Thursday, 15 January 2004
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UN Launches Global Media Initiative on HIV/AIDS

Media executives from around the world today gathered in New York to attend the launching of the UN Global Media Initiative on HIV/AIDS. The initiative is aimed at utilizing the media to contribute to the fight against the pandemic by educating the public. During the meeting, participants will also explore what media can do to encourage broader support for the campaign against HIV/AIDS. UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan welcomed the participants at the launching of the initiative and stresses the important role they can play in fighting the epidemic:

"Every generation faces its great challenge. The fight against HIV/AIDS may be ours only if we meet this challenge can we succeed in our other efforts to build a humane, healthy and equitable world. We cannot do it without the unparalleled power that you the media have."

The Secretary-General said as leaders of the media, the participants had the power and reach to disseminat the information people need to protect themselves against HIV/AIDS.

UN Special Envoy Says Security Remains Priority in Afghanistan

The outgoing Special Envoy of the Secretary-General to Afghanistan, Ambassador Lakhdar Brahimi, said today that security remains a priority in Afghanistan. Speaking in the Security Council, he said the January 5 agreement on a new constitution for the country was a great accomplishment. He added however, that the new constitutional order would only have meaning for the average Afghan, if security improves:

"For too many Afghans, the daily insecurity they face comes not only from the resurgent extremism associated with the Taliban, destabilizing as that is, but from the predatory behavior of local commanders and officials who nominally claim to represent the government."

Mr. Brahimi said the focus now should be on the unmet needs which include the disarmament of factional forces, the protection of the basic rights of every Afghan citizen, reconstruction and the reform of national institutions.

Fighting in Western Sudan Could Spill into Chad: UN Envoy

The UN Special Envoy to Sudan, Tom Vraalsen today warned that the fighting in western Sudan could spill over to neighbouring Chad. Mr. Vraalsen, who has visited an area sheltering thousands of Sudanese refugees in Chad, said there are ongoing efforts to relocate the refugees to four sites about 50 to 60 kilometres away from the border. He told reporters in Geneva that the refugees and local authorities have welcomed the relocation:

"Actually, one of the places we went to, you could just walk for five, ten minutes and you would be inside Sudan. There is a security aspect to this, because there are cross border raids."

Tom Vraalsen said he has decided to put together an emergency programme to get the necessary food and non-food items to the refugees.

UN Force Commander Says Security is Improving in DR Congo

The outgoing Force Commander of the UN peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Major General Mountaga Diallo has said the security situation has improved considerably in the country. He told reporters in New York that there are now over 10,000 well-equipped troops with the right mandate and rules of engagement. Major General Diallo said the security situation is progressively expanding from Bunia, which once experienced fighting between rival ethnic groups, to the whole eastern Ituri region:

"And despite the size of the country, those troops are providing more and more security to the population allowing the distribution of humanitarian assistance and the restoration of state authority mainly in the east."

Polio has Spread to More Polio-Free Countries: WHO

Health Ministers from six remaining polio-endemic countries met in Geneva today to discuss plans to intensify efforts to stop the spread of polio. The emergency meeting comes a day after the World Health Organization confirmed two new polio cases in Benin and Cameroon.