital from March 1 to March 10. According to the list, 79 adults and 40 children died, while 646 adults and 213 children were injured.

Human Rights Watch said that the LTTE continued to prevent 150,000 Tamil civilians from leaving the conflict zone and effectively used them as human shields. During the last two months LTTE only permitted about 4,000 injured civilians and their caretakers to be evacuated by ferryboat by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).

In one incident reported to Human Rights Watch, a local employee of an international aid agency was wounded and several of his family members killed by a shell that hit a shelter in Putumattalan on March 21. According to information that the aid agency received from its staff on the ground, the employee sustained serious head wounds and his situation is considered critical unless he receives medical treatment. Despite several days of negotiation, however, the LTTE has refused to allow the ICRC to evacuate the man.

On March 17, another aid volunteer was wounded as a result of shelling in the no-fire zone. He did not get needed medical attention and died.

The situation of the civilians trapped in the conflict zone is aggravated by the acute shortage of food, sanitary facilities, and medication, as international humanitarian agencies cannot deliver sufficient supplies to the conflict area.

A volunteer at the hospital today told Human Rights Watch: "It is really difficult for people to find food, and you can see that over the last four weeks people have lost weight and they get sick because of lack of nutritious food, [lack of adequate] bathing and toilet facilities, as well as lack of medicines in the hospital. We are in a very, very desperate situation. People are suffering."

Top UN officials, including the secretary-general, the under-secretary-general for humanitarian affairs, and the high commissioner for human rights, as well as a number of concerned states, have called on the Sri Lankan government and the LTTE to make protecting civilians a top priority and to take all necessary measures to halt the spiraling humanitarian disaster.

"The Sri Lankan government has responded to broad international concerns with indignation and denials instead of action to address the humanitarian crisis," said Adams.

Human Rights Watch called on the UN Security Council to put Sri Lanka on its agenda and to address urgently the deteriorating situation. It also called on Sri Lanka's key bilateral partners, such as Japan, the United States and India, to make the safety of the trapped civilians a top priority in any discussions of financial assistance.

Last week, Human Rights Watch sent a letter to members of the board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) about the government's request for a US$1.9 billion loan to address its financial crisis and, according to the Sri Lankan Central Bank's request, to "continue with the resettlement, rehabilitation and reconstruction work in the Northern Province." It has asked the IMF to finalize negotiations on the loan by March 31.

In its letter, Human Rights Watch emphasized that the government's current policies and practices are counterproductive to the stated goal of the IMF loan and urged that IMF board members discuss concrete action the government needs to take to alleviate the humanitarian crisis in the north.

BAN CALLS ON PAKISTAN’S LEADERS TO RESOLVE DIFFERENCES THROUGH DIALOGUE

BAN CALLS ON PAKISTAN'S LEADERS TO RESOLVE DIFFERENCES THROUGH DIALOGUE
New York, Mar 13 2009 7:01PM

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, concerned about the current political crisis in Pakistan, has called on the country's leaders to engage in dialogue to resolve their differences.

There is reportedly growing tension in the South Asian nation amid a dispute between President Asif Ali Zardari and former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif concerning the restoration of fired judges and other issues. This has been accompanied by increasing demonstrations around the country.

"The Secretary-General is concerned about the current political and security situation in Pakistan," UN spokesperson Farhan Haq told reporters in New York.

"Pakistan's leaders, whether in power or in the opposition, have the responsibility first and foremost to ensure the safety and security of the Pakistani people," Mr. Haq said. "Any action that they undertake should bear this in mind.

"The Secretary-General calls upon Pakistan's leaders to solve all their differences through an honest dialogue to be able to deal with the multitude of challenges the country and the region face," the spokesperson added.
________________

LEADERS OF UN, US DECLARE 2009 THE YEAR OF CLIMATE CHANGE

LEADERS OF UN, US DECLARE 2009 THE YEAR OF CLIMATE CHANGE
New York, Mar 12 2009 6:00PM

With nations set to conclude negotiations on an ambitious new greenhouse gas emissions agreement this December, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and United States President Barack Obama have stressed the need for 2009 to be the year of climate change.

Mr. Ban, who met with the "visionary" American leader earlier this week at the White House in Washington, told journalists in his monthly press conference at UN Headquarters today that they both agree that climate change poses an "existential threat."

The two men share a commitment that "2009 must be the year of climate change," he said, stressing the importance a comprehensive successor pact to the Kyoto Protocol – the legally binding emissions reduction regime whose first commitment period ends in 2012 – at December's UN climate change conference in Copenhagen, Denmark.

"With US leadership, in partnership of the United Nations, we can and will reach a climate change deal that all nations can embrace," the Secretary-General noted.

Reports of the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) – the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize co-laureate – have shown unequivocally that the world is warming, almost certainly due to human activity, with potentially disastrous effects including worsening drought in some regions and heavier rainfall in others.

Mr. Ban said today that he and Mr. Obama were of the same opinion that 'green' investments are an essential part of any stimulus package targeting the current global economic turmoil.

"If we are going to spend such tremendous sums of money, let us be smart about it," he said.

He said that during his two-day visit to Washington, climate change also dominated his discussions with key American officials, including Senator John Kerry, Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Congressman Howard Berman, Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee.

Last week, the top UN climate change official said that he sees "enthusiasm" in the current US Government to pass laws to reduce gas emissions and a willingness to work towards a new global climate change pact.

Yvo de Boer, Executive Secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), said he was "very much encouraged" following his recent meetings with officials in Mr. Obama's administration and members of Congress.

"There is, I believe, a huge enthusiasm and energy in both the House and the Senate to put cap and trade climate change legislation in place in this country," he added.

Mr. de Boer also underscored the willingness in the current US administration "to work towards an agreement in Copenhagen, to come with an ambitious domestic policy [and] to engage with international partners" to come to an accord.
________________

SATELLITE LAUNCH BY DPR KOREA WILL THREATEN REGIONAL STABILITY, BAN WARNS

SATELLITE LAUNCH BY DPR KOREA WILL THREATEN REGIONAL STABILITY, BAN WARNS
New York, Mar 12 2009 6:00PM

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today voiced concern about plans by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) to launch a satellite, warning that it could jeopardize stability in the region.

The DPRK authorities have reportedly announced that they plan to launch a satellite sometime between 4 and 8 April.

"I'm concerned about DPRK's recent moves to launch a satellite or long-range missiles," Mr. Ban told a news conference in New York. "This will threaten the peace and stability in the region."

He encouraged Pyongyang to comply with Security Council resolution 1718, which demanded that the country "not conduct any further nuclear test or launch of a ballistic missile," following its claims to have conducted a nuclear test in October 2006.

"I hope they will abide by the relevant Security Council resolution and return to the Six-Party Talks," he said, referring to the discussions involving DPRK, Republic of Korea, Japan, China, Russia and the United States.

Mr. Ban also said he hoped for improved bilateral relations between DPRK and the Republic of Korea.
________________

SECRETARY-GENERAL CALLS FOR DIALOGUE IN MADAGASCAR AS TENSIONS SPIRAL

SECRETARY-GENERAL CALLS FOR DIALOGUE IN MADAGASCAR AS TENSIONS SPIRAL
New York, Mar 12 2009 4:00PM

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today called for dialogue between the parties to a high-level dispute in Madagascar, as tensions continued to escalate and concern rose over divisions in the armed forces.

President Marc Ravalomanana and Andry Rajoelina, the mayor of the capital, Anatananarivo, declared last month that they are committed to starting a UN-facilitated dialogue to resolve their differences.

Nearly 100 people were killed and many more injured since January in violence that erupted amid their dispute.

Through a statement issued by his spokesperson today, Mr. Ban reiterated that "the only solution to the current crisis is the resumption of dialogue and calls on both parties to fulfil their commitment to resolve their differences within the framework of an inclusive National Conference."

Noting the concern over divisions within the armed forces, he welcomed the military's decision to continue to respect Constitutional order, according to the statement.

"UN Senior Adviser, Mr. Tiébilé Dramé, remains engaged to help facilitate the talks and provide full UN support to the much needed national reconciliation process," the statement affirmed.

Assistant Secretary-General Haile Menkerios, who has also been dispatched to the Indian Ocean island nation twice, has said that the first instalment of negotiations entailed the President and the Mayor's camps reaching agreement on how to stabilize the situation.

The next phase – drawing in an expanded group including representatives of other political parties, civil society, youth, women and others – would be geared towards tackling root causes, including "problems of governance on a wider scale – political, economic and social."
________________

BAN VOICES CONCERN AFTER AID WORKERS ABDUCTED IN DARFUR

BAN VOICES CONCERN AFTER AID WORKERS ABDUCTED IN DARFUR
New York, Mar 12 2009 12:00PM

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said today he is deeply concerned at the kidnapping of three humanitarian workers in Darfur, and once again called on the Sudanese Government to reverse its decision last week to expel 13 major aid groups.

The three aid workers abducted yesterday are staff members of the non-governmental organization (NGO) Medecins sans Frontieres' Belgian branch.

Speaking to reporters at UN Headquarters today, Mr. Ban stressed that these NGOs play a vital role in assisting some 4.7 million people in the strife-torn region.

"The concern of the United Nations in Sudan has always been, and will remain, peace and the well-being of the country's people," Mr. Ban stated. "For millions of Sudanese, these NGOs are a lifeline. They must be allowed to do their work."

The expulsions started immediately after the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant for Sudanese President Omar Al-Bashir for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in Darfur.

As of 10 March, 183 international staff of the affected NGOs had already left the country, with others are awaiting exit visas to depart, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).
________________

BAN WELCOMES SOMALIA’S COMMITMENT TO RECONCILIATION, BUT NOTES HURDLES AHEAD

BAN WELCOMES SOMALIA'S COMMITMENT TO RECONCILIATION, BUT NOTES HURDLES AHEAD
New York, Mar 11 2009 6:00PM

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has lauded the resolve of Somalia's leaders and people to press ahead with reconciliation efforts, in spite of the numerous challenges the Horn of Africa nation faces.

The recent expansion of the Parliament and the peaceful election of President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed are "clearly testimony of the commitment of the parties to move forward with national reconciliation," Mr. Ban wrote in his latest report on Somalia, made public today.

He said he is "pleased" that the new Somali leader has stated that he plans to reach out to groups opposed to the UN-brokered Djibouti process, urging "all the people of Somalia to embrace the spirit of forgiveness and compromise and put the past behind them for the sake of peace and reconciliation."

But the Secretary-General noted the many challenges ahead for the war-torn nation which has not had a functioning government since 1991.

"The simmering conflict between the forces of peace and those opposed to peace is just one example of those hurdles," he wrote, adding that the instability caused by hostilities, abductions and fear continue to hinder delivery of vital humanitarian aid.

A January UN analysis found that more than three million people in Somalia, a third or more of the total population, will remain dependent on humanitarian assistance this year.

The new report also commended the international community's response to combating piracy off the Somali coast, calling on donors to help fund a Joint Security Force and effective government mechanisms to help fight the continuing threat posed by the scourge.

Mr. Ban noted that among the aims of the UN's comprehensive strategy for Somalia is to help the African Union Mission there (AMISOM) reach its authorized full strength of 8,000 troops and police personnel, and give Somali security institutions the capacity to create a level of security to enable the Djibouti peace process.

The UN Security Council has yet to decide whether to deploy a multidimensional UN peacekeeping operation that would take over from AMISOM, and "there remains uncertainty about whether peacekeeping is the right tool to support the political process in Somalia," he wrote.

He said he will put forth by next month recommendations on developing the mandate for a UN force, including assisting the flow of humanitarian aid, monitoring a ceasefire and assisting "in supporting the effective re-establishment and training of inclusive Somali security forces, including military, police and judiciary," as requested by Council resolution 1863.

The "follow-on" UN force is subject, however, to a further decision of the Council, to be taken by 1 June 2009, according to that resolution.
________________

BAN IN HAITI TO DRAW ATTENTION TO RECOVERY AND RECONSTRUCTION EFFORTS

BAN IN HAITI TO DRAW ATTENTION TO RECOVERY AND RECONSTRUCTION EFFORTS
New York, Mar 9 2009 3:00PM

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon will arrive in Haiti today to raise global awareness of the Caribbean nation's recovery and reconstruction needs.

On his visit, Mr. Ban is being accompanied by former United States President Bill Clinton, potential investors and representatives of non-governmental organizations, including renowned doctor Paul Farmer, who set up a hospital in the village of Canges, and musician Wyclef Jean, whose Yele Ayiti foundation has worked extensively on community projects in Haiti.

During the first part of the afternoon, the Secretary-General and the delegation will visit education projects, such as a feeding programme at a school in Cité Soleil, the impoverished neighbourhood of the capital Port-au-Prince that was formerly controlled by gangs. They will also meet with honour students from severely disadvantaged backgrounds.

Tonight, Mr. Ban and Mr. Clinton will meet with President René Préval and Prime Minister Michele Pierre Louis, as well as with members of the country's private sector and civil society.

Haiti, already the poorest nation in the Western Hemisphere, was devastated by four successive storms in as many weeks last year, leaving 800 people dead and another 1 million either homeless or badly affected.

Tomorrow, the Secretary-General will head to Washington, where he is scheduled to meet with current US President Barack Obama to discuss a host of issues, including the global economic crisis, Sudan, Afghanistan and the Middle East.

The two leaders are also expected to confer on climate change, non-proliferation, human rights, United Nations reform and US-UN relations. While visiting the US capital from 10 to 11 March, Mr. Ban will also hold talks with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and the House Foreign Affairs Committee.
________________

COST OF VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN 'BEYOND CALCULATION', WARNS UN CHIEF

COST OF VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN 'BEYOND CALCULATION', WARNS UN CHIEF
New York, Mar 8 2009 11:00AM

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today added his voice to a chorus of United Nations officials calling for an end to the routine violence suffered by women and girls around the world, in a message marking the International Day for Women.

In some countries, as many as one in three women will be beaten, coerced into sex or otherwise abused in her lifetime, Mr. Ban said in his message for the Day, celebrated annually on 8 March.

"We must stop the habitual and socially ingrained violence that mars lives, destroys health, perpetuates poverty and prevents us from achieving women's equality and empowerment," he stressed.

Last year the Secretary-General launched a global campaign "Unite to End Violence Against Women" ending in 2015, the target date for the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), a set of internationally agreed objectives which include eradicating poverty, achieving universal gender
equality in education and reversing the rate of HIV/AIDS incidence.

"Violence against women is also linked to the spread of HIV/AIDS," said Mr. Ban.

He explained that not only are large numbers of women in some countries forced to have sex, but "Women and girls are also systematically and deliberately subject to rape and sexual violence in war."

"Violence, and particularly sexual and gender-based violence, is one of the defining characteristics of contemporary conflict," said Ron Redmond, the spokesperson of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees.

Mr. Ban noted that "Death, injury, medical costs and lost employment are but the tip of an iceberg. The impact on women and girls, their families, their communities and their societies in terms of shattered lives and livelihoods is beyond calculation."

To change the mindsets and socially ingrained habits of generations will not be easy and will take the collective force of individuals, organizations and governments, added the Secre
tary-General.

"We must work together to state loud and clear, at the highest level, that violence against women will not be tolerated, in any form, in any context, in any circumstance," he said, adding that "We need a positive image of women in the media. We need laws that say violence is a crime, that hold perpetrators accountable and are enforced."

In another statement, UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) Executive Director Ann Veneman underlined the significant role men and boys have to play in ending violence against women and called for putting in place programmes and activities to educate them.

Michael Sidibé, Executive Director of UNAIDS, called for gender equality to be at the core of all the world body's actions, saying that it is not only necessary for social justice but also for achieving universal access to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support.
________________

GREATER EFFORTS MUST BE MADE TO REALIZE EVERY PERSON’S RIGHT TO FOOD – BAN

GREATER EFFORTS MUST BE MADE TO REALIZE EVERY PERSON'S RIGHT TO FOOD – BAN
New York, Mar 5 2009 3:00PM

With the number of hungry people around the world surging amid the current global financial crisis and the effects of climate change, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today stressed the need to scale-up efforts to combat hunger and realize every person's right to food.

"Food is not just a commodity, and agriculture is not just a business. Both are central to survival. Realizing every person's right to food is a moral and humanitarian imperative," Mr. Ban told students of the UN International School at a conference on the global food crisis.

The Secretary-General said that the way the world grows, markets and trades food does not protect the poor, and the situation is getting worse. "Between global warming and the financial crisis, the number of hungry people is surging."

Last year saw an unprecedented movement of farmers, community groups, businesses, governments, the UN and development organizations working together to tackle the food crisis, in what Mr. Ban described as "the largest emergency scale-up against hunger and malnutrition in history."

Donors have pledged more aid, and the international community has held a series of emergency meetings, but the main work is in communities and countries, he noted. "That is where we are using food assistance and giving seeds and fertilizers to farmers. That is where we are helping communities adapt to climate change and building roads and storage centres so that produce can get to market."

Nevertheless, the global community needs to do even more this year, Mr. Ban stated.

The UN is moving on two fronts: delivering immediate food and nutrition assistance, and improving longer-term food production and agricultural development. In addition, it is pushing for a fairer world trade system that works for poor people while combating climate change.

The way out of the crisis, he noted, is to tackle the urgent challenges while fixing the underlying problem.

"Hunger is a stain on humanity," he asserted. "The time has come to remove that stain – forever."
________________

BAN LAUNCHES URGENT APPEAL TO SUDAN TO REVERSE EXPULSION OF AID GROUPS

BAN LAUNCHES URGENT APPEAL TO SUDAN TO REVERSE EXPULSION OF AID GROUPS
New York, Mar 5 2009 3:00PM

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today appealed to the Government of Sudan to urgently reconsider its decision, taken after an international court's indictment of the country's President yesterday, to expel 13 groups aiding some 4.7 million people in strife-torn Darfur.

"The decision by the Government of Sudan to expel 13 non-governmental organizations involved in aid operations in Darfur will, if implemented, cause irrevocable damage to humanitarian operations there," his spokesperson said in a statement.

With such major actors as Oxfam, Care International, International Rescue Committee and Save the Children, and some 6,500 staff, affected, a UN relief official today confirmed that the expulsions will cut humanitarian capabilities in Darfur by at least one half.

The Sudanese action came immediately after the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant for Sudanese President Omar Al-Bashir for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in Darfur.

Reacting to the Court's decision yesterday, Mr. Ban had pledged that the UN's humanitarian and peacekeeping operations, with some 25,000 personnel on the ground in Sudan, will continue, stressing the ICC's status as an "independent judicial institution."

In his statement today, the Secretary-General stressed that the ejected non-governmental organizations (NGOs) provide impartial humanitarian assistance.

He also expressed concern about the safety and security of staff members of the groups, stressing that the confiscation of their equipment, money and other materials, which has been reported, "is unacceptable and must end immediately."

Sudanese officials have demanded that some organizations turn over a list of their assets and banking details, and some have had computers, communications equipment and vehicles confiscated, according to Catherine Bragg, the UN's Deputy Emergency Relief Coordinator.

Ms. Bragg told a news conference in New York that some international staff working for the NGOs were given only 24 hours to leave Sudan and several staff members were detained for a few hours and then released.

She said the NGOs affected were: Action Contre la Faim (ACF), Care International, CHF International, International Rescue Committee (IRC), Mercy Corps, both the French and Dutch branches of Médecins sans Frontières, Norwegian Refugee Council, Oxfam GB, PATCO, Solidarite and Save the Children Fund of both the United Kingdom and the United States.

"These agencies are vital implementing partners for the UN and account for at least half of the humanitarian capacity in Darfur," she said.

Meanwhile, the African Union-UN Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) reports that the region is relatively calm, with peaceful demonstrations in support of President Al-Bashir taking place today in El Geneina and Zalingei in West Darfur.

UNAMID personnel continue their routine activities, with UNAMID Police Commissioner Micheal Fryer leading a confidence-building night patrol to two camps for internally displaced persons (IDPs) yesterday, among other patrols covering 28 villages and camps throughout the region, in the past 24 hours.

An estimated 300,000 people have died in Darfur, either through direct combat or because of disease, malnutrition or reduced life expectancy, over the past five years in Darfur, where rebels have been fighting Government forces and allied Arab militiamen, known as the Janjaweed, since 2003.
________________

PEACEKEEPERS WILL STAY IN DARFUR EVEN IF SUDANESE PRESIDENT INDICTED – UN OFFICIAL

PEACEKEEPERS WILL STAY IN DARFUR EVEN IF SUDANESE PRESIDENT INDICTED – UN OFFICIAL
New York, Mar 2 2009 5:00PM
Whatever the International Criminal Court (ICC) decides on indicting the Sudanese President Omar Al-Bashir on charges of war crimes this Wednesday, the United Nations-African Union operation in Darfur (UNAMID) will continue its patrols protecting the local population, the chief of the peacekeeping said today.

"The Government would assume its full duty of protecting UN missions in Sudan against any negative impact that may result from ICC possible decision against the Sudanese political leadership," Alan Le Roy, Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, told the press in a wide-ranging briefing on the work of the 18 UN peacekeeping missions around the world.

Stressing that the UN did not have any information on whether the ICC will issue an arrest warrant, Mr. Le Roy said that the pre-trial chamber of the Court in The Hague will announce its decision on 4 March.

"We are not informed of their final decision. Anyone can guess," said Mr. Le Roy. "Of course, we are making some plans as any country would have contingency planning to try to react to any situation," he said of the 25,000 personnel deployed in the Sudan that could be affected by the ICC decision.

Mr. Le Roy underscored, however, that there is no plan in place to scale down or move the two UN peacekeeping missions in the Sudan, the UN mission in the Sudan (UNMIS) and UNAMID.

As part of his briefing of the state of peacekeeping for the some 112,000 UN blue helmets on the ground, Mr. Le Roy touched on the challenges in Afghanistan and in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

On the intention of President Hamid Karzai of Afghanistan to bring forward the planned 20 August national elections, Mr. Le Roy considered it would be very difficult to organize the logistics and security before July, and that there must be a consensus on the date of the election among Afghan political parties in conformity with the constitution.

In the eastern region of the DRC, Mr. Le Roy reported that the UN mission to vast African nation, MONUC, had provided technical and logistical support to the joint DRC and Rwandan military offensive aimed at ridding the region of the ethnic Hutu militia, Forces Démocratiques pour la Libération du Rwanda (FDLR).

Now that the operation is over and Rwandan government forces have left the region, MONUC is tasked with helping the Government repatriate the remaining fighters of the FDLR, which has been involved in a recent flare-up of clashes mostly in North Kivu that caused some 250,000 civilians to flee their homes, in addition to the 800,000 already displaced by violence in recent years.

Mr. Le Roy was keen to highlight some peacekeeping successes, noting that the president of Timor-Leste, Nobel Laureate José Ramos-Horta, told the Security Council recently that without the UN mission, his country would have been in complete chaos.

"He even quoted that the UN mission got in Timor something like 75 [per cent] rate of approval and the Government had only 66 per cent," said Mr. Le Roy, stressing that "In Timor the UN is performing fully its mandate. The president of Timor said that clearly in front of the Security Council the other day."

Reporting on his visit to Haiti, Mr. Le Roy said that "100 per cent of the politicians I have met were all, all of them, praising the work of our UN mission in Haiti, MINUSTAH, politically, on the humanitarian side [and] of course on the security side."

In Cité Soleil, the impoverished neighbourhood of the capital Port-au-Prince that was formerly controlled by gangs, people in the street told the peacekeeping chief that thanks to MINUSTAH they could walk in the streets day and night.

Highlighting Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's visit to the Caribbean nation next week with former United States President Bill Clinton, as well as the upcoming donor conference for Haiti, Mr. Le Roy spoke of the "allure of hope" in the impoverished country.
________________

BAN CONDEMNS ASSASSINATION OF GUINEA-BISSAU’S PRESIDENT

BAN CONDEMNS ASSASSINATION OF GUINEA-BISSAU'S PRESIDENT
New York, Mar 2 2009 2:00PM
United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today strongly condemned the killing of the president of Guinea-Bissau and his chief of staff, calling on the national authorities to maintain the rule of law and bring those responsible to justice.

"The Secretary-General is deeply saddened and dismayed by the assassinations of President João Bernardo Vieira and his Chief of General Staff, General Batista Tagme Na Waie," Mr. Ban said in a statement released by his spokesperson.

"He remains in close contact with his Representative for Guinea Bissau, Joseph Mutaboba, who along with others in the international community is working to promote peace, political stability and development in the country," the statement added.

The Secretary-General's statement noted that the assassinations occurred soon after successful legislative elections which "paved the way for enhanced UN support to the country's peacebuilding efforts."

Guinea-Bissau is one of a handful of States on the agenda of the United Nations Peacebuilding Commission, which aims to help poor countries avoid sliding back into war or chaos.

The West African country has struggled to combat drug trafficking and organized crime, and also to sustain economic growth and political stability amid a series of civil conflicts, coups d'état and uprisings in recent decades.

This past November, renegade military elements attacked the residence of President Vieira but he survived the attack, which occurred just one week after legislative elections were staged in a peaceful and orderly manner.

At that time, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and the Security Council both condemned the failed assassination attempt and urged all political groups to resolve their differences peacefully.
________________

RELATIONS BETWEEN RWANDA AND DR CONGO FOCUS OF BAN'S TALKS IN KIGALI

RELATIONS BETWEEN RWANDA AND DR CONGO FOCUS OF BAN'S TALKS IN KIGALI
New York, Mar 1 2009 3:00PM

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and President Paul Kagame discussed the situation in the border region between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) today during their meeting in Kigali, the current stop on the United Nations chief's five-nation Africa trip.

"I expressed to President Kagame my satisfaction at the steps he has taken to open a new chapter in Rwanda-DRC relations," Mr. Ban told reporters after his meeting, adding that he is "heartened" by the President's intention to establish full diplomatic relations with DRC.

In a move supported by the UN peacekeeping mission in DRC (MONUC), DRC and Rwanda launched a joint military offensive in January against the ethnic Hutu militia known as the Democratic Liberation Forces of Rwanda (FDLR), which has caused havoc in the eastern part of DRC for years.

Mr. Ban noted that t
he joint operation appears to have made progress. At the same time, he urged President Kagame "to ensure that these operations do not affect negatively the civilian population and humanitarian access to those in need."

Just a couple of weeks ago, MONUC reported that the FDLR is conducting a campaign of terror, systematically raping, murdering, looting and abducting civilians in an attempt to undermine the joint operation.

Since then the mission has boosted its efforts to protect and reassure threatened populations, mostly in North Kivu province where some 250,000 civilians have been uprooted by fighting between Hutu groups, a mainly Tutsi militia known as the CNDP, the Congolese armed forces (FARDC) and others since August.

Mr. Ban had a chance to hear some of the concerns of the civilians uprooted by the fighting, when he met earlier in the day with a group of people living in the Kibati camp for internally displaced persons (IDPs) near Goma, the provincial capital of North Kivu.

"Their first concern is security," Mr. Ban noted during his visit to the camp. "Even though they want to return, they fear that when they do, they may be attacked by the FDLR. This must stop, and the United Nations, led by MONUC and the FARDC will provide the necessary security and safety to those returning to their homes."

Another concern is humanitarian assistance, and in this regard, the Secretary-General appealed for support from all quarters to enable the UN and others to provide the vital relief that the IDPs need.

He also expressed his gratitude to the many aid agencies and their partners who are assisting those at the camp, which at the peak of the crisis sheltered more than 80,000 IDPs. It currently has some 20,000 residents.

Mr. Ban noted that his visit to the camp, as well as yesterday's meeting in Goma with victims of sexual violence, has "strengthened my resolve to work even harder for all those many people who
need our support."

In addition to DRC and Rwanda, the Secretary-General also visited South Africa and Tanzania on his current trip, which will take him next to Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, for an international conference on Gaza's reconstruction.

________________

Secretary-General Meets With Female Victims of DR Congo Conflict

SECRETARY-GENERAL MEETS WITH FEMALE VICTIMS OF DR CONGO CONFLICT
New York, Feb 28 2009 6:00PM

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon visited today with women and girls who have been victims of sexual violence in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), a country that the United Nations says has witnessed some of the highest levels of such abuses in the world.

According to the UN Children's Fund, rape has been used as a weapon of war in DRC and an estimated 200,000 women and girls have been assaulted over the past 12 years. While sexual violence is rampant and prevalent throughout Congolese society, the area that has been most affected has been the eastern part of the country, particularly the Kivu region.

Mr. Ban paid a visit to North Kivu, which has witnessed over six months of clashes between the Congolese armed forces (FARDC) and the mainly Tutsi rebel group known as the National Congress in Defense of the People (CNDP), displacing some 250,000 people, on top of the 800,000 alread
y uprooted in the province.

He and Mrs. Ban Soon-taek visited with women and girls at the Heal Africa Hospital in the provincial capital of Goma, which treats, among others, disabled children and female victims of sexual violence.

Earlier in the day, Mr. Ban met with President Joseph Kabila and some senior officials.

Tomorrow the Secretary-General travels to neighbouring Rwanda, where he is expected to meet with President Paul Kagame, before continuing on to Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, for an international conference on Gaza's reconstruction.

________________