United Nations Daily Highlights, 05-08-26

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From: The United Nations Home Page at <http://www.un.org> - email: unnews@un.org

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE SPOKESMAN'S NOON

BRIEFING

BY MARIE OKABE

DEPUTY

SPOKESMAN FOR THE SECRETARY-GENERAL

UN HEADQUARTERS, NEW YORK

Friday, August 26, 2005

KOFI ANNAN CONGRATULATES BURUNDI ON PRESIDENTIAL INAUGURATION

A ceremony to mark the inauguration of Burundis first elected president in more than a decade was held in the capital of Bujumbura today.

To mark the occasion,

Secretary-General Kofi Annan has sent a message in which he congratulates the people of Burundi for their efforts during that countrys transition process.

He also pays special tribute to Burundis Transitional Government and its leaders, and expresses gratitude to other parties, such as the African Union, which have also helped in Burundis peace process.

The Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, Jean-Marie Guehenno, delivered the message on the Secretary-Generals behalf.

SECURITY COUNCIL TOLD LEBANON BOMB PROBE ADVANCING

The

Security Council was briefed late yesterday by the Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs, Ibrahim Gambari, on the work of the

International Independent Investigation Commission which is investigating the death of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri in Beirut earlier this year.

Speaking to the press afterwards, the Security Council

President, Ambassador Kenzo Oshima of Japan,

said that Council members noted with satisfaction that the Commission has significantly advanced the course of its investigation, and reiterated their full support to the Commission.

The Council members also reiterated their call on all states and all parties, especially those who are yet to respond adequately, to cooperate fully in order to expedite the work of the Commission.

Gambari also spoke with the press after his briefing. He noted that the Commissions head,

Detlev Mehlis, is meeting Syrian government representatives in Geneva today and that Mehlis will be in New York next month.

SOMALIA: U.N. ENVOY HEADS TO EGYPT AND ETHIOPIA FOR TALKS

The Secretary Generals Special Representative for Somalia,

Francois Lonseny Fall, will visit Egypt and Ethiopia this weekend for consultations on the Somali peace process.

Fall is expected to meet on Saturday with Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit and the Secretary-General of the League of Arab States, Amre Moussa.

On Sunday, he will travel to Ethiopia to meet with the Chairman of the Commission of the African Union, Alpha Omar Konare. While in Addis Ababa, he is also expected to meet with the Ethiopian authorities.

UNITED NATIONS CALLS TUBERCULOSIS AN EMERGENCY IN AFRICA

The World Health Organizations Regional Committee for Africa, which comprises health ministers from 46 Member States, has

declared tuberculosis an emergency on the continent.

The resolution, adopted today at the end of the Committee's fifty-fifth session in Maputo, Mozambique, comes in response to an epidemic that has more than quadrupled the annual number of new tuberculosis cases in most African countries since 1990, and is killing more than half a million people every year.

In related news, the Stop Tuberculosis Partnership, which is housed at WHO Headquarters in Geneva, is calling for $2.2 billion in new funding for control of the disease in Africa.

UNITED NATIONS TO INVESTIGATE CHOLERA OUTBREAK IN SOUTHERN NIGER

The World Health Organization (WHO) says it is concerned by cholera outbreaks in southern Niger, near the border with Nigeria. Given the high fatality rate, a WHO team will be going to the region on Sunday to investigate the matter.

Throughout West Africa, the cholera wave, which began several weeks ago, has already led to 500 deaths out of over 31,000 reported cases.

WHO is working with partners to strengthen surveillance activities, among other things, and water chlorination supplies have been dispatched to some of the countries. But all efforts are being seriously constrained by the lack of resources.

U.N. FOOD AGENCY SAYS 90,000 REFUGEES FORGOTTEN

The World Food Programme (WFP)

says it is concerned by the forgotten plight of 90,000 Eritrean and Ethiopian refugees in Sudan, who are completely dependent on the agencys food aid.

WFP needs more than $9 million to feed the refugees until the end of the current operation in 2006.

The agency says that the levels of malnutrition among children under five are particularly alarming.

NEW AIRPORT IN SOUTHERN SUDAN TO IMPROVE AID ACCESS

The World Food Programme

says it has handed over an airport upgraded at more than $1 million to the local government in the South Sudan interim capital of Rumbek to provide greater access to the south.

The new airport will provide greater access to southern Sudan where poor roads, an annual rainy season and insecurity are major obstacles to transport and commerce. The runway is long enough to accommodate aircraft as large as Hercules C-130s.

WFP will continue using Rumbek airport as part of its emergency aid operation in the south, which is struggling to recover from drought and civil war.

GENERAL ASSEMBLY TO DISCUSS U.N. REFORM THIS AFTERNOON

The General Assembly will hold an informal plenary meeting at 3 p.m. this afternoon on the next stage of the draft outcome document on UN reform for the September summit.

Asked if the Secretary-General had become disengaged from the process, given his absences from UN Headquarters, the Spokeswoman said that UN reform is a key topic which the Secretary-General has had at the forefront of his discussions throughout his world. "The issue of UN reform, the urgency of it, the stakes involved in it, have been the key topics he's discussed, whether this was in Africa, Asia... the subject of UN reform and his vision and his hopes for member states to seize upon this opportunity have been at the forefront of his visits," the Spokeswoman added.

Asked if the Secretary-General is concerned that the actions of a few countries could derail the UNs proposed reform process as well as the prospects for the outcome of the world summit, the Spokeswoman noted that, "We are looking at some serious involvement by member states." She also said that the process is now in the hands of the UNs Member States, and that the Secretary-General remains optimistic and watching the process very closely.

OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS

TALKS ON IRAQI CONSTITUTION ARE IRAQI-LED: Asked about the discussions underway for a new Iraqi constitution, the Spokeswoman said that the process is an Iraqi-led one, and the Secretary-Generals Special Representative for Iraq, Ashraf Qazi, has been active in the process and the UN Assistance Mission for Iraq has been providing technical assistance as requested.

BOLIVIA CHECK BRINGS PAID-UP HONOR ROLL TO 108: With the arrival of a check today from Bolivia the honor roll of fully paid-up member states has reached 108. Bolivia sent in a check for about $160,000 today.