We reiterate our request for those who hold them to set them free so they can join their families and their friends.

This is the wish of their families, friends and colleagues. Judging by the number of messages of solidarity that we continue to receive, this is also the wish of Afghans.

Yesterday, for example, at a ceremony to launch new books by an Afghan woman writer, Ms. Nahid, over 50 women renewed their offer to replace our three colleagues who are in captivity. Their call followed a statement by some 20 of them early last week offering to take the place of the three colleagues to enable their safe release.

A businessman and his family, as well as a group of four other Afghans, made similar offers as a means to guarantee the freedom of Annetta, Shqipe and Lito.

In a letter to them and to all those who sent us messages of solidarity, Special Representative Jean Arnault expressed our deep gratitude for the appeal they made in support of the release of our colleagues. Their statements, Arnault went on to say, give the families and us at the United Nations "hope and strength in these trying times".

In addition, as we speak, General Dostum is expected to be formally handing over 50 tanks at a ceremony in Sherbegan at 53 Division Headquarters. We hope that this demonstrated willingness to disarm the 8th Corps, and to turn over a considerable quantity of heavy weapons, will encourage other commanders to follow this lead and bring stability to Afghanistan.

In addition to this exercise in the north, other disarmament movements are scheduled to be happening this week in Kabul and Faizabad. All of them together are likely to possibly make this week one where a very large number of former officers and soldiers will have disarmed.

The ANBP asked us to remind you that former commanders have been alerted by the government of Afghanistan that if their units fail to undergo disarmament as scheduled, salaries and logistical support will be cut and eventually the unit will be decommissioned.

To date, US$ 950,000 has been secured for this short-term project. Almost two thirds of the funds have already been allocated to the 26 provinces of Afghanistan. These funds have been used for the purchase or hiring of 27 water tankers to reach remote villages; the construction of 255 wells, of which two deep wells are now completed; and the cleaning of 11 karezes.

The Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation and Development (MRRD) is leading the project which also involves the Ministry of Irrigation, the Ministry of Agriculture, as well as relevant NGOs and UN agencies. The United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) manages disbursement of funds and assists, in collaboration with the Afghans, with the procurement of goods and services.

The money for the Provincial Emergency Fund has been provided by UNOPS, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the Canadian Government and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

While this fund has been established, a US$ 71.3 million appeal has been launched to tackle the long-term effects of the drought. This appeal includes US$ 51.8 for food and US$ 19.4 million for non-food items, from September 2004 to February 2005.

Nearly 1.4 million people are in the process of benefiting from WFP intervention in these affected areas. This effort has as a target to distribute up to 80,000 Metric Tons (MT) of various food commodities, worth US$ 52 million, until the harvest season in May 2005.

I thought it was an interesting and unusual logo, and I was wondering about the concept behind this design. In fact, this logo is meant to show that microfinance is a tool - I believe this is what the arrows coming out illustrate - but also the enormous power that access to basic financial resources can bring to people, like the energy of a whirlwind.

A couple of facts on microfinancing in Afghanistan. There is a national programme called MISFA (Microfinance Investment and Support Facility for Afghanistan). Since March 2003 it has issued 57,000 loans and hopes to reach 100,000 clients by March next year. The rate of return in this country is amongst the highest in the world with 98% of clients fully repaying their loans in six months. To further deliver the message home, consider that the rate of return when borrowing from commercial banks is between 60-65%.

The Global MicroEntrepreneurship Awards distributed a total of five money prizes of US $300 to candidates from a group of 19 submissions. We are happy to have with us today two winners who will be sharing their experiences with you. They are Najiba and Shakila and they are accompanied by Katryn Fakiri, Director, and Abdul Aziz, Operations Manager of the PARWAZ Microfinance Institution. PARWAZ is one of 9 agencies associated with MISFA and offering microcredit in the country. Also with us is Ajmal Ahmady, the organizing member of the Global MicroEntrepreneurship Awards. Both Najiba and Shakila only speak Dari, so Ms. Fakiri will translate for our English speaking journalists.

Najiba and Shakila were chosen as winners for their extremely high level of success in running their respective businesses, their strong sense of leadership - both manage a group of workers - and how each overcame tremendous odds and hardships to make it.

Questions & Answers:

Question: Your appeal to the hostage takers, do you think it will work for their release?

Spokesman: I hope so.

Question: I have two questions about DDR and heavy weapons. First some information about the 50 tanks, were they part of the heavy weapons surveyed, and secondly was General Dostum encouraged by the United Nations to surrender such a large number of heavy weapons to ANBP?

Spokesman: Well, you have to ask General Dostum why, I am not his spokesman. [But let me try to think this through with you] We have been in contact, especially the Ministry of Defence, all these months with all those who can have a positive impact on DDR. However, you have to think that reality is dynamic. You have had an election, for example, where General Dostum had an important number of votes. Who knows if that is meaning something special for him? Maybe the elections are showing people that we are indeed moving from the rule of the gun to hopefully the beginning of a new reality where the leadership is established on the basis of the will of the people. Let's hope that this is what is happening. Let's hope not only with General Dostum, but also with other leaders in this country. This can have a significant impact in moving forward to a situation where people will feel safer and where conditions will be in place for development [projects] to enable people to have jobs, schools, and health centers. People have suffered for too long and too much. Those who are in a position to influence these changes have a responsibility to their people, not to anybody else, to do something.

Regarding the tanks, yes they are part of the heavy weapons inventory. And if you are also asking me whether we believe there are only 5,000, we will know that once the exercise is concluded. As we have said a few times before, those numbers have fluctuated a bit, not tremendously but a bit, because sometimes we discover new places with weapons and that has to be added to the overall initial estimates.

Question: Can you speak about the percentages of heavy weapons cantonment?

Spokesman: I believe in the last briefing we mentioned to you that as of last Thursday (November 18) 88% of all heavy weapons considered operational or repairable had been cantoned. So it is not 88% of all heavy weapons in the country but 88% of those that really count, namely those that can be repaired or are operational.

Question: Regarding the recent UNODC report citing the increase in poppy cultivation in Afghanistan, how do you explain the increase?

Spokesman: I cannot say anything more relevant than what Mr. Antonio Maria Costa, who is the executive director the UN Office for Drugs and Crime, already said. This is a matter of tremendous concern. Fortunately, the Afghan government acknowledges this concern, as well as the international community. Many actions are required to address the problem, from dealing directly with the crops to promoting realistic alternative means of livelihood for those involved in this form of agriculture, to law enforcement and to educating the public.

Questions: Who will organize the fighting against poppy cultivation?

Spokesman: That I will have to refer you to the government.

Questions: Is that the US government?

Spokesman: I am really not the source for that. I don't know enough about that aspect [of the problem].

Question: As you mentioned earlier, disarmament exercises will begin later this week in Kabul and Faizabad, can you give us the names of the commanders involved?

Spokesman: I don't have that with me, but we will contact our colleagues in ANPB. If it is appropriate, in the next briefing, we can share that with you. But we need to get their advice.