TACKLING SCOURGE OF PIRACY REQUIRES BROADER APPROACH, UN OFFICIAL SAYS

Continuing piracy-related incidents off Somalia and their increasing sophistication illustrates the weaknesses of an entirely sea-based approach to combating the scourge, a senior United Nations official said today.

João Honwana, Director of the Africa I Division of the Department of Political Affairs (DPA), told a meeting of the Contact Group on piracy off the coast of Somalia – held at UN Headquarters – that the situation showed the need for the international community to deal with the issue of piracy in a comprehensive, cohesive and broad-based manner.

"The international community's engagement at sea remains necessary and has demonstrated its deterrent value," he said. "But the continued increase in the [number of incidents]… underscores the limits of an exclusively sea-based approach."

Mr. Honwana said the UN has been strengthening the capacities of individual Member States to ensure that suspected pirates are prosecuted through harmonizing national laws with the international legal regime.

The UN, through its Office of Legal Affairs (OLA) and the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (<"http://www.unodc.org/">UNODC), is also assisting with efforts to encourage more States to share the burden of prosecuting and imprisoning pirates, which has largely fallen to Kenya.

UNODC has helped countries review their counter-piracy laws, provided training for prosecutors, developed court facilities in the Kenyan port city of Mombasa, delivered witnesses to trial and improved prison conditions and reduced overcrowding.

Mr. Honwana said the UN would also continue to provide technical support to authorities across Somalia.

"UNODC and <"http://www.undp.org/">UNDP [the UN Development Programme] are working on the improvement of prison conditions in Puntland and Somaliland to allow the transfer of convicted pirates back to Somalia, and in the longer term, increase the capacity of Somalia's basic legal and institutional structures.

"In this regard, international support towards rebuilding Somali institutions is crucial to combat piracy, while also creating livelihood opportunities for the local communities."

Mr. Honwana reiterated the UN's request to the Contact Group to set up a new working group focused on land-based initiatives to tackle the root causes of piracy, while an international trust fund is also being created to channel resources to projects and activities that deal with piracy.

Yesterday, dozens of countries signed up at UN Headquarters to a declaration that commits them to taking greater steps to prevent or delay further pirate attacks. The so-called New York Declaration, which is non-binding, calls on signatories to make widely known "best management practices" for ships and other vessels to protect themselves against possible attacks on pirates.

The declaration was first proposed in May by four of the countries with the world's largest ship registries – Panama, the Bahamas, Liberia and the Marshall Islands. Yesterday's signatories included the United States, China, France and the United Kingdom.

BAN VOICES CONTINUED UN SUPPORT FOR INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today expressed the continued support of the United Nations for the work of the International Criminal Court (<"http://www.icc-cpi.int/Menus/ICC">ICC), which he said has become the "centrepiece" of the global criminal justice system since it came into existence only several years ago.

"The establishment of the International Criminal Court was a landmark in the efforts of the international community to enforce the applicability of international humanitarian law, and to advance the cause of justice and the rule of law on a universal scale," Mr. Ban said in a <"http://www.un.org/apps/sg/sgstats.asp?nid=4058">message to the Consultative Conference on International Criminal Justice.

The ICC is an independent, permanent court that investigates and prosecutes people accused of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes, and is based on a treaty known as the Rome Statue. To date, 100 States are party to the Statute, which has nearly 140 signatories.

The efforts by the UN to further the causes of peace, development and human rights are closely connected to the work of the ICC, Mr. Ban noted, adding that the world body stands ready to do all that is needed to "facilitate the Court's noble and important mission."

In the message, delivered by UN Legal Counsel Patricia O'Brien, the Secretary-General pointed out the increased support for the idea that justice must be an essential part of post-conflict strategies to ensure a sustainable peace.

This could take the form of international accountability mechanisms, boosting national accountability methods, and setting up possible non-judicial forums such as Truth and Reconciliation Commissions, he said.

Since the Rome Statue entered into force in 2002, Mr. Ban said, "the activities of the Court and its Prosecutor have had a discernible effect on potential perpetrators of international crimes."

Currently, four situations – the Central African Republic (CAR), the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Uganda and the Darfur region of Sudan – are under investigation by the ICC Prosecutor.

AROUND 88,000 PEOPLE DISPLACED BY FLOODS IN BURKINA FASO, UN REPORTS

An estimated 48,000 people uprooted by severe flooding in Burkina Faso are sheltering in temporary accommodation such as schools, churches and public buildings while another 40,000 are living with host families, the United Nations reported today.

A UN Disaster Assessment and Coordination (<"http://ochaonline.un.org/Default.aspx?tabid=1414">UNDAC) team that went to Burkina Faso in the wake of the recent flooding also found that facilities in many of the buildings in which people are taking shelter, especially sanitation, are under strain.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (<"http://ochaonline.un.org/">OCHA) said that a flash appeal is being finalized for the emergency in Burkina Faso, which is among the countries hardest hit by the deadly floods across West Africa that have affected 600,000 people in the region, claimed nearly 160 lives and destroyed crops and infrastructure.

There has been damage in Burkina Faso to the Central University Hospital, bridges, dams, roads, schools and agricultural land. The areas most affected are the capital, Ouagadougou, and surrounding region.

A survey conducted last week by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (<"http://www.fao.org/">FAO) identified the need to support the many small farmers affected by the floods with technical and livelihood support.

UN humanitarian agencies and their partners are providing emergency relief, including food, medical supplies, shelter material, hygiene kits and disinfection materials to those affected.

Floods caused by torrential rainfall in West Africa have also affected Sierra Leone Senegal, Ghana, Niger and Sierra Leone.

CYPRUS LEADERS DISCUSS EXECUTIVE OF UNITED COUNTRY AT UN-BACKED TALKS

Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot leaders today discussed issues related to the election of the president and vice president of a united republic as they continued United Nations-backed talks on unifying the Mediterranean island.

Both sides put forward new "bridging proposals," Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's Special Adviser on Cyprus Alexander Downer told journalists following the talks between Greek Cypriot leader Dimitris Christofias and Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat in Nicosia.

But he declined to give any details. "I think you will understand and respect the fact that these sorts of negotiations work best if the leaders are able to discuss these things with a degree of privacy," he said, noting that the discussions on the proposals, which followed earlier disagreement on the issue, will continue next week.

"We are pleased with the way it's progressing," he added.

UN peacekeepers have been deployed since 1964 to prevent inter-communal fighting on the island. In May last year, Mr. Christofias and Mr. Talat committed themselves to working towards "a bicommunal, bizonal federation with political equality, as defined by relevant Security Council resolutions."

The partnership would comprise a Federal Government with a single international personality, along with a Turkish Cypriot Constituent State and a Greek Cypriot Constituent State, which would be of equal status.

After today's talks the two leaders attended a reception for Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot artists whose works, produced with UN backing, adorn the walls of the world body's premises in Nicosia, including the room where the two leaders met.

HAITI ADVANCING TOWARDS STABILITY BUT MUCH MORE NEEDS TO BE DONE – UN

Haiti has "a remarkable opportunity" to overcome decades of misrule and neglect, but major hurdles remain and the international community must step up its support to ensure the Caribbean country can consolidate its gains, the United Nations Special Envoy and former United States president Bill Clinton said today.

Addressing an <"http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs//2009/sc9739.doc.htm">open debate of the Security Council, Mr. Clinton said the outlook for Haiti was positive, with a Government committed to building a modern State, large pledges of aid from donors, a diaspora willing to help and goodwill from the international community.

"I am convinced that Haiti has a remarkable opportunity to escape its past," he said, noting that throughout the region, "there is a deep, wide sense that we can and should support" the country, considered the poorest in the Western Hemisphere.

"Haiti can succeed, but not without your help," he stressed, urging those donors that have made aid pledges to now fund them. Only $21 million has so far been disbursed of the $700 million pledged.

He added that any measures that could help expedite the distribution of aid would have a positive impact on the daily lives of Haitians.

Mr. Clinton said he would soon undertake a trade mission to Haiti to try to attract investment and project a more positive image of the country, and noted that the country had especially "enormous untapped potential for wind and solar energy" programmes.

Later, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's Special Representative Hédi Annabi told the Council debate that some advances have been made in extending State authority with aid of the UN mission in the country, known as <"http://www.un.org/Depts/dpko/missions/minustah/">MINUSTAH, and the international community in fields ranging from increased customs revenue, enhanced local management of resources and other capacity-building initiatives.

"However, all of these initiatives combined represent a fraction of what is required to enable the State to deliver basic services to the population, as is critical for lasting stability," he warned. "Real progress in this area will depend upon on the political will of the Haitian leadership, and on strong and coordinated support from bilateral partners."

Mr. Annabi cited the continuing efforts by President René Préval and Prime Minister Michèle Duvivier Pierre-Louis to foster constructive and inclusive discussions on the country's future as well as improved collaboration between the executive and legislative branches.

"At a time when Haiti faces difficult choices, but also enjoys a valuable opportunity to advance, these positive trends must be strengthened," he said. "It is critical that all branches of Government enhance collaboration, avoid inflammatory language, and jointly assume responsibility for hard decisions."

Turning to security, he noted continued progress in addressing threats in rural and urban areas, and further development of Haiti's own security capabilities with MINUSTAH's help, including the enhancement and enlargement of Haiti's own police force, now numbering nearly 10,000 officers.

"However, at the same time, we must not lower our guard prematurely, before these advances have been consolidated," he cautioned. "Haiti continues to face serious threats, including a potential for resumed activity by gangs, criminals and other armed groups; corruption and violence associated with illegal trafficking; and the risk of civil unrest.

"All of these threats may be manipulated to achieve personal or political objectives, including in the context of forthcoming electoral processes. Potential spoilers are likely to exploit any indication of weakness or disengagement."

He also called for speeding up the recruitment of properly trained magistrates to strengthen the rule of law and protect human rights, areas in which he noted that continued Haitian leadership and sustained international support are indispensable.

At the same time, it is vital that further efforts be made to lay the foundations for long-term socio-economic development based around the revival of private-sector activity. "Today, we see a window of opportunity. Haiti's inherent advantages as an area for investment have been highlighted repeatedly over the past year," Mr. Annabi concluded.

"Over the past two years, events on the ground have highlighted that stability is built slowly and that setbacks are to be expected. But they have also shown that if we persevere and 'stay the course,' we can advance."

Ms. Pierre-Louis told the Council debate, which also heard from dozens of other speakers, that her country was undergoing a sea change with the help of MINUSTAH.

She stressed that it was up to Haitians, backed by the international community, to work towards a path of equitable and sustainable development.

ISRAEL’S APPROVAL OF MORE SETTLEMENTS SPARKS BAN’S DEEP CONCERN

The Israeli Government's recent approval of additional settlement construction in the occupied Palestinian territory has sparked Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's deep concern, with the United Nations chief reiterating his call for an end to all settlement activity.

The illegal building is contrary to both international law and the so-called Roadmap plan for Israel and Palestine to live side by side in peace, Mr. Ban said in a <"http://www.un.org/apps/sg/sgstats.asp?nid=4056">statement issued today by his spokesperson.

He "urges Israel to respond positively to the important efforts under way to create the conditions for effective Israeli-Palestinian negotiations and reiterates his call on Israel to stop all settlement activity, including natural growth, and dismantle all outposts erected since March 2001 in the occupied Palestinian territory," it added.

In a move widely condemned by UN officials, Israel last month forced dozens of people registered with the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (<"http://www.un.org/unrwa/">UNRWA) from their home in the Arab neighbourhood of Sheikh Jarrah in East Jerusalem.

Israeli settlers moved into the empty homes, with the evicted families' belongings loaded on to trucks and dumped at the edge of a busy Jerusalem road.

According to Robert Serry, UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, the evictions flout the united calls by the international community, including those by the diplomatic Quartet comprising the UN, the United States, the European Union and Russia.

LAURA BUSH JOINS SENIOR UN OFFICIALS IN CALL FOR GREATER EFFORTS TO BOOST GLOBAL LITERACY

Former United States First Lady Laura Bush has added her voice to a chorus of United Nations officials underscoring the importance of bolstering global efforts to increase the number of people who can read and write around the world.

"Literacy is at the core of sustainable solutions to the world's greatest challenges," stressed Ms. Bush, who is an Honorary Ambassador for the UN Literacy Decade (2003-2012).

"It provides the foundation for freedom and sustainable economic development," Ms. Bush told a UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (<"http://portal.unesco.org/en/ev.php-URL_ID=46396&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html">UNESCO) gathering celebrating the International Day for Literacy at the agency's headquarters in Paris on 8 September.

UNESCO Director-General Koïchiro Matsuura noted that while the "empowering role of literacy and its significance for development have been recognized worldwide, there are still 776 million illiterate adults in the world and 75 million children out of school whose rights and needs remain unfulfilled."

In his message marking the Day, Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said that in a "world of enormous wealth, in a world in which education and knowledge are the necessary passports to a better life, the scale of illiteracy is truly staggering."

A UNESCO report released last year noted that some 75 per cent of illiterate adults worldwide live in only 15 countries – including Bangladesh, Brazil, China, India and Nigeria. And in some sub-Saharan African countries, the number of non-literate adults has increased in recent years by approximately 30 million.

Under such circumstances, three quarters of the 127 countries for which projections were calculated will miss the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) of halving adult illiteracy rates by 2015.

In line with the UN Literacy Decade calendar, International Literacy Day put the spotlight this year on the empowering role of literacy and its importance for participation, citizenship and development.

The presentation of the 2009 UNESCO Literacy Prizes followed the opening when representatives of innovative educational projects based in India and Burkina Faso received the awards. Projects in Afghanistan and the Philippines were honoured with the awards of the UNESCO Confucius Prize for Literacy, with a programme in Bhutan receiving an honourable mention.

MALE CIRCUMCISION COST-EFFECTIVE MEANS TO PREVENT HIV – UN-BACKED REPORT

Male circumcision is a cost-effective means to prevent the spread of HIV, according to a new United Nations-backed report, which found that one HIV infection could be averted for every five to 15 procedures performed on heterosexual men.

Using a 10-year time horizon, the study put the cost of averting one HIV infection in high HIV prevalence areas between $150 and $900.

Published in the open access journal <i>PLoS Medicine</i>, it is based on findings in meetings convened by the Joint UN Programme on HIV/AIDS (<"http://www.unaids.org/en/KnowledgeCentre/Resources/FeatureStories/archive/2009/20090907_Male_circumcision_programmes.asp">UNAIDS), the World Health Organization (<"http://www.who.int/en/">WHO) and the South African Centre for Epidemiological Modelling and Analysis (SACEMA).

First-line treatment costs typically exceed $7,000 over a lifetime, and double that if second-line therapies are used, the report said.

With each circumcision procedure costing between $30 and $60, with neonatal circumcision costing only one-third that amount, "circumcising sexually active males of any age is likely to be cost saving," it stressed.

However, the new publication pointed out that male circumcision may have only a minimal impact on curbing HIV transmission among men who have sex with men.

Additionally, despite studies confirming that circumcision could decrease female-to-male HIV transmission by 60 per cent, the procedure does not directly protect women from the virus, the report said.

IN IRAQ, UN MISSION BACKS VOTER REGISTRATION EFFORTS

The head of the United Nations mission in Iraq has welcomed what he described as growing confidence in the electoral process there, and given his backing to the voter registration process, in preparation for parliamentary polls early next year.

"The importance of next January's elections for the future of Iraq cannot be overstated," said Ad Melkert, who is also the Secretary-General's Special Representative for Iraq, according to a <"http://www.uniraq.org/newsroom/getarticle.asp?ArticleID=1135">press release issued by the mission known as (<"http://www.uniraq.org/">UNAMI) today.

"The number of people taking part in the registration update is an indicator of the growing confidence in the electoral process and the will of the Iraqi people to rebuild their country."

During the first two weeks of the updating exercise, more than 250,000 Iraqis have visited the 1082 centres with minimal security problems, Mr. Melkert said. He congratulated Iraq's Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC) for its successful management of the process.

Mr. Melkert was speaking during a recent visit to a registration centre at Omar Mukhtar Secondary School in the Salhiya area of Baghdad, where he witnessed registration updating first-hand.

MIGIRO WARNS THAT ECONOMIC TURMOIL HAS EXACERBATED VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN

The scourge of violence against women has worsened as a result of the global financial downturn over the past year, Deputy Secretary-General Asha-Rose Migiro said today as she urged some of the world's richest countries to lead the way in turning the many international pledges to support women and girls into concrete results.

In a keynote address in Rome to a ministerial-level conference on violence against women, being held under the auspices of the Italian presidency of the Group of Eight (G8), Ms. Migiro said there is evidence that women and girls are exposed to a greater risk of violence during times of hardship.

"We have seen rising levels of despair and frustration in families and communities around the world, exacerbating violence against women," she said.

"In a recent survey of more than 630 domestic violence shelters in the United States, 75 per cent reported an increase in women seeking help for abuse since September 2008, coinciding with a major downturn in the US economy. We must remain especially vigilant through these tough times."

Ms. Migiro detailed to the conference some of the steps taken by the UN to end violence against women and girls, including Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's UNiTE campaign, which calls on world leaders to launch national campaigns aimed at preventing and eliminating violence against women and girls in all parts of the world.

She noted that the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women, which is nearing the thirtieth anniversary of its adoption, and several landmark Security Council resolutions on women, peace and security indicated that the international community has taken "significant" steps towards protecting women from violence.

However, "we still have a long road to walk before the full meaning of these international agreements is fully transformed from words on paper to reality on the ground."

Ms. Migiro urged participants at today's conference to put into practice two earlier recommendations calling on G8 members to enhance the rights of women.

The first calls on G8 members to back programmes that promote women's rights and make information about sexual and reproductive health widely accessible, while the second calls for support for peacekeeping and peacebuilding operations worldwide so as to emphasize security, the protection of civilians and action against sexual and gender-based violence.

"Ending violence against women will not be easy. It will require sustained dedication and collaboration," she said.

While in Rome Ms. Migiro is scheduled to meet with Pope Benedict XVI at the Vatican and to hold bilateral discussions with Italy's Foreign Minister Franco Frattini and its Equal Opportunities Minister Mara Carfagna.

She is also expected to meet with staff from the UN's Rome-based agencies, including the Food and Agriculture Organization (<"http://www.fao.org/">FAO), the World Food Programme (<"http://www.wfp.org/">WFP) and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (<"http://www.ifad.org/">IFAD).

UN REPORTS POINT TO POSSIBLE WAR CRIMES IN EASTERN DR CONGO

With two new United Nations reports detailing human rights abuses – including possible war crimes – carried out by both Government forces and rebels in the volatile far east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), the world body's top rights official today stressed the urgent need for reforming the country's security and judicial systems.

Fundamental improvements in these sectors "are of paramount importance if both the authorities and the international community are serious about bringing lasting peace to eastern DRC," High Commissioner Navi Pillay said.

The new publications are a joint effort of the UN peacekeeping mission in the DRC (<"http://monuc.unmissions.org/">MONUC) and the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (<"http://www.ohchr.org/EN/Pages/WelcomePage.aspx">OHCHR), and cover the period in late 2008 when heavy fighting engulfed North and South Kivu provinces.

One <"http://www.ohchr.org/Documents/Countries/Goma_KanyabayongaRapport_Septembre_2009.pdf">report focuses on the actions of Government troops, known by the acronym FARDC, some of whom took part in 12 arbitrary killings, as well as looting and sexual violence, of the very people they were supposed to protect in the North Kivu provincial capital, Goma, and surrounding areas as they fled advancing forces from the mainly Tutsi rebel group known as the National Congress for People's Defence (CNDP).

"As human rights violations by the FARDC are so significant, failure at the political and operational levels to act to remedy the situation in and of itself constitutes a serious human rights violation," the publication said.

The Government must take immediate and strong action on the violations committed by the Congolese armed forces, it emphasized. "Without profound change in the FARDC, the international community may be perceived as contributing to human rights violations as opposed to effectively supporting the desired change and this perception might affect its support to FARDC."

Despite some positive changes in FARDC's command structures in the wake of the Goma rampage, soldiers who committed these crimes remain in the area, according to local people.

The High Commissioner characterized the judicial response to the violations by the FARDC as "wholly insufficient."

She added that "that has, unfortunately, generally been the case since the [civil] war officially ended in 2002, and is one of the reasons why progress on the human rights front since then has been so deeply unsatisfactory."

The other <"http://www.ohchr.org/Documents/Countries/Kiwanja_Report_September2009.pdf">report highlights the rights violations committed by the CNDP, including at least 67 cases of arbitrary executions, during the 5 November 2008 killings in Kiwanja, North Kivu.

Following intense fighting between the CNDP and the Mayi Mayi militia, the CNDP carried out reprisal killings of villagers, mostly young men suspected of being members or collaborators of the Mayi Mayi.

"The fact that killings took place simultaneously in several different areas of Kiwanja and that they were preceded, days before the events, by public warnings by CNDP authorities that in case of a Mayi Mayi attack, the population would be held responsible may suggest that, at least to a certain extent, the 'opération ratissage' was retaliatory in nature and ordered and condoned by the command of the CNDP," the report found.

It also noted that in the aftermath of the attacks, MONUC was strongly criticized for not having protected civilians.

Not only is additional training of military personnel in peacekeeping operations necessary, the report said, but also, "the formulation of clearer criteria for exactly when peacekeepers are to intervene in order to protect civilians must take into account both the need for peacekeepers to possess knowledge of the dangers faced by civilians in a given situation, and the capacity of peacekeepers to make a positive difference in that situation."

Ms. Pillay pointed out that the CNDP's actions could amount to war crimes or crimes against humanity and "are part of a self-perpetuating pattern of brutality in eastern DRC which continues to go largely unpunished.

"I am deeply concerned that members of the CNDP who may be implicated in these crimes – especially Bosco Ntaganda, against whom there was already an International Criminal Court arrest warrant – are either still at large, or have even been absorbed into the FARDC."

Laurent Nkunda, who led the CNDP at the time of the Kiwanja attacks, was taken into custody this January.

The High Commissioner voiced hope that the announcement of a zero-tolerance policy on sexual violence by the Government will be followed by "concrete and immediate action to hold perpetrators accountable, particularly since sexual violence continues to take place on a daily basis."

INTERPRETER’S DEATH SPOTLIGHTS PERILS FACED BY JOURNALISTS IN AFGHANISTAN – UN OFFICIAL

The death of an Afghan interpreter who was killed during a rescue operation to free him and New York Times journalist Stephen Farrell from Taliban captivity highlights the dangers faced by media professionals working in the country, the top United Nations envoy there said.

Gunmen reportedly seized Mr. Farrell and Sultan Munadi on Saturday while they were working in a village south of Kunduz in northern Afghanistan.

"Sultan's death is a tragic reminder of the dangers faced by media personnel working in Afghanistan, often in circumstances of considerable personal risk," Secretary-General's Special Representative Kai Eide said in a <"http://unama.unmissions.org/Default.aspx?tabid=1741&ctl=Details&mid=1882&ItemID=5566">statement issued today in Kabul.

Mr. Eide appealed to local authorities and insurgent groups alike to respect the rights of journalists to go about their work.

"Media personnel, whether Afghan or foreign, should not be obstructed in the carrying out of their lawful and professional duties and should be treated as neutral and independent actors.

"Above all, their safety must not be placed in jeopardy," he stated.

BAN OFFERS UN AID TO VICTIMS DURING UNPLANNED VISIT TO MEXICAN FLOOD ZONE

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon made an unplanned visit on Tuesday to the northern suburbs of Mexico City where he personally consoled victims of the severe flash floods that hit the area and offered the assistance of the United Nations.

Mr. Ban, who is on a two-day visit to Mexico, arrived in the flood-affected area by helicopter along with President Felipe Calderon and the Governor of the State of Mexico, Enrique Peña Nieto.

He saw firsthand the recent devastation, which included destroyed homes and damaged public works, and personally consoled victims and interacted with the newly displaced.

Prior to the visit to the flood-affected area, Mr. Ban and President Calderon had a constructive meeting on issues of mutual interest, including climate change and disaster risk reduction, according to a UN spokesperson.

Today the Secretary-General is scheduled to open the annual UN Department of Public Information (DPI) and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) Conference, which this year focuses on disarmament.

Over 1,700 representatives from NGOs and experts from 70 countries are expected at the three-day gathering in Mexico City, whose theme is "For Peace and Development: Disarm Now!"

UN AGENCY SAYS IT IS FACING 'STALEMATE' WITH IRAN OVER NUCLEAR PROGRAMME

The head of the United Nations atomic watchdog warned today that the agency has reached a deadlock with Iran over most aspects of its nuclear programme as he urged the country to credibly answer the international community's concerns over potential military dimensions to the programme.

Mohamed ElBaradei, the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), told a meeting of the agency's 35-member Board of Governors that although Iran had cooperated on some issues, such as improving safeguards at a fuel enrichment plans, "on all other issues? there is stalemate.

"Iran has not suspended its enrichment-related activities or its work on heavy water-related projects as required by the Security Council, nor has Iran implemented the Additional Protocol [of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty]," Dr. ElBaradei said at the board meeting, held at IAEA headquarters in Vienna.

He called on Iran "to respond fully to all the questions raised by the agency in order to exclude the possibility of there being military dimensions to its nuclear programme.

"To this end, it is essential that Iran substantively re-engage with the clarify and bring to closure all outstanding issues, including the most difficult and important questions regarding the authenticity of information relating to the alleged weaponization studies, by granting the agency access to persons, information and locations."

Dr. ElBaradei said that if Iran does not implement the Additional Protocol, the IAEA "will not be able to provide credible assurances about the absence of undeclared nuclear activities in Iran, especially given Iran's past record of failing to declare material and activities."

Iranian authorities must also clarify their future intentions regarding the nuclear programme, he stressed.

"This is essentially a question of confidence-building between Iran and the international c
ommunity through comprehensive dialogue and other measures. I call on all parties to begin this dialogue as soon as possible and urge Iran to respond positively to the recent United States initiative in this regard," said Dr. ElBaradei, referring to an offer of talks.

Elsewhere in his report to the board, the Director General also said he was dismayed by allegations of some Member States that information concerning Iran's nuclear programme had been withheld from the board by the IAEA secretariat, calling them "politically motivated and totally baseless."

Turning to Syria, he said that while authorities in Damascus had cooperated with the IAEA over its verification activities at the Miniature Neutron Source Reactor, they have not yet granted the agency access to information, locations, equipment or materials concerning a destroyed building at Dair Alzour, which has been alleged by some to be the site of a nuclear reactor.

"I urge Syria to cooperate with the agency in its verificatio
n activities related to the nature of the Dair Alzour site. It is in Syria's interest to enable the agency to corroborate its statements. I also call on other States which may possess information relevant to the agency's verification to make such information available."

FRESH ROUND OF UN-BACKED DARFUR PEACE TALKS TO START NEXT MONTH

United Nations-backed mediation talks aimed at resolving the long-running conflict in Darfur between the Sudanese Government and the region's armed movements will resume late next month, it was announced today.

The talks will not start until the last week of October, given the time needed for the many armed movements to complete discussions on their possible unification for the peace process, according to a communiqué issued by the joint African Union-UN peacekeeping force in Darfur (known as UNAMID).

Today's communiqué follows consultations in Doha, between Djibril Bassolé, the AU-UN Joint Chief Mediator for Darfur, and Ahmed Bin Abdullah Al-Mahmoud, the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs in Qatar, which has been sponsoring the mediation efforts.

Mr. Bassolé and Mr. Al-Mahmoud have invited the armed movements to take part in a capacity-building workshop in Doha in early October so they can discuss issues related to the peace process, including how to improve security for Darfur's inhabitants and how to boost socio-economic development in the region.

Mr. Bassolé and Mr. Al-Mahmoud have also agreed to organize a civil society forum in Doha before the start of final peace talks to allow the many Darfurian communities to discuss peace and reconciliation efforts.

Fighting has raged across the western Sudanese region since 2003, pitting the rebel movements against Government forces and allied Janjaweed militiamen. All sides stand accused of human rights abuses and an estimated 300,000 people have been killed in Darfur over the past six years and another 2.7 million people forced to leave their homes.

The efforts of mediators have been hampered by the fragmentation of the rebel movements into many different, smaller groups, making it harder for them to adopt a unified position during any negotiations.

In February, representatives of the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) signed the Doha Goodwill Agreement with the Sudanese Government in an initial step designed to build momentum towards an enduring peace pact.

Today Mr. Bassolé and Mr. Al-Mahmoud welcomed recent initiatives in Libya and by the United States envoy, General Scott Gration, to try to unify the armed movements, and voiced hope that they would lead to greater cohesion among the rebels.

Meanwhile, the outgoing head of UNAMID has urged all Darfurians to come together to resolve the conflict in their region.

In an open letter to the people of Darfur, Rodolphe Adada, who is stepping down as the AU-UN Joint Special Representative, said he remained convinced that "our collective efforts will bear fruit in the near future and the situation in Darfur will gradually evolve from armed conflict to cessation of hostilities to achievement of peace and finally reach the realm of sustainable development."

MIGIRO WARNS THAT ECONOMIC TURMOIL HAS EXACERBATED VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN

The scourge of violence against women has worsened as a result of the global financial downturn over the past year, Deputy Secretary-General Asha-Rose Migiro said today as she urged some of the world's richest countries to lead the way in turning the many international pledges to support women and girls into concrete results.

In a keynote address in Rome to a ministerial-level conference on violence against women, being held under the auspices of the Italian presidency of the Group of Eight (G8), Ms. Migiro said evidence women and girls are exposed to a greater risk of violence during times of hardship.

"We have seen rising levels of despair and frustration in families and communities around the world, exacerbating violence against women," she said.

"In a recent survey of more than 630 domestic violence shelters in the United States, 75 per cent reported an increase in women seeking help for abuse since September 2008, coinciding with a major downturn in the US economy. We must remain especially vigilant through these tough times."

Ms. Migiro detailed to the conference some of the steps taken by the UN to end violence against women and girls, including Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's UNiTE campaign, which calls on world leaders to launch national campaigns aimed at preventing and eliminating violence against women and girls in all parts of the world.

She noted that the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women, which is nearing the thirtieth anniversary of its adoption, and several landmark Security Council resolutions on women, peace and security indicated that the international community has taken "significant" steps towards protecting women from violence.

However, "we still have a long road to walk before the full meaning of these international agreements is fully transformed from words on paper to reality on the ground"

Ms. Migiro urged participants at today's conference to put into practice two earlier recommendations calling on G8 members to enhance the rights of women.

The first calls on G8 members to back programmes that promote women's rights and make information about sexual and reproductive health widely accessible, while the second calls for support for peacekeeping and peacebuilding operations worldwide so as to emphasize security, the protection of civilians and action against sexual and gender-based violence.

"Ending violence against women will not be easy. It will require sustained dedication and collaboration," she said.

While in Rome Ms. Migiro is scheduled to meet with Pope Benedict XVI at the Vatican and to hold bilateral discussions with Italy's Foreign Minister Franco Frattini and its Equal Opportunities Minister Mara Carfagna.

She is also expected to meet with staff from the UN's Rome-based agencies, including the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the World Food Prog ramme (WFP) and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD).

HUMAN RIGHTS MUST BE PARAMOUNT IN POLICING, UN ENVOY SAYS IN LIBERIA

Respect for human rights must be central to police work, a senior United Nations official in Liberia has told the new members of an elite unit within the West African country's police force as she warned them never to misuse their strength and power.

Eighty officers from the Liberia National Police (LNP) have completed a three-month intensive training programme to join the force's Emergency Response Unit (ERU), joining just over 200 others who have finished their training since courses began in mid-2008. They are tasked with responding to crisis and high-risk situations.

Henrietta Mensa-Bonsu, the Secretary-General's Deputy Special Representative for the Rule of Law in Liberia, told a graduation ceremony in Monrovia, the capital, for the 80 officers that they have "inherited the hopes and dreams of all Liberians who seek to live" in safety and security.

"The measure of your strength
and power is not how frequently you remind people of them, but how well you control your use of that power," Ms. Mensa-Bonsu said, according to a press release issued today by the UN Mission in Liberia (UNMIL).

"Even when tested under the most trying of circumstances, you must adhere to the principle of proportionality in the use of force; sound judgement, restraint and respect are characteristics of a professional police officer," she stressed.

In her remarks Ms. Mensa-Bonsu promised that UNMIL would continue to assist the Liberian Government in training, reforming and restructuring the LNP. She also welcomed the support for the United States and Irish Governments for the ERU training programme.

SECRETARY-GENERAL URGES CALM AMID REPORTS OF POST-ELECTION CLASHES IN GABON

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today urged restraint by all parties to avoid an escalation of tensions in Gabon, where disturbances have been reported in some parts of the country following last weekend's presidential elections.

Opposition activists have reportedly clashed with security forces just hours after it was announced that Ali Ben Bongo, son of late president Omar Bongo Ondimba, won the 30 August election.

Mr. Ban, who took note of the preliminary results announced by the country's electoral authorities, urged "calm and restraint" by all concerned so that tensions do not escalate.

"He calls on the Gabonese political leaders to refrain from any action which could jeopardize the peaceful conclusion of the electoral process," his spokesperson said in a statement.

"The Secretary-General urges all the presidential candidates and their supporters to resolve any electoral grievances through legal and institutional channels, and calls for any such complaints to be reviewed and adjudicated in a fair and transparent manner," the statement added.

In a message earlier this week, Mr. Ban implored all Gabonese to continue supporting the democratic process and to "ensure the will of the people is respected."
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MORE MUST BE DONE TO CONSOLIDATE PEACE IN SIERRA LEONE, SAYS BAN

Greater efforts are needed by all Sierra Leoneans to build on the momentum generated by the signing of a key peace pact that led to the cessation of political violence earlier this year, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon wrote in a new report released today.

Measures taken to implement the 2 April communiqué signed by the governing All People's Congress (APC) and the opposition Sierra Leone People's Party (SLPP) "have enabled the strengthening of the peace consolidation process in Sierra Leone," Mr. Ban said.

It has also set up a framework for bi-party consensus on youth issues, illicit drug trafficking and bolstering the West African nation's democratic institutions, he added in his latest report on the United Nations Integrated Peacebuilding Office in Sierra Leone (UNIPSIL).

But the Secretary-General underscored the need for stepped-up efforts by all sides to ensure that the current momentum is sustained, particularly the continued support of international development partners as well as dealing with political intolerance and violence ahead of the 2012 elections.

High youth employment and drug trafficking continue to impede the consolidation of peace, he said. Also hurting Sierra Leone is the global economic downturn, which has decreased foreign aid, external investments and overseas remittances.

"Especially worrying," Mr. Ban emphasized, "is the fact that Sierra Leone continues to register extremely high infant and maternal mortality and poverty levels, which call for increased engagement by the international community to help reverse those negative trends."

Concluding the process of constitutional reform is "long overdue," he said, noting that UNIPSIL stands ready to provide technical support.

Given the assistance being provided by UNIPSIL to help Sierra Leone progress on the road to peace, the Secretary-General called for a one year extension of its mandate.

Last August, the Security Council authorized the creation of UNIPSIL to replace the UN political office in the country, known as UNIOSIL, and gave it an initial mandate of 12 months.

UNIPSIL, which works closely with the UN Peacebuilding Commission, is tasked with providing political support to national and local efforts for identifying and resolving tensions and threats of potential conflict. It also monitors and promotes human rights, democratic institutions and the rule of law, including efforts to counter transnational organized crime and drug trafficking.

Sierra Leone is one of the first two countries, along with Burundi, to receive support from the Commission, which was established in 2005 to help post-conflict countries determine the priority areas for rebuilding out of the vast array of challenges they face.
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TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION CAN HELP EXPAND EDUCATION FOR ALL – UN OFFICIAL

Making use of the latest information and communication technology (ICT) and innovation can help countries expand educational opportunities for all in a way that also advances development, a senior United Nations official said today.

"Technology and innovation are keys to accelerating progress towards the ;MDGs, particularly in countries that are falling behind," Sha Zukang, Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs told the Global Forum on ICT and innovation for Education, referring to the eight anti-poverty targets with a 2015 deadline.

The latest update on the MDGs shows that progress has so far been mixed, he noted at the event in the Mexican city of Monterrey.

With some six years remaining before 2015, some goals are on target. For example, enrolment in primary education has risen from 83 per cent in 2000 to 88 per cent in 2007, and child mortality is steadily decreasing.

At the same time, the current global downturn risks reversing some of the positive trends, he added, noting that an estimated 55 to 90 million more people will fall below the poverty line.

"Education is the foundation of a modern and thriving economy," Mr. Sha stated. "It empowers poor and marginalized communities and enables them to contribute to economic and social development.

"ICT and innovation can open up new opportunities for both expanding the reach and improving the quality of education in developing regions, by providing practical and enabling solutions to current problems."

He said the advent of universally accessible information, the rapid development of next generation networks and multi-lingual software, low-cost hardware, new mobile platforms and other innovations "all present a real opportunity to developing countries to employ ICT to lift the quality of education and make it universally accessible."

The key to putting ICT to use in schools and colleges – where the main obstacles are the high cost of connectivity and computers and the lack of qualified teachers – is affordable connectivity, low-cost computing devices and applications that can be used for education and other services, he said, adding that training of instructors should go hand in hand with advances in access and connectivity.
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