Monday, 12 January 2004
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Global FDI Remained Flat in 2003: UNCTAD

Investment by foreign companies in other countries remained flat in 2003 totalling only $650 billion. But the UN trade body (UNCTAD) predicts that foreign direct investment - such as foreign companies building factories overseas - would rebound this year boosted by the improving global economy, higher corporate profitability and growing investor confidence. UNCTAD says investment in Africa grew by 30 per cent to $14 billion due to a number of large investment projects in natural resources. It says the oil industry accounted for most of the increase in foreign direct investment flows to African countries. And it estimates that Africa's prospects for more foreign direct investment in 2004 remains positive, based on continued investment in the oil sector.

UN Launches New Global Alliance to Prevent Violence

A global alliance to help prevent violence and reduce its adverse health and social consequences was launched in Geneva Monday by the UN health agency, (WHO). The Director General of the World Health Organization Dr. Lee Jong-wook said the alliance is uniting a range of organizations and member States around mutual violence prevention principles and policies and will strengthen the ability to address the problem. The creation of the alliance comes 15 months after the worldwide launch of WHO's world report on violence and health which examined violence as a public health problem that causes more than one and a half million deaths a year.

Annan Recommends Consideration of UN Peacekeeping Mission for Cote d'Ivoire

The UN Security Council is being urged to approve a peacekeeping force for Cote d'Ivoire. The UN force of more than 6-thousand would take up the work of the West African force in Cote d'Ivoire to monitor a peace agreement signed earlier this month. But the approval of the force is contingent on whether the country's rebels and government make immediate progress toward peace. A new report by Secretary-General Kofi Annan called on the Ivorians to "take the country out of the political impasse that has plagued it over the past three months" when the rebels abandoned their posts in the power-sharing government. He said the rebels and government must show progress getting the peace process back on track by February 4th. Mr. Annan also called on the government to disarm militias and push ahead with reforms agreed to in this month's peace deal, including plans to revise laws on citizenship and land ownership.

Annan Welcomes Libya's Ratification of Weapons Treaties

The Secretary-General has welcomed the decision of Libya to ratify the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty and to accede to the Chemical Weapons Convention. More on this story from UN spokesman Fred Eckhard:

"The Secretary-General considers these decisions as positive steps that can help strengthen global efforts to prevent the spread and use of weapons of mass destruction in both these deadly categories."

Spokesman Fred Eckhard says the Secretary-General urges all states to accede to all disarmament treaties and to implement them in full.

Commemoration of Struggle against Slavery Launched by UNESCO

In Ghana, UNESCO has launched an international year to commemorate the struggle against slavery and its abolition. UNESCO Director-General Koichiro Matsuura said the commemoration is not only an act of historical solidarity with the victims of a terrible injustice and with those who fought for their freedom and rights. But it is also an act of re-dedication to the ongoing struggle against all forms of racism, discrimination, intolerance and injustice. The United Nations has chosen 2004 as the year to recall the slave trade. And UNESCO has organized exhibitions, concerts and conferences to raise awareness about slavery and its lingering political, economic and social effects.

UN Boosts Patrols in Eastern Congo

The United Nations is stepping up peacekeeping patrols in eastern Congo following a series of deadly militia attacks on remote villages. The UN mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUC) said a wave of attacks has displaced some 20,000 people since late December in the South Kivu province bordering Rwanda. Spokesman Sebastian Lapierre said MONUC has sent about 80 South African troops to patrol on foot to stop these attacks. Lapierre said they'd be patrolling the area more aggressively.