UN DAILY NEWS DIGEST - 25 January

UN DAILY NEWS from the
UNITED NATIONS NEWS SERVICE
25 January, 2012 =========================================================================

UN CHIEF OUTLINES FIVE-YEAR ACTION PLAN TO BUILD ‘THE FUTURE WE WANT’

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today outlined a series of actions he believes the global community must take over the next five years to build “the future we want.”

In a speech to the General Assembly last September Mr. Ban presented five imperatives – or generational opportunities – that must be addressed to ensure a better future for the world’s people.

These are sustainable development; preventing and mitigating conflicts, human rights abuses and the impacts of natural disasters; building a safer and more secure world; supporting countries in transition; and working to engage the talents of women and young people.

“Today I want to share with you an action agenda for the coming five years,” he told the Assembly as he returned to the rostrum to brief Member States on his vision for his second term.

“A plan to make the most of the opportunities before us. A plan to help create a safer, more secure, more sustainable, more equitable future. A plan to build the future we want,” he said.

The “action agenda” presented today describes specific measures regarding each of the five imperatives, including an unprecedented campaign to wipe out five of the world’s major killers – malaria, polio, paediatric HIV infections, maternal and neonatal tetanus, and measles.

Mr. Ban also announced that the UN will work with Member States to make Antarctica a World Nature Preserve and that he will appoint a new special representative for youth.

Among his other proposals is the convening of a first-of-its-kind World Humanitarian Summit to help share knowledge and establish common best practices, and the creation of a New UN Partnerships Facility to harness the full power of transformative partnerships across the world body.

“Waves of change are surging around us,” he told the Assembly. “If we navigate wisely, we can create a more secure and sustainable future for all. The United Nations is the ship to navigate these waters…

“We are the venue for partnerships and action. Now is our moment. Now is the time to create the future we want,” he stated.

Speaking later to reporters, Mr. Ban said that in addition to the core business of the UN, he wanted his team to look deeply at the world and the UN’s work today.

“I wanted to identify areas where opportunity and need come together like never before,” he said. “These are times of austerity. Yet… these are also times of promise. More people are becoming engaged; more people are empowered to make a real difference.

“If we dedicate our energies and mobilize the UN system, we can move the needle for generations to come.”

General Assembly President Nassir Abdulaziz Al-Nasser commended the Secretary-General for his “bold, focused and forward-looking” action agenda, adding that the content, depth and breadth of his envisaged actions are truly relevant for the effectiveness, efficiency and smooth functioning of the UN.

“As this universal global body is experiencing the unfolding of a world with all its complexities and challenges, prospects and potentials, I believe the Secretary-General has courageously articulated a set of action points that addresses the way our Organization, and in particular this Assembly, needs to respond to an ever-evolving global scene,” he told the 193-member body.

Also today, in keeping with the announcement last month that he intends to roll out changes to his senior team as he embarks on his second term, Mr. Ban said that Deputy Secretary-General Asha-Rose Migiro and Chef de Cabinet Vijay Nambiar will step down from their posts.

Ms. Migiro will stay in office until the end of June to ensure continuity in the preparations for the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20) that will take place in Brazil that month. Mr. Nambiar will serve as the Secretary-General’s Special Advisor on Myanmar, following the transition in the Secretary-General’s Executive Office.

In addition, the Under-Secretary-General for Management, Angela Kane; the Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict, Radhika Coomaraswamy; and the Special Adviser for Prevention of Genocide, Francis Deng, will all be relinquishing their duties during the course of this year.


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CYPRUS: BAN CALLS FOR DECISIVE STEPS TOWARDS FINAL SETTLEMENT AFTER INTENSIVE TALKS

The latest round of United Nations-facilitated talks between the leaders of the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot communities aimed at the reunification of Cyprus have ended in New York after “robust and intensive” discussions, Secretary-Ban Ki-moon said today, calling for a decisive move to reach a final agreement.

Mr. Ban, who attended the talks between Greek Cypriot leader Demetris Christofias and his Turkish Cypriot counterpart, Dervis Eroglu, on Monday and Tuesday, said “limited progress” was achieved during the meeting.

He also reminded both parties that the process is Cypriot-owned and Cypriot-led.

“The UN is not here to impose solutions upon the sides,” Mr. Ban told reporters at UN Headquarters, adding that the two sides had come to the meeting to make an effort to resolve the main challenges in the process – the issues of the election of the executive, property and citizenship.

“In terms of next steps, I have proposed that the sides complete the exchange of data on property within the next two weeks to which they agreed,” said Mr. Ban, whose Special Adviser on Cyprus, Alexander Downer, will brief the Security Council later today on the talks.

“I will be providing a report to the Security Council on the status of the negotiations at the end of February [and] at the end of March I will seek a review of the process from my Special Adviser.

“If his report is positive, consistent with relevant Security Council resolutions and following consultations with the two sides, I intend to call a multilateral conference in late April or early May,” said the Secretary-General.

He stressed that, at this stage of the talks, even maintaining the momentum and continuing negotiations in an intensive manner is not sufficient. “I have urged the leaders to make decisive steps to move to a final agreement,” he added.

“The United Nations remains convinced that it is in the interest of all Cypriots to reach a durable settlement,” he said.

In 2008, both sides agreed to work towards “a bicommunal, bizonal federation with political equality, as defined by relevant Security Council resolutions.” The partnership will comprise a Federal Government with a single international personality, along with a Turkish Cypriot Constituent State and a Greek Cypriot Constituent State, which will be of equal status.


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UNICEF WARNS ON HIGH RATES OF MALNUTRITION AMONG CHILDREN IN YEMEN

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has warned that half a million children in Yemen could die or suffer physical and mental damage as a result of malnutrition, unless sufficient resources are made available to alleviate the effects of conflict, chronic poverty and drought.

“Malnutrition is preventable… therefore, inaction is unconscionable,” Maria Calivis, UNICEF’s Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa, said in a statement yesterday after a two-day visit to Yemen.

“Conflict, poverty and drought, compounded by the unrest of the previous year, the high food and fuel prices, and the breakdown of social services, are putting children’s health at great risks and threatening their very survival,” she said.

With 58 per cent of children stunted, Yemen has the second highest rate of chronic malnutrition among children in the world after Afghanistan. Acute malnutrition affects as many as 30 per cent of children in some parts of the country, close to the levels observed in south Somalia, and twice as high as the internationally recognized emergency threshold.

Malnutrition, along with poor health services, is also to blame for most of the recent deaths of 74 children from measles, among 2,500 affected by an outbreak of the disease, according to Government figures. While most children recover from measles within two to three weeks, children with malnutrition can suffer serious complications which can lead to death.

UNICEF has appealed for nearly $50 million to fund programmes for children’s urgent humanitarian needs in Yemen this year.

The country also has one of the highest rates of death among children under the age of five in the Middle East and North African region, at 77 per 1,000 live births, which means that some 69,000 children die every year before their fifth birthday.

“Now more than ever is the time for a renewed commitment to a better, peaceful future for Yemen’s children. As the country prepares for the next phase, it is essential that children are given top priority in the political agenda. Their needs need to be met and their rights upheld,” said Ms. Calivis.

Warring factions in Yemen signed an agreement in November on a transitional settlement under which President Ali Abdullah Saleh agreed to hand over power to Vice President Abed Rabbo Mansour al-Hadi. A new Government of National Unity was formed and presidential elections have been scheduled for 21 February.

The Secretary-General’s Special Adviser for Yemen, Jamal Benomar, told reporters at UN Headquarters that for the country’s transition to succeed, a concerted effort is required to ensure the participation of youth and other important constituencies, including the southern movements and the so-called Al-Houthi group in the north, in the political process.

“As an immediate step, all efforts should now be focused on ensuring the holding of peaceful elections,” Mr. Benomar said after briefing the Security Council on the situation in Yemen, stressing the need to ensure that the polls are held on time and in an atmosphere of calm.

“Expectations of Yemenis remain high for stability and recovery. I told the Security Council that Yemen will need the sustained and committed support of donors to see it through the transition and help them with economic recovery,” he added.

He also stressed that the humanitarian situation in the country remains dire with an estimated 6.8 million people facing food shortages.


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LIBYA FACING CHALLENGING TRANSITION, BUT AUTHORITIES STRIVING TO SUCCEED – UN

Libya is going through a difficult transition, having inherited weak state institutions and an absence of political parties, the top United Nations envoy in the country told the Security Council today, adding that the interim Government is committed to addressing the challenges.

“The former regime may have been toppled, but the harsh reality is that the Libyan people continue to have to live with its deep-rooted legacy; weak, at times absent, state institutions, coupled with the long absence of political parties and civil society organizations, which render the country’s transition more difficult,” said Ian Martin, the Secretary-General’s Special Representative and head of the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL).

“This is further complicated by what was a systematic distortion of the country’s socio-political fabric,” he said.

He reiterated that security remains a major concern, noting that events over the past month highlight the risks associated with both the continued abundance of weapons on the streets, and the diverse armed “brigades” in the country with unclear lines of command and control.

In the capital, Tripoli, clashes earlier this month between rival brigades from Misrata and Tripoli resulted in several fatalities and injuries, as well as confrontation between such groups in Gheryan and al-Asab‘a, and fighting between the local population and the brigades in Bani Walid this week required high-level intervention to put an end to the violence.

“Although authorities have successfully contained these and other more minor incidents that continue to take place across the country on a regular basis, there is the ever-present possibility that similar outbreaks of violence could escalate and widen in scope,” Mr. Martin told the Council.

He said the National Transitional Council (NTC) is laying the foundation for the establishment of democratic governance, but a combination of a tight timeline, inexperience in drafting electoral legislation, shortcomings in communication and the lack of proper mechanisms for consultation have set limitations to the process of drafting the electoral law.

“The NTC and most stakeholders have remained determined that the commitment in the Constitutional Declaration to elect a National Congress by late June must be respected. This has left little time for consultations on the legislative framework, which must embody some difficult and inevitably controversial political choices,” said Mr. Martin.

The NTC’s Electoral Committee made efforts to engage the public and published the draft law, with the engagement of UNSMIL’s electoral team. “As a result, we believe that both the main electoral law and the parallel electoral administration law, which establishes a 17-member High National Electoral Commission, gained in clarity and focus,” he added.

On human rights, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay, informed the Council of her extreme concern over the conditions of detention and treatment of detainees held by the various revolutionary brigades, noting that the International Committee of the Red Cross had visited over 8,500 detainees in approximately 60 places between March and December last year.

The majority of the detainees are accused of being loyalists of the deposed leader, the late Muammar al-Qadhafi, and include a large number of citizens of sub-Saharan Africa.

“The lack of oversight by the central authorities creates an environment conducive to torture and ill-treatment,” said Ms. Pillay, adding that her staff had received alarming reports on what was happening in places of detention.

“It is therefore urgent that all detention centres are brought under the control of the Ministry of Justice and the General Prosecutor’s Office,” she said. “Moreover, a structure and process for judicial screening of detainees should be in place immediately.”

Other areas of concern include conditions for people subjected to internal forced and involuntary displacement, the status of women and past abuses.

Ms. Pillay also highlighted the outstanding questions regarding possible civilian deaths resulting from NATO operations, and voiced hope that the ongoing probe by the organization’s commission of inquiry will shed light on the extent to which NATO forces took precautions to protect civilians.


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DR CONGO: UN PEACEKEEPING CHIEF STRESSES NEED FOR STABILITY AND RECONCILIATION

The United Nations peacekeeping chief stressed today the need for stability and reconciliation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), which has experienced a tense political climate since its presidential elections in November.

Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations Hervé Ladsous, who is currently on an official visit to the DRC, reaffirmed the UN’s commitment to help the vast African nation through its mission (MONUSCO) to prevent conflict and ensure future elections occur under better conditions.

“There are indeed many lessons to be learned from the elections,” Mr. Ladsous said in an interview with MONUSCO’s radio station, Radio Okapi. “The UN and MONUSCO will work to ensure that this internal process that is determined by the people of Congo alone can occur under better circumstances each time….

“There are certainly measures we can take to ensure that this essential process allows for national reconciliation under the best of conditions, respecting the rule of law, and with the objective of finding lasting solutions for the country.”

Mr. Ladsous said the main purpose of his visit, which began on Tuesday, is to experience firsthand the work of the mission as well as to assess what it can do to advance reconciliation. During his visit, the first to the DRC since his appointment in September, Mr. Ladsous will meet with several Government officials as well as politicians and UN representatives.

He will also travel to the eastern town of Goma – a region where armed groups such as the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR) are constantly active – to meet with provincial and local authorities.

Mr. Ladsous stressed that to end the activity of such groups, the Government must reaffirm its authority over its entire territory and that MONUSCO will be working with the Government to strengthen the country’s army as well as protect civilians.

“It’s necessary that we continue to make progress in our work with national authorities to find solutions to consolidate the State, the rule of law and facilitate national reconciliation, something everybody wants to succeed,” he said.


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OUTGOING UN ENVOY STRESSES IMPORTANCE OF RECONCILIATION FOR LIBERIA

The outgoing United Nations envoy in Liberia today stressed the need for reconciliation in the country, adding that this is an essential step to consolidate stability and to ensure that the progress achieved by the democratic elections held last year can continue.

“Last year, Liberia passed an historic milestone in conducting its second democratic elections since the end of the conflict. This was an important undertaking which, once again, demonstrates the will of the Liberian people,” said Ellen Margrethe Løj, Special Representative of the Secretary-General and head of the UN Mission in Liberia (UNMIL).

“However, peace cannot be complete without reconciliation. Experiences from around the world have shown us than an incomplete peace is often a prelude to renew conflict,” she told reporters in Monrovia during her last press briefing as Special Representative.

Ms. Løj emphasized that a lot more needs to be done to ensure that Liberia’s future is inclusive, and stressed the role of young people in reconciliation as well as the importance of Liberians initiating this process.

“I have said it many times that true reconciliation has to be home grown. It cannot be imposed from abroad. I cannot tell three or four of you Liberian how to reconcile...you will not even listen to me. You have to get together and talk and be willing on how to reconcile and deal with what has to be dealt with for that reconciliation to take place.

“Through dialogue and inclusion, I am highly confident that Liberia will continue its work towards lasting peace,” she added, while reiterating that UNMIL would continue to provide support to the population, while simultaneously encouraging and providing advice for national initiatives.

“Liberians have demonstrated that they can be in the driver’s seat and that they have chosen the path to sustainable development. And progress is reflected in the way UNMIL supports Liberia today. From being first in line with a robust military and police presence, the Mission is today standing second in line focusing on providing advisory support to security and rule of law institutions,” Ms. Løj said.

She expressed her gratitude to the people of Liberia and appreciation for the warmth and generosity during the four years of her tenure.


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TALKS OPEN ON DRAFT OUTCOME DOCUMENT FOR UN SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT CONFERENCE

The first round of informal discussions on the proposed outcome document of the United Nations conference on sustainable development that will be held in Brazil in June got under way in New York today with a senior UN official calling for an ambitious and yet practical conclusion.

“When world leaders gather in Rio in five months, we need to present them with an ambitious and yet practical outcome that equals the magnitude of today’s challenges,” said Sha Zukang, the Secretary-General of the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20), which will be held in Rio de Janeiro beginning 20 June.

“We need a robust outcome from Rio+20, with reinvigorated political commitments by all countries. We need strong decisions…strong in commitments and strong in actions,” he said.

The informal round of talks on the outcome document is the first in a series of negotiating sessions to be held in March, April, May and June in the run up to the conference.

Mr. Sha, who is the UN Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs, urged governments and civil society to focus on possible sustainable development goals, and on whether these would take into account specific national circumstances.

He also urged them to consider the “complementarity” between the proposed Sustainable Development Council and the Economic and Social Council; and how Rio+20 would drive the dissemination and transfer of state-of-the-art technologies on mutually agreed terms from developed to developing countries.

Eradicating poverty and building socially just and inclusive societies, while protecting the planet’s fragile eco-systems remain the defining challenges of the 21st century, Mr. Sha said.

The multiple crises of food, energy, climate, finance and employment shape the different facets of the challenges, he said, adding that they reminded humanity that problems are interconnected and must be tackled together.

The so-called “zero draft” of the outcome document was prepared from more than 6,000 pages of submissions from Member States, international organizations and civil society.


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RAISING AWARENESS OF HOLOCAUST ESSENTIAL TO PREVENT ACTS OF HATRED – UN OFFICIAL

Widespread education through the media, special events and other initiatives that provide information on the history and lessons of the Holocaust is essential to help prevent future genocides and mass atrocities, a top United Nations official said today at an event commemorating the 70th anniversary of the Babyn Yar tragedy in Ukraine.

“Some one-and-a-half million Jews were killed by the Nazis and their collaborators in the Ukraine,” said Under-Secretary-General for Communications and Public Information Kiyo Akasaka. “They were just the first mass victims of the shocking and sustained murder that the world would come to know as the Holocaust.”

Mr. Akasaka stressed the need to keep the memory of the victims alive, and highlighted the work of the UN in doing so. “The UN Department of Public Information actively engages Member States, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and civil society – and our own network of UN information centres around the world – to raise awareness about the Holocaust and the dangers of hatred,” he said.

Today’s event was held as part of a series of events to mark the International Day of Commemoration in memory of the victims of the Holocaust, which is observed annually on 27 January, the anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz death camp.

This year’s theme is “Children and the Holocaust” and film screenings, exhibits and talks sharing children’s stories during that era are being shared to spread awareness of their experiences.

“It is only by understanding and learning from the past, that we can hope to create a better world for the children of today and tomorrow,” said Mr. Akasaka, who also spoke at the opening of an exhibition of Jewish photographers in the Lodz Ghetto between 1940 and 1944.

The exhibition presents some 50 images – many of them available for the first time to the public – that document daily life in the Lodz Ghetto in Poland, which functioned as an industrial centre for Nazi Germany, exploiting a Jewish workforce.

“The images reflect the contradictions and complexities between the desperate situation in the ghetto and the efforts of its people to maintain their dignity and survive for as long as possible,” said Mr. Akasaka.


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PEACE PROCESS CAN ONLY BE SUCCESSFUL IF IT IS LED BY AFGHANS, SAYS NEW UN ENVOY

Afghanistan’s peace process can only be successful if it is Afghan-led and inclusive, the new United Nations envoy to the country stated today.

Ján Kubiš, who arrived in Kabul last week to take up his post as the Secretary-General’s Special Representative and head of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), told his first press conference that the Afghan people are tired of war and want to move on.

“They would like to live normal lives as everywhere else,” he said, adding that there is support for steps that would bring more stability and eventually establish overall peace in the country.

What is important, he stressed, is that the peace process be an Afghan-led and Afghan-owned process.

“And it can be a successful Afghan-led and Afghan-owned process if it is based on wide participation, on representative participation, not only of political forces but eventually of civil society because it is for the people of the country,” said Mr. Kubiš.

He added that, in carrying out his mandate, he intended to focus on how to help link security and development; to promote and assist an Afghan-led inclusive reconciliation process based on dialogue and consensus; and to promote the rule of law, good governance, strong institutions and human rights.

The UN is currently examining how it can best help Afghanistan as it proceeds with the transfer of security responsibilities and takes greater ownership of its development.


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BAN TO VISIT MIDDLE EAST TO ENCOURAGE ISRAELIS AND PALESTINIANS TO RE-ENGAGE

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said today that he will travel to the Middle East next week to encourage the Israelis and the Palestinians to re-engage to move the peace process forward.

“My visit comes at an important moment,” Mr. Ban told a news conference at UN Headquarters, as he announced his travels to Jordan, Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories.

Israeli and Palestinian negotiators began preparatory talks at the beginning of January in Amman under the facilitation of King Abdullah of Jordan and the country’s Foreign Minister, Nasser Judeh.

“I will be there to encourage both sides to re-engage in earnest and create a positive atmosphere for moving forward,” Mr. Ban stated.

Direct talks between Israel and the Palestinians stalled in September 2010 after Israel refused to extend its freeze on settlement activity in the occupied Palestinian territory.

That decision prompted Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas to withdraw from direct talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, which had only resumed a few weeks earlier after a two-year hiatus.

The Secretary-General also noted that today marks the one-year anniversary of the uprising in Egypt that led to the removal of the regime of Hosni Mubarak.

“On this important day, I want to congratulate the people of Egypt on their peaceful transition to democracy and their determination to push for continuing change,” he said.

Referring to yesterday’s announcement of a partial lifting of the state of emergency in the country, Mr. Ban encouraged the transitional authorities to pursue the peaceful and early handover of power to civilian government, to uphold human rights, to release political detainees and accelerate the pace of reform.


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GREEN INVESTMENT NEEDED IN MARINE SECTOR TO TRIGGER ECONOMIC, SOCIAL BENEFITS – UN

The economic productivity of the marine sector can be significantly boosted by shifting to a more sustainable approach that focuses on green activities such as renewable energy, eco-tourism and sustainable transport, according to a United Nations report released today.

The report by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), ‘Green Economy in a Blue World,’ looks at six different economic areas in the marine sector and provides recommendations on how to boost their potential by implementing green measures.

“Oceans are a key pillar for many countries in their development and fight to tackle poverty, but the wide range of ecosystem services, including food security and climate regulation, provided by marine and coastal environments are today under unprecedented pressure,” said UNEP Executive Director Achim Steiner.

“Stepping up green investments in marine and coastal resources and enhancing international cooperation in managing these transboundary ecosystems are essential if a transition to low-carbon, resource-efficient green economy is to be realized,” he said.

The six economic areas examined by the report include fisheries and aquaculture, marine transport, ocean nutrient pollution, marine-based renewable energy, coastal tourism, and deep-sea minerals.

“This report provides concrete examples of how emerging ocean industries – including ocean energy and aquaculture industries – can become more profitable, more sustainable, and meet the needs of a growing population without sacrificing the health of our fragile ocean ecosystems,” said Linwood Pendleton, one of the contributors to the report and Director of Ocean and Coastal Policy at the Nicholas Institute for Environmental Policy Solutions.

In addition, the report also examines how small island developing States (SIDS), such as those in the Asia-Pacific and Caribbean regions, can take advantage of green economy opportunities to reduce their vulnerability to climate change and promote sustainable growth.

The report seeks to stimulate countries to take action as they prepare for the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20) in Brazil in June, according to a news release issued by UNEP.

“In the run-up to Rio+20, this report shows that a shift to a green economy can, if comprehensively implemented, unlock the potential of marine ecosystems to fuel economic growth – particularly in small island developing States but in ways that ensure that future generations derive an equitable share of marine resources and services,” said Mr. Steiner.

The report was produced by UNEP in collaboration with the UN Development Programme (UNDP), the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the UN International Maritime Organization (IMO), the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN-DESA), the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the WorldFish Center and GRID-Arendal.


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UN HUMANITARIAN ARM ALLOCATES $104 MILLION TO UNDERFUNDED CRISES

The United Nations humanitarian office announced today the allocation of $104 million to support 13 neglected emergencies around the world.

“Millions of people need help around the world in places which have fallen out of the headlines. These funds will help to save lives. I hope that more funds will become available from governments and others to support a continued humanitarian response,” said Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Valerie Amos.

The funds, which will be provided by the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF), will be prioritized by humanitarian coordinators in each of the recipient countries to impact critical life-saving programmes. Specific projects will also be developed and proposed by humanitarian country teams in the next month.

Recipient countries were selected on the basis of severity of humanitarian need and analysis of funding levels.

South Sudan is the largest recipient, and will receive $20 million to support critical delivery of services for returnees from neighbouring Sudan. In the Horn of Africa, where millions of people have been affected by the drought, Djibouti and Eritrea will receive allocations of $4 million to support life-saving programmes.

In Pakistan, where funding for relief operations has considerably diminished, $15 million will be allocated for people in conflict-affected areas in the country, and in Haiti, $8 million will be provided for thousands of people that continue to live in camps two years since the devastating earthquake.

Other recipient countries include the Central African Republic (CAR), Chad, Côte d’Ivoire, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), Nepal, the Philippines, the Republic of Congo, and Syria.

According to a news released issued by the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), a second round of allocations will follow in July. Last year, 20 underfunded emergencies received more than $143 million.

This year, donors have so far pledged more than $377 million in support of the Fund, which is financed by voluntary contributions from Member States, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), local governments, the private sector and individual donors. The Fund commits a third of all contributions each year to redress imbalances in global aid distribution by supporting neglected crises.


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SUFFICIENT FUNDS CRUCIAL TO HELPING COUNTRIES ACHIEVE AIDS RESPONSE TARGETS – UN

The remarkable progress achieved in the AIDS response must be sustained, the United Nations has stressed, calling for innovative sources of financing and continued support for the Global Fund that helps countries achieve their targets in this field.

In a press statement issued yesterday, the Joint UN Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) hailed the achievements of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria since it was established 10 years ago.

“The organization has made a profound difference in saving millions of lives around the world. It has created momentum and helped countries achieve results,” said the agency, noting that the Fund has approved more than $22.6 billion in grants to 150 countries over the past decade.

Grants provided by the Fund are helping countries provide 3.3 million people access to HIV treatment, and the facility has ensured that more than one million pregnant women living with HIV have had access to antiretroviral drugs to prevent the transmission of HIV to their children.

“UNAIDS is confident, that in the Global Fund’s transition phase, its transformation plan will help deliver further results,” the agency stated, pledging to continue to work in partnership with countries and with the Global Fund to reduce risks and ensure more high-impact programmes.

“The remarkable progress achieved in the AIDS response must be sustained and accelerated,” it stressed. “UNAIDS urges the international community to urgently explore innovative sources of funding to bridge the gap in global resources for AIDS.

“It also calls on countries to revise and reprioritize AIDS investments as well as national AIDS strategies.”

Also yesterday, Michel Kazatchkine, the Executive Director of the Global Fund, announced his decision to step down from his post by 16 March. “As the Global Fund faces a challenging year of transition, it is more important than ever that staff, partners, donors, implementers, friends and supporters of the Fund pull together to maintain the remarkable hope that the Fund has generated around the world, and to keep up the fight,” he said in a statement.

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today commended Mr. Kazatchkine for his leadership of the Fund over the last five years and his steadfast dedication to the health and human rights of millions of the most vulnerable people around the world.

“The Secretary-General urges all partners to strengthen their support to the Global Fund in this time of transition,” said a statement issued by his spokesperson. “As a unique and innovative public-private partnership, the Global Fund has been instrumental in saving the lives of millions of people around the world.”

Last month Mr. Ban led a chorus of UN officials in calling for the political will, investments and determination to end the AIDS epidemic, which has now entered its fourth decade. “Momentum is on our side. Let us use it to end AIDS – once and for all,” Mr. Ban said in his message for World AIDS Day, observed on 1 December each year.

UNAIDS Executive Director Michel Sidibé had called on countries, donors and others to reach the global investment target of $22-24 billion for the AIDS response, stating that “only together can we secure the future and provide greater and long-term dividends.”


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