Friday, 6 February 2004
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UN Hold Ministerial Pledging Conference on Liberia

Ministers from donor countries are today holding a pledging conference on Liberia at UN Headquarters in New York. The meeting is seeking to raise close to $500 million to help Liberia rebuild following 14 years of war. In his opening statement, UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan said Liberia had been consumed by a tragic and ruinous cycle of conflict and misrule, killing thousands of people and driving hundreds of thousands from their homes:

"Most of what little infrastructure there was has been destroyed. Fear and mistrust remain widespread. This reconstruction conference is meant to demonstrate international solidarity with Liberia at a decisive moment."

The Secretary-General reminded the participants that recent humanitarian appeals for Liberia remained largely unfunded.

UNHCR Prepares to Move Sudanese Refugees from Chadian Border

The UN High Commissioner for Refugees will start moving Sudanese refugees from a second border area in Chad on Saturday. The first of thousands of the refugees will be taken to a transit centre at Touloum about 80 kilometres from the border. UNHCR's spokesman in Geneva, Ron Redmond, says the transit centre will house the refugees for up to two weeks while a full-fledged camp on the same site is being finished:

" Some 350 refugees will travel tomorrow, and additional groups will move on Sunday and the following days until all 4,361 of the registered refugees in the Tine area have been relocated."

Some of the refugees who are being moved from Tine fled to Chad following the bombing of their villages in Sudan in January.

Head of UN Mission in Kosovo Says Dialogue with Belgrade Can Resolve Issues of Missing Persons and Returns

The head of the UN mission in Kosovo, Harri Holkeri, said today that dialogue between the province and Belgrade can resolve practical issues. Addressing the Security Council which discussed the situation in the UN-administered province, he said dialogue constitutes a confidence building measure and a demonstration of good will. Mr. Holkeri said one of the dialogue topics is the issue of returns. He cautioned that as 2003 demonstrated, the situation in Kosovo remains fragile:

"Real movement on returns in 2004 will depend both on continuing improvement in the security and freedom of movement situation in Kosovo, and on the extent to which the people and leaders of Kosovo dedicate themselves to working with the displaced to support sustainable returns."

Mr. Holkeri added that real movement on returns will also depend on the constructive position of the Belgrade authorities and the continuing commitment of the international community.

UN Human Rights Official Is Concerned About Human Rights Violations in Nepal

The Acting High Commissioner for Human Rights, Bertrand Ramacharan, has expressed concern at the increasing number of reported human rights violations in Nepal. The government has faced a rebellion by Maoist fighters since 1996. Spokesman Jose Luis Diaz, says the Acting Human Rights Commissioner reiterated his call on both parties to urgently sign the human rights agreement to demonstrate their commitment to international human rights and humanitarian law:

"The implementation of the accord, he says in the statement, would help to protect civilians and could build confidence between the parties in the conflict in that country."

The Secretary-General is Appalled to Learn of Terror in Moscow

UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, has said he was appalled to learn of yet another indiscriminate act of terrorism in Moscow this morning. In a statement issued by his spokesman, he said no cause whatsoever could justify such heinous crimes. A bomb blast on an underground railway killed 39 people. The Secretary-General reiterated his adamant opposition to all acts of terrorism from whatever quarter. He conveyed his heartfelt condolences to the Government and citizens of Russia.