Monday, 5 January 2004
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Annan Welcomes Accord on New Constitution for Afghanistan

The UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan has praised delegates participating in Afghanistan's loya jirga or grand council for reaching an agreement on a new constitution for the country. The accord came on Sunday after extensive public debate of the original draft of the constitution. Speaking through his spokesman, Fred Eckhard, the Secretary-General said the agreement represents the determination of the Afghan people to establish a stable and democratic state.

"This is another important step in the peace process that justifies the commitment of the Afghan people and the international community to date and which must be sustained if not increased."

The Secretary-General said he was gratified that the United Nations contributed to this achievement. He commended his special envoy Ambassador Lakhdar Brahimi for the vital role he played in facilitating the agreement.

India/Pakistan talks a step forward in resolving issues: Annan

The UN Secretary-General has welcomed the meetings held in Islamabad yesterday and today between Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Pakistani President Pervez Musharaf and his Prime Minister Zafurullah Khan Jamali. In a statement today, he said he considered that these meetings represent another step forward in the continuing bilateral efforts to improve relations and resolve issues between the two countries. The Secretary-General urged both India and Pakistan to continue with these efforts and expressed the hope that the summit meetings would give a new impetus to serious and sustained dialogue.

WHO and China Confirm SARS Case in Southern China

The World Health Organization and the Chinese Ministry of Health have confirmed that a 32 year old television producer has contracted Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome or SARS. This is the first case of the disease in six months. A WHO expert on SARS, Dr. Julie Hall says although it has taken this long to confirm the case, the patient has been isolated while the tests were being conducted.

"He is said to be improving and in a stable condition and the contacts that he has had have been traced and the 81 people that have been identified have been followed up and they are all said to be well. And as far as we can tell, there is no ongoing transmission from him to other human beings."

The Chinese authorities have also announced that they plan to slaughter thousands of civets, which are small cat-like animals suspected of carrying the virus that causes SARS.

UNHCR prepares for one of its largest operations in Sudan

The UN High Commissioner for Refugees, UNHCR, is preparing for what it believes will be one of its largest refugee repatriation this year. Aid workers from the UN refugee agency are already in Sudan awaiting an agreement between the Sudanese Government and southern rebel groups to end two decades of war. In anticipation of that accord, UNHCR sent an eight-person team to Sudan last month which first held meetings in the capital Khartoum. It then traveled to Juba and other areas in southern Sudan to review the needs for a possible repatriation operation. UNHCR spokesman Ron Redmond says the agency wants to ensure there is infrastructure for people to go back.

"It may require providing them with a substantial amount of assistance. For example tools, agricultural seeds, that kind of thing. We have to determine what sort of return packages people will need so that they can begin rebuilding."

UNHCR estimates that some four million people have been displaced by the civil war within Sudan. Over half a million are living in neighbouring states as refugees.

UN Launches Competition for Landscape Projects in Southern Lebanon

A UN national competition for landscape projects in Southern Lebanon officially started today. The competition entitled "Seeing the South" has been organized by the Office of the Personal Representative of the Secretary-General in Lebanon. Its objective is to design projects that encourage people to familiarize themselves with and have a deeper understanding of Southern Lebanon. The competition, which is divided into two phases, is open to all university students and recent graduates of Lebanese universities.