UN OFFICES IN AFGHANISTAN TARGETED BY MILITANT ROCKET FIRE

Rebel insurgents in Afghanistan have launched a rocket attack on a United Nations compound in the western province of Herat, causing damage to a vehicle and equipment, the UN mission to the war-wracked nation said in a statement today.

Some seven rockets were fired last night in a deliberate attack against the UN, with two of the missiles landing inside the compound, the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) said in the statement condemning the attack

"Thankfully no UN staff were harmed or otherwise injured in this attack and our offices remain open," said the spokesperson for the in the statement.

The head of UNAMA, Kai Eide, told the UN News Centre that the attack resulted in damage to a UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) vehicle and two UN Office for Project Services (UNOPS) generators.

"United Nations staff are here to help Afghanistan's most vulnerable communities," the mission said, adding that the "impartiality of the work we do for the people of Afghanistan
must be respected."

UNAMA urged the Afghan authorities to make every effort to find the militants behind this attack and hold them accountable.
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LIBERIA: MULTI-AGENCY UN PROJECT TO BOOST LOCAL GOVERNMENT

LIBERIA: MULTI-AGENCY UN PROJECT TO BOOST LOCAL GOVERNMENT
New York, Mar 23 2009 4:00PM
The signing of a six-agency project in Liberia is a major step toward restoring civil administration in the West African country, which is recovering from a devastating 14-year conflict, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) said today.

Local capabilities to be upgraded through the project include statistics gathering and analysis, information management, monitoring and evaluation, rehabilitation and construction of public buildings and service delivery, according to a UNDP release.

UNDP, the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF), the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the UN Office for Project Services (UNOPS), the UN Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT) and the UN Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) have all signed onto the two-year programme.

Speaking at the signing ceremony held in the country's capital, Monrovia, UN Resident Coordinator Jordan Ryan said that the project "provides a coherent and coordinated platform for UN agencies to join up their efforts and work together with the Government in the development process," according to UNDP.
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