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MICHELE
MONTAS is the Spokesperson for
U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon.
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 |
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The
Office of the Spokesperson for the
Secretary-General and the Spokesperson
for the President of the General
Assembly.
TV: UN
WEBCAST TV VIDEO
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UN:
UNITED NATIONS BRIEFING AND TV:
WEDNESDAY, 09/01/2008
(MaximsNews Network)
UNITED
NATIONS - / MaximsNews
Network / - 09
January 2008 -- Daily Press
Briefing: By the Office of the
Spokesperson for the Secretary-General
BY
MICHELE MONTAS
SPOKESPERSON FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL BAN
KI-MOON
Wednesday,
January 9, 2008
KENYANS
ARE SLEEPING AT POLICE STATIONS TO AVOID
ATTACKS
-
The
UN Country Team in Kenya reports
that, in a situation far more
reminiscent of northern Uganda than
Kenya, many people in different
parts of the country, who are afraid
of attack, are traveling to police
stations at night to sleep.
-
The
United Nations is continuing its
humanitarian response in Kenya,
following the recent violence and
displacement there.
SECURITY
COUNCIL BRIEFED ON CHALLENGES FACING A.U./U.N.
DARFUR FORCE
-
The
Security Council heard a briefing
this morning from Jean-Marie Guéhenno,
the Under-Secretary-General for
Peacekeeping Operations,
on the outstanding challenges and
impediments the United Nations
continues to face in its efforts to
deploy the African Union-United
Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur,
or UNAMID.
-
Council
members then went into consultations
on the same subject.
-
In
his briefing, while noting a
“modest momentum” created by the
transfer of authority from the
African Union mission to UNAMID on
December 31st, Mr. Guéhenno told
the Council that war, with
cross-border dimensions, is
continuing.
-
He
also reported that, five months
after the adoption of resolution 1769,
the United Nations does not yet have
guarantees or agreements from the
Sudanese government on basic
technical issues regarding the
deployment of UNAMID.
-
At
the same time, he said, the mission
itself will not have the personnel
or assets in place to implement its
mandate for many months, even in the
best-case scenario. He noted that no
offers for essential transportation
and aviation assets have been made,
including the 24 helicopters.
-
He
described as “grave” the
deteriorating security situation in
Darfur. The escalation of violence
in West Darfur presents a
fundamental challenge to UNAMID,
which he said is a peacekeeping
force not designed to deploy or
function in a war zone.
-
Reporting
on the attack on the UNAMID supply
convoy earlier this week, Mr. Guéhenno
said that after the attack, the area
commander for the Sudanese Armed
Forces had confirmed that it was a
Sudanese Armed Forces unit that had
fired on the convoy.
-
Asked
whether the attack on UNAMID
suggests that it is too early for
the hybrid force to be deployed, the
Spokeswoman said that the deployment
of UNAMID was proceeding as
scheduled. She said the attack did
not call into question the reasons
for the deployment, which is
mandated by the Security Council.
U.N.
SUDAN MISSION CALLS FOR REDOUBLING OF
EFFORTS TO MEET COMMITMENTS UNDER
COMPREHENSIVE PEACE AGREEMENT
-
On
the third anniversary of the signing
of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement
(CPA),
the U.N. Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) is
commending
Sudan’s Government and its people
on important achievements made so
far and encouraging the parties to
meet their remaining commitments
under the CPA.
-
Those
include the redeployment of forces,
the resolution of the issue of Abyei,
the demarcation of the North-South
boundary, the conduct of a census,
and adoption of electoral
legislation ensuring that elections
take place on time next year.
-
UNMIS
reiterated its willingness to
continue to provide its assistance
in this process.
DR
CONGO: PLENARY MEETING ADDRESSES ISSUES
AFFECTING THE KIVUS
-
The
plenary session of the Kivu
Conference on Peace, Security and
Development began earlier today in
Goma, in the northeastern Democratic
Republic of the Congo.
-
The
Conference is now expected to last
until January 17th. Delegates will
take up four main topics, according
to the UN Mission in the DRC (MONUC).
These include the stakes and
challenges for peace, security,
development and humanitarian
concerns.
-
The
Mission has been supporting
preparations for the conference and
has a team on the ground, providing
substantive information and
technical advice. MONUC is
also assisting the Government with
logistical and security support.
SECRETARY-GENERAL
RECOMMENDS ONE-YEAR EXTENSION OF CÔTE
D'IVOIRE MISSION
-
In
his latest report
on Côte d'Ivoire, the
Secretary-General says that security
conditions have improved and efforts
to implement the Ouagadougou Peace
Agreement have led to a positive
political environment. But these are
fragile gains because the Integrated
Army Command Center remains mired in
operational difficulties, and the
disarmament of militias has been
slow.
-
The
State administration is redeploying
throughout the country, and the
identification of the population,
though limited in its geographical
scope, has proceeded without major
incidents. The UN Mission there (UNOCI),
meanwhile, has set up an election
certification team and is developing
benchmarks for the certification
exercise.
-
In
conclusion, the Secretary-General
says that progress in the peace
process should, in due course, lead
to proposals for a gradual drawdown
of the UN presence. He recommends a
12-month extension of the UN
Mission.
U.N.
PROVIDING TENTS, OTHER SUPPLIES TO
EARTHQUAKE VICTIMS IN KYRGYZSTAN
-
Following
last week’s series of earthquakes
near the city of Osh, Kyrgyzstan,
which displaced thousands of people,
the Office for the Coordination of
Humanitarian Affairs says it has
been able to procure nearly 700
winterized tents, as well as
distribute heaters, sleeping bags,
mattresses, blankets, and clothing
to protect people from the cold.
-
Many
of the displaced have been living in
summer tents in temperatures as low
as minus 20 degrees Celsius.
Those displaced are still in need of
food, winter jackets and oil, OCHA
says.
U.N.
FORCE INVESTIGATING REPORT OF ROCKETS
FOUND IN NORTHERN ISRAEL
-
In
response to questions yesterday
about a reported rocket attack from
Lebanon into Israel, the Israeli
authorities informed the UN Interim
Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL)
that two Katyusha rockets launched
from southern Lebanon hit the
northern Israeli town of Shelomi
early on the morning of 8 January,
causing minor damage to a house but
no injuries. However, the firing of
the rockets was not observed or
detected by UNIFIL.
-
A
UNIFIL investigation team, including
forensics and explosives experts,
inspected the impact site in Shelomi,
and UNIFIL patrols combed locations
for potential launching sites. The
investigation continues.
OTHER
ANNOUNCEMENTS
WESTERN
SAHARA TALKS TO CONCLUDE TODAY:
The latest round of UN-brokered talks on
Western Sahara is scheduled to wrap up
this afternoon in Manhasset, New York.
The Personal Envoy of the
Secretary-General, Peter van Walsum, who
has been mediating the discussions, is
expected to issue a wrap-up communiqué.
U.N.
FIJIAN GUARD UNIT IN IRAQ TO REMAIN
UNCHANGED, BUT PERSONAL SECURITY DETAIL
OFFICERS WILL REPRESENT A GREATER
GEOGRAPHICAL MIX: Asked about
reports that there would be a change in
the employment of Fijians as security
personnel in Iraq,
the Spokeswoman later said that there is
no change in the arrangement for the
Fijian Guard Unit but, for the separate
group of Personal Security Detail
officers, the U.N. is moving towards a
mix of nationalities, which could still
include some Fijians.
WORLD
ECONOMY FACING SERIOUS CHALLENGES IN
SUSTAINING ECONOMIC GROWTH: A
new report
– from the UN Conference on Trade and
Development (UNCTAD), the UN Department
for Economic and Social Affairs, and the
UN Regional Commissions – was launched
today in New York, Geneva, and several
other cities. It says that, although
overall economic growth last year was
strong, especially in developing
countries, the world economy continued
to face serious challenges in sustaining
economic growth.
ROBUST
ECONOMIC GROWTH IN ASIA-PACIFIC REGION
EXPECTED TO CONTINUE: The United
Nations Economic and Social Commission
for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP)
forecasts the robust economic growth in
the Asia-Pacific region will continue in
2008, despite uncertainties in the U.S.
and continued appreciation of regional
currencies. In its report launched
today on key economic developments and
prospects in the Asia-Pacific region for
this year, ESCAP outlines the U.N.’s
outlook of short-term global economic,
trade and financial trends, as well as
some key global economic policy and
development issues. ESCAP’s
Chief Economist says the Asia-Pacific
economies are well prepared to manage
continued uncertainty in the external
environment over the coming months.
SECRETARY-GENERAL
HAS RAISED ISSUE OF PEACEKEEPING SUPPORT
WITH SEVERAL GOVERNMENTS: Asked
whether the Secretary-General had spoken
with the transitional team for the next
South Korean Government about the need
to increase contributions to UN
peacekeeping, the Spokeswoman said that
the Secretary-General has raised the
issue of peacekeeping contributions with
a number of governments, including South
Korea’s. She added, in response to a
further question, that he has asked many
countries that have the appropriate
facilities to contribute helicopters for
the UNAMID operation in Darfur.
**The
guest at noon was
Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian
Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator
John Holmes, who briefed on what the UN
is doing in Kenya to alleviate the
current situation.
Office
of the Spokesperson for the
Secretary-General
United Nations, S-378
New York, NY 10017
Tel. 212-963-7162
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