UN DAILY NEWS DIGEST - 26 January

UN DAILY NEWS from the
UNITED NATIONS NEWS SERVICE
26 January, 2012 =========================================================================
WOMEN’S EDUCATION ‘SMARTEST GLOBAL INVESTMENT,’ BAN TELLS WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called today on business leaders attending the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, to increase their investment in women’s education and health to ensure their well-being and encourage their participation in the world economy.

“Investing in the health of women and girls is the right thing to do and the smart thing to do for national economies and global stability,” Mr. Ban said at an event organized by the Every Woman Every Child initiative, a global effort launched in 2010 to mobilize and intensify global action to save the lives of 16 million women and children and improve the lives of millions more.

“The business community can help. Your partnership is crucial in preventing unnecessary suffering for women and girls everywhere,” Mr. Ban said, adding that despite recent progress, much remains to be done.

Mr. Ban underscored the need to boost maternal health efforts so that women everywhere can give birth safely. “Last year, more than 300,000 women died giving birth. The vast majority of those deaths could have been prevented.”

The Secretary-General also stressed the need to provide education for girls so they can lead productive lives, contribute to the economy and start families when they decide to do so. He emphasized the role that the business community can play to help them succeed.

“The private sector is uniquely positioned to deliver a better life for women and children around the world” he said. “Telecommunication companies are harnessing their networks to bring mobile health solutions to women living in the countryside. Corporations are using their technological strengths to develop affordable healthcare equipment for remote areas. Pharmaceutical companies are making essential drugs available to those most in need.”

Mr. Ban also urged business leaders to continue to support the global fight against HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria.

“For the first time, the number of people falling ill with tuberculosis each year is declining. And malaria has been cut by more than half in 43 countries,” Mr. Ban said during a dinner marking the 10th anniversary of the Global Fund for AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (GFTAM).

“The Global Fund has contributed to international efforts to scale up prevention. And it has helped create a world where nearly seven million people lived longer, healthier lives thanks to antiretroviral treatment for HIV,” Mr. Ban said, adding that countries need to “raise the volume” of their efforts as there are still many countries that are threatened by these diseases.

While in Davos, Mr. Ban held several meetings on the margins of the Forum with officials including the President of the Swiss Confederation Eveline Widmer-Schlumpf, the Prime Minister of Denmark Helle Thorning-Schmidt, and Brazil’s Foreign Minister Antonio de Aguilar Patriota with whom he discussed the upcoming UN Sustainable Development Conference (Rio+20) among other topics.

Mr. Ban also met with the Kenyan Prime Minister, Raila Odinga, with whom he discussed the situation in Somalia, Sudan and South Sudan, as well as the problem of maritime piracy off the coast of Somalia. In addition, he met with Prime Minister of the United Kingdom David Cameron, with whom he discussed the upcoming London Conference on Somalia.


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RETURN OF UN POLITICAL PRESENCE TO MOGADISHU ‘HISTORIC’ STEP, SAYS ENVOY

The re-establishment of the United Nations political presence in Mogadishu will allow the world body to work more closely with Somalia during a crucial period in its peace process, the UN envoy to the country said today.

On Tuesday Augustine P. Mahiga, the Secretary-General’s Special Representative, moved to the capital of the Horn of Africa nation from Nairobi along with a number of his core staff from the UN Political Office for Somalia (UNPOS).

The move comes one and half months after Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon announced during his visit to Mogadishu that the UN office will relocate to the city to provide further assistance at what he called a “critical juncture” for the future of the Somali people.

“This is a historic step,” Mr. Mahiga wrote in a letter to the Somali people today. “It is now up to us to make up for lost time.”

The last Special Representative of the Secretary-General to be based in Mogadishu was James Victor Gbeho, who worked with the now defunct UN Operations in Somalia II (UNOSOM II), and left in early 1995. UNPOS was established shortly afterwards and has since been based in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi.

“Being on the ground will allow us to be closer to all the stakeholders – the Transitional Federal Institutions and other administrations, civil society, NGOs [non-governmental organizations], business people, journalists and ordinary Somalis,” stated Mr. Mahiga.

“Daily interaction will help us understand each other and to work together in a more imaginative and constructive manner at this crucial period in the peace process.”

He cited the need to move ahead with the roadmap that was agreed in September and which spells out priority measures to be implemented before the current transitional governing arrangements end next August, in the areas of security, the drafting of a new constitution and reconciliation.

“We also are faced with a parliamentary crisis and a continuing terrorist threat from insurgents,” Mr. Mahiga noted. “There is a lot of ground to be covered in the next seven months.”

He stressed that finalizing the draft constitution before the May deadline must be a top priority, and also underlined the need to resolve the ongoing impasse within the Parliament.


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UN OFFICIAL CALLS FOR MECHANISM TO ADDRESS PROBLEMS FACING AFRICA’S SAHEL REGION

The United Nations political chief today called for the establishment of a mechanism to address the myriad challenges facing countries in West Africa’s Sahel region, which, he said, include a humanitarian crisis, lack of socio-economic development, insecurity and the threat of terrorism.

“To be able to deal with the challenges in the Sahel region and to have a comprehensive, long- lasting impact, we need to put in place a mechanism that would bring together all the affected countries and major outside actors in a coordinated manner to discuss the issues and devise solutions,” B. Lynn Pascoe, Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs, told the Security Council.

Briefing the Council on the findings of the United Nations-led mission that visited Mali, Niger, Chad and Mauritania last month to look into the impact of last year’s crisis in Libya on the Sahel region, Mr. Pascoe said that it was clear that most of the challenges pre-date the Libyan conflict.

“On the question of the returnees from Libya, the topmost priority for the countries visited was to feed and reintegrate the vulnerable returnees and to help the affected communities cope with the loss of remittances,” he said.

“Compounding these immediate problems are underlying structural challenges and a looming food crisis in the area. There were strong appeals for the United Nations, working in tandem with the African Union and others, as well as with the new authorities in Libya, to find a mutually satisfactory framework for rebuilding relationships between the Sahel region and the countries of transit and destination,” Mr. Pascoe told the Council.

Recent developments in the region reinforce the concerns consistently made to the mission by its interlocutors in the countries visited.

The security situation in Mali has significantly worsened following heavy fighting on 17 and 18 January between Government forces and ethnic Tuareg militias in the north, an area close to the borders with Niger and Algeria.

Mr. Pascoe told the Council that Tuareg fighters, who are members of the self-proclaimed ‘Azawad National Liberation Movement,’ have asserted that they are seeking to drive the Government out of several towns where Tuareg communities are dominant.

In neighbouring Niger, President Mahamadou Issoufou, voiced concern on Sunday over the danger of similar violence occurring in his country, and affirmed his Government’s determination to avert the spread of Tuareg attacks.

“The security equilibrium in the northern regions of Niger and Mali is especially volatile due to the enhanced presence and heightened activity there of the Al Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb group and other criminal networks who use these vast, poorly guarded and largely desert territories as safe havens and training ground for their illicit operations,” said Mr. Pascoe.

He said that despite the structural challenges that international and regional efforts to address the Sahel problems would face, the readiness of all the countries inside and outside the region, as well as regional organisations and the UN system, to work together to develop a more comprehensive and coherent approach is encouraging.

“It is critical that the international community responds to the strong and consistent calls by the concerned countries to support ongoing initiatives.

“Some of the problems are directly related to the fall of the [Muammar] al-Qadhafi regime in Libya, but the mission’s interlocutors emphasized that most of the problems are long-standing ones, and current drought conditions make it obvious that the overall situation could deteriorate quickly,” said Mr. Pascoe.

He told the Council that a ministerial-level meeting is planned to review the situation in Sahel during the Africa Union Summit next weekend and develop approaches to deal with the problems. The report of the UN-led mission, which was headed by Sam Ibok, the Deputy Director of the UN Department of Political Affairs’ Africa II Division, will be discussed at that meeting.


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NEW UN REPORT SHOWS SHARP RISE IN PALESTINIANS UPROOTED BY ISRAELI DEMOLITIONS

Almost 1,100 Palestinians, over half of them children, were displaced due to home demolitions in the West Bank by Israeli forces in 2011 – over 80 per cent more than in the previous year – according to a United Nations report released today.

“Demolitions and Forced Displacement in the Occupied West Bank,” prepared by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), adds that an additional 4,200 people were affected by the demolition of structures related to their livelihoods.

The report states that Israeli forces destroyed 622 structures owned by Palestinians including homes, animal shelters, classrooms and mosques – a 42 per cent increase compared to 2010.

In addition, over 60 per cent of the Palestinian-owned structures demolished in 2011 were located in areas allocated to Israeli settlements.

The report adds that that 90 per cent of the demolitions and 92 per cent of the displacement occurred in already vulnerable farming and herding communities in the territory known as “Area C” – which represents over 60 per cent of the West Bank where Israel retains control over security, planning and building.

Meanwhile, the report states that there was a “significant” decrease compared to previous years, with 42 structures demolished. However, at least 93,100 residents who live in structures built without a permit, remain at risk of displacement.

“The forced displacement of Palestinian families and the destruction of civilian homes and other property by Israeli forces in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, have a serious humanitarian impact,” the report points out, adding that the impact on families’ psychosocial well-being can be “devastating.”

It adds that Israel, as the occupying power in the West Bank, has the obligation to protect Palestinian civilians and to administer the territory for their benefit.

During a visit to Israel and the occupied Palestinian territory last May, the Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and head of OCHA, Valerie Amos, urged Israel to end its evictions policy and to look carefully at the key humanitarian concerns of demolitions and displacement in the West Bank.


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CôTE D’IVOIRE: SECURITY IMPROVING BUT ROOT CAUSES OF UNREST REMAIN – UN ENVOY

The security situation in Côte d’Ivoire is stabilizing nine months after the end of the violence that shook the country following presidential elections in late 2010, but the underlying causes of instability and unrest have not been fully addressed, the United Nations top official in the West African country told the Security Council today.

“The security situation is stabilizing, those displaced have started to return, the economy is starting to show resilience and the legislative elections were held successfully,” Bert Koenders, the Secretary-General’s Special Representative and head of the UN Operation in Côte d’Ivoire (UNOCI), told the Council in a briefing.

The post-electoral crisis erupted in Côte d’Ivoire when former president Laurent Gbagbo refused to step down after he lost a UN-certified election to Alassane Ouattara, who was eventually sworn in after Mr. Gbagbo surrendered in April last year.

“The root causes of instability and potential triggers of violence have remained,” said Mr. Koenders. “Important challenges and issues relating to security and national reconciliation should not be underestimated and require the political attention of the Council,” he said.

Mr. Koenders underscored that the Ivorian Government still needed UNOCI’s support, to restore stability, through the reform of institutions, facilitating disarmament, demobilization and reintegration of former combatants, protection of civilians and aiding in the return of refugees and internally displaced persons.

Mr. Koenders told the Council that the holding of legislative elections last month in a relatively peaceful atmosphere was a significant achievement for Côte d’Ivoire, and marked a major step forward in the restoration of constitutional order and the introduction of more inclusive governance.

He is mandated by the Council to certify that all stages of the electoral process were held in accordance with international standards, and promised to do so after the national institutions have evaluated the process.

Overall, the security situation has remained relatively calm, but incidents of insecurity in the western areas of the country, including criminal activity and the threat of cross-border movement of armed groups has continued to pose a threat to Côte d’Ivoire’s stability, Mr. Koenders added.


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UN OFFICIAL CALLS ON MYANMAR TO FOSTER PRIVATE-PUBLIC PARTNERSHIPS TO SUPPORT REFORMS

A top United Nations official called today on the Government of Myanmar to boost partnerships between the private and public sectors to support the country’s recent reforms as well as to help accelerate development and job creation in the country.

“Myanmar is experiencing a new beginning that is generating an unprecedented sense of hope for a future where opportunities are created for all, including the poorest and most marginalized segments of the population,” said the Executive Secretary of the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), Noeleen Heyzer, during a meeting with Myanmar’s President, Thein Sein.

Ms. Heyzer noted that investment can play a significant role in supporting the President’s reform agenda and Myanmar’s social and economic development goals, and added that for partnerships to be successful open dialogue must occur between all stakeholders.

Her remarks were made during a two-day forum organized by the Government and ESCAP in the city of Yangon to forge public-private partnerships.

“We hope that this workshop will help Myanmar’s public and private sectors to respect and build on each others strengths, learn a common language of investment partnership, and create a new environment to achieve key development goals,” Ms. Heyzer said.

The President stated that the country needs “private sector investment to contribute to national development and inclusive growth,” and affirmed his hope that “ESCAP will continue to be a trusted partner and help develop a framework for public-private partnerships for development in Myanmar.”

Representatives from Government ministries and more than 130 members of the private sector took part in the meeting, the first in a series that will focus on the infrastructure sector.

Speaking about possible future developments, Ms. Heyzer offered to convene a special session of ESCAP’s Asia-Pacific Business Forum when the international community is ready to lift restrictions on investment in Myanmar.

Last year, Myanmar started a series of democratic reforms that are slowly opening the country.


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BAN CONDEMNS KILLING OF SYRIAN ARAB RED CRESCENT CHIEF

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon condemned today the killing of the head of the Syrian Arab Red Crescent, Abd-al-Razzaq Jbeiro.

According to media reports, Mr. Jbeiro, the Secretary-General of the humanitarian organization, was shot dead in an attack that targeted a vehicle he was driving in that was clearly marked with the Red Crescent emblem.

Mr. Ban extended his condolences to Mr. Jbeiro’s family and colleagues and called on the Syrian Government to investigate the crime and bring the perpetrators to justice.

In a statement issued by his spokesperson, Mr. Ban also reminded everyone of their obligation to “respect and protect humanitarian workers as they perform their duties and impartially serve all those who are in need.”

The UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, Valerie Amos, also said she was deeply shocked by Mr. Jbeiro’s killing and sent her sincere condolences to his family and colleagues, on behalf of the humanitarian community.

The murder “serves to remind us of the dangers faced by humanitarian workers in Syria and in other crisis situations,” said Ms. Amos, who is also the UN Humanitarian Coordinator.

“All humanitarians work on the basis of strict impartiality and neutrality. We want to save lives and protect the vulnerable. These principles must be respected,” she stressed.

Last week, Mr. Ban renewed his call on the Syrian authorities to end the ongoing bloodshed in the country, which has, since March, been in a maelstrom of an uprising which has led to the deaths of more than 5,000 people.


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YEMEN: SECURITY COUNCIL URGES TIMELY, INCLUSIVE POLITICAL TRANSITION

Yemen’s forthcoming presidential election will be an opportunity for the country to embark on a transitional process that strengthens national dialogue and leads to a political system that will be more inclusive and open to greater participation by all citizens, says the Security Council.

In a press statement issued last night after a briefing by Jamal Benomar, the Secretary-General’s Special Adviser for Yemen, the Council welcomed the progress towards the implementation of the political transition, based on the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) initiative.

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 Council reiterated that the GCC initiative and its implementation mechanism must be fulfilled in a transparent and timely manner, and in a spirit of inclusion and reconciliation.

In his briefing yesterday, Mr. Benomar told the Council that for the 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,” he added.

Voicing concern over deteriorating security and the increasing presence of Al-Qaida in Yemen, the Council reiterated its unequivocal condemnation of terrorism in all its forms and manifestations.

“The members of the Security Council urged all the parties in Yemen to reject violence, refrain from provocations, and cooperate with the Military Affairs Committee to fully implement the [GCC] implementation mechanism and Security Council resolution,” said the statement that was issued to the press by Ambassador Baso Sangqu of South Africa, which holds the Council’s presidency this month.

“The members of the Security Council reiterated that all those responsible for human rights violations and abuses, including acts of violence, must be held accountable. They reaffirmed their commitment to the territorial integrity, sovereignty and unity of Yemen.”

The Council also stated that it remains gravely concerned over the humanitarian situation in Yemen, including the severe food insecurity, alarming levels of malnutrition, and increasing numbers of internally displaced persons.

It urged donors to support the $447 million humanitarian appeal for Yemen this year, and called on the Government of National Unity to begin to address the humanitarian and economic challenges facing the country. The Council also welcomed the World Bank’s efforts to resume its programmes in Yemen.


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UN LAUNCHES ONLINE DATABASE TO HELP BUSINESSES ADAPT TO CLIMATE CHANGE

A new online database launched today by the United Nations will showcase successful strategies that businesses and communities are using to adapt to climate change while simultaneously increasing their profits and using their resources more efficiently.

The database, which can be accessed through the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) website, features more than 100 examples from companies such as Coca-Cola, Levi’s, Microsoft and Starbucks, which share the details of their business-friendly adaptation practices.

“By showcasing private sector adaptation success stories, we intend to help both communities and businesses become more climate-resilient and to put the benefits and business sense of adaptation firmly on the agenda of the private sector,” said UNFCCC Executive Secretary Christiana Figueres, speaking from the World Economic Forum in Davos.

“Climate risks which affect communities around the world are always also business risks,” she added.

Examples of best practices in the database include efforts to make drinking water clean and safe in developing countries and efforts to improve the yield of coffee beans in regions that are particularly vulnerable to climate change. They also cover activities such as the development of climate-friendly goods and services and climate proofing the supply chains of companies.

Ms. Figueres underscored the importance of businesses and governments implementing measures to prepare for natural disasters such as massive floods, as these have a big impact on the operation of local and global businesses.

“The initiatives detailed in the database both show how the private sector can secure early advantages by adapting without waiting for absolute policy certainty at the international level, and how governments and the private sector can work together to respond to climate change now. Public-private partnerships and cooperation with a wide range of stakeholders is becoming increasingly important to ensure successful implementation,” Ms. Figueres said.

In addition to the new database, the UNFCCC secretariat’s Momentum for Change Initiative provides a platform to showcase successful public-private partnerships at all levels that have led to positive changes for both people and the climate.

The database is part of a wider effort by UNFCCC following the UN Climate Change Conference in Durban, South Africa, to prioritize adaptation efforts as well as mitigation of natural disasters.


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PERPETRATORS OF ‘HEINOUS’ ATTACKS IN NIGERIA MUST BE BROUGHT TO JUSTICE – SECURITY COUNCIL

The Security Council has strongly condemned the multiple terrorist attacks that occurred in Kano, Nigeria, in recent days, causing numerous deaths and injuries, and underlined the need to bring the perpetrators to justice.

The 15-member body expressed its deep sympathy and condolences to the victims of these “heinous crimes” and their families, and to the people and Government of Nigeria, in a statement issued to the press last night.

Multiple attacks across Kano last week resulted in large-scale casualties and massive destruction to property, with media reports saying that some 150 people were killed during a series of explosions targeting police buildings and immigration centres around the northern city.

“The members of the Security Council reaffirmed that terrorism in all its forms and manifestations is criminal and unjustifiable, regardless of its motivation, wherever, whenever and by whomsoever committed, and should not be associated with any religion, nationality, civilization or ethnic group,” said the statement.

“The members of the Security Council underlined the need to bring perpetrators, organizers, financiers and sponsors of these reprehensible acts of terrorism to justice, and urged all States, in accordance with their obligations under international law and relevant Security Council resolutions, to cooperate actively with the Nigerian authorities in this regard.”


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UN AGENCY HONOURS ARCHBISHOP EMERITUS DESMOND TUTU AS CHAMPION AGAINST HUNGER

The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) today is honouring Nobel Peace Prize Laureate and activist Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu for his efforts in the battle against hunger and his advocacy on behalf of the world’s most vulnerable people.

“I can think of no more worthy individual as a recipient of this honour, than a man who has confronted tyranny and defended the weak and the hungry, armed with nothing but the strength of his faith and the unwavering belief in upholding the rights of the oppressed,” said WFP Executive Director Josette Sheeran.

WFP will present its Global Champion Against Hunger award to Archbishop Emeritus Tutu of South Africa during a dinner at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, later today.

The Archbishop Emeritus has been a “staunch advocate” for universal human rights, including the right to food, as well as the rights to clean water, shelter, hygiene, sanitation and health care, the agency noted in a news release.

“There are some problems so big and so entrenched it is easy to believe they will never be solved. Hunger is one of these problems,” Archbishop Emeritus Tutu said last year. “Yet a lifetime of experience has taught me that there is no problem so great it cannot be solved, no injustice so deeply entrenched it cannot be overcome. And that includes hunger.”

He is the fourth recipient of the Global Champion Against Hunger award, whose past recipients include former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia, and Peter Bakker, former CEO of global logistics company TNT and WFP Ambassador Against Hunger.

During tonight’s dinner, WFP will also launch its commemoration of 50 years as the UN’s frontline agency in the fight against hunger.

In a related development, the UN expert on the right to food, Olivier De Schutter, today urged ministers gathered in Davos to acknowledge the relationship between globalization and human rights, saying that “globalization should serve human rights and sustainable development, rather than being a process blind to its impacts on the individuals affected.”

Referring to the theme of this year’s Forum, “The Great Transformation,” the expert stated in a news release that the real great transformation must go beyond rectifying the imbalances in developed world debt to gross domestic product (GDP) ratios.

“We must finally pay attention to the wider imbalances that are the symptoms of unfettered globalization. All around the world people have fallen foul of economic processes that consign whole regions to abandonment or degradation and trap whole population groups in perpetual poverty,” said Mr. De Schutter, who reports to the UN Human Rights Council in an independent and unpaid capacity.


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