Thursday, 8 January 2004
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UN Launches Flash Appeal for Iran Earthquake

The head of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, Jan Egeland today launched a flash appeal in Bam for over $31 million to help Iran recover from the earthquake that devastated the city last month. The UN estimates that approximately 30,000 people died in the quake, thousands more were injured and others left homeless. The appeal also covers the health needs of the Iranian victims of the earthquake. Dr. David Heymann said the money will continue relief work following the acute phase immediately after the earthquake struck.

"Then the intermediate phase which is the next three months is $4 million for health. And the reconstruction which 12 months after that is $27 to 30 million approximately."

FAO Study Says Tobacco Use Is Expected to Increase in Developing Countries

A study published by the Food and Agriculture Organization today projects an increase in tobacco demand until the year 2010. The report says that while in developed countries tobacco smoking will continue to decline, in developing countries it will increase. FAO Senior Consumer Specialist Bryan Moir cites some of the factors for this trend.

"In developing countries generally incomes and populations are growing fastest and also the awareness of the dangers of smoking: all the government measures, the restrictions on smoking we see in developed countries typically do not apply or to not apply to the same extent in developing countries."

The FAO report says developing countries are also expected to increase their share in world tobacco production.

UN Says Elections Likely To Be Delayed in Afghanistan

Dangerous security conditions in Afghanistan are making it unlikely that elections can be held in June as originally planned. That according to the spokesman for the UN Mission in Afghanistan, Manoel De Almeida E Silva. He says in order to have elections by the scheduled date, there is need to conclude the registration of about 10 million Afghans eligible to vote.

"We have been registering for a little bit over one month now and we have 270,000 people registered which is good but is, of course, very far away from the 10 million number. And the reason the rate is very slow is because our registration teams cannot go to all areas of the country."

Mr. De Almeida says the UN mission does not expect a longer delay of more than two to three months unless security conditions change.

UN Secretary-General Sees Momentum in North Korea Talks

The UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan says he feels there is a growing momentum for the resumption of the talks on the nuclear programme of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. The six part talks include the United States, Russia, Japan, and South Korea. In a statement the Secretary-General says while urging the parties to the talks to intensify their preparations, he is encouraged by the recent statements by North Korea.

Head of UN Peackeeping Visits Pakistan and Bangladesh

The Head of UN peacekeeping Jean Marie Guehenno has completed visit to Pakistan where he met with President Pervez Musharaf and other senior officials. He is now traveling to Bangladesh. Mr. Guehenno went to the region as part of his efforts to encourage member states to contribute troops to UN peacekeeping missions anticipated this year.

Many Countries Will Not Meet Health-Related Millennium Goals: WHO

The World Health Organization and the World Bank have warned that many developing countries will not be able to meet the health related Millennium Development Goals. The goals set by world leaders in 2000 include reducing maternal mortality by three quarters and child mortality by two thirds, reducing by half the proportion of people who suffer from hunger, combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other infectious diseases and improving access to safe drinking water.