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Thursday, 12 August 2004
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Security Council Votes to Extend UN Mission in Iraq

The UN Security Council voted Thursday to extend the UN mission in Iraq for a year. All 15 members of the Council supported the resolution which says, "the United Nations should play a leading role in assisting the Iraqi people and government in the formation of institutions for representative government." The representative of Pakistan, Ambassador Munir Akram, says it was a necessary decision to extend the mandate of the mission:

"This is obviously an indication of the continued commitment of the United Nations and of the Security Council to play a role in bringing peace and stability to Iraq."

In a report to the Security Council last week, Secretary-General Kofi Annan warned that "the UN will remain a high-value, high-impact target for attack in Iraq."

ILO Urges Targeted Programmes to Cut Youth Unemployment

.Governments are being urged to focus on cutting unemployment among youth. A report by the International Labour Office (ILO) says half the world's jobless are under 24. It says tackling youth unemployment would be a significant contribution to the global economy. Jane Stewart is Director of the ILO's Programme on Skills and Employment:

" We talk about the importance of increasing economic growth, but that growth has to be pro-employment growth. That's not enough and for those that are most disadvantaged, there have to be targeted and integrated programmes that deal with the real and specific issues of individuals or groups of people."

Ms. Stewart says youth are not the problem. Rather she adds, youth are the solution to the drive to improve both social and economic livelihood.

Annan Calls for Generational Interdependence

Today is International Youth Day. It's being observed under the theme "Youth in an Intergenerational Society". In a message marking the occasion, Secretary-General Kofi Annan called for generational interdependence and recognition of the fact that all members of society have contributions to make and needs to fulfill. The Secretary-General said young people everywhere are preparing for productive, meaningful lives in work, society and family.
But he said to be successful they need access to education and health care. Mr. Annan said they must also overcome obstacles such as HIV/AIDS, drug abuse, crime and persistent unemployment which frustrate the potential of too many young people at a crucial stage in their lives.

UN Launches Urgent Appeal for Bangladesh

The United Nations has launched an urgent global appeal for more than $200 million of emergency aid to feed millions of people in Bangladesh. The UN says millions of people in Bangladesh are facing severe food shortages as their food stocks have been exhausted and many have sold their assets to survive after floods devastated thousands of villages, submerged crops and washed away homes. UN resident coordinator in Bangladesh Jorgen Lissner says the objective of the appeal is to meet the immediate relief and early recovery needs of the people.

"The appeal we have issued is focused on the six months we are now facing where we may get more flooding but eve if we do not, we have large stretches of Bangladesh currently under stale water that does not flow out into the Bay of Bengal."

Mr. Lissner says funds are also urgently needed for health care and sanitation programmes.

Lack of Security Preventing Voluntary Returns In Darfur: Pronk

The UN special envoy to Sudan Jan Pronk says a lack of security in Darfur will prevent more than a million displaced people from voluntarily returning home. Mr. Pronk says he has received a commitment from the government that it will not force people to return to their homes. Speaking at a press conference, the special envoy describes the Darfur situation as a tragedy. He urged the Government of Sudan to do more to end the 18-month conflict in Western Sudan in which thousands have been killed.

Special Representative in Burundi denounces acts of Violence

The Special Representative for Burundi has strongly denounced continuing acts of violence against the civilian population in the country. In a press statement Thursday, Carolyn McCaskie notes continuing evidence of arbitrary executions, torture, sexual violence and arbitrary detention committed by armed men against civilians. She adds that these acts are carried out with total impunity and calls for all belligerent parties to end the violence and respect human rights and international humanitarian law.