HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NOON BRIEFING
UN HEADQUARTERS, NEW YORK
[There
are no noon briefings planned until January 2, 2008.
Developments within the UN system will be posted on this website throughout
that period.]
Wednesday, December
26, 2007
NEPAL: BAN KI-MOON WELCOMES MAOISTS’ RETURN TO
INTERIM GOVT.
The Secretary-General is
pleased to learn
that the Seven-Party Alliance has reached an agreement on key issues of the
peace process, paving the way for a Constituent Assembly election to be held
by April 2008. He welcomes the decision by the Communist Party of Nepal
(Maoist) to rejoin the Interim Government.
The Secretary-General
urges all parties to swiftly move forward in the implementation of the
agreements reached and lay the grounds for a peaceful, inclusive, and credible
Constituent Assembly election. To that end, the Secretary-General and the
United Nations Mission in Nepal (UNMIN)
stand ready to extend all necessary assistance.
RELIEF EFFORTS IN NEPAL GET FUNDING BOOST
The UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF)
has
allocated $1 million to the World Food Programme (WFP), to be used to
provide life-saving food aid and reconstruction support to more than 1.2
million conflict-affected people in Nepal.
According to WFP, many
Nepali people are still struggling to recover from the impacts of the
eleven-year conflict and ongoing instability, despite the signing of the
Comprehensive Peace Agreement over one year ago.
The goal of WFP’s $49 million programme is to
provide the most conflict-affected communities with quick-impact economic
opportunities and local assets that will contribute to longer-term food
security in Nepal.
The CERF is a stand-by
fund established by the UN to enable more timely and reliable humanitarian
assistance to those affected by natural disasters and armed conflicts.
SOMALIA: U.N. ENVOY CALLS FOR RELEASE OF AID
WORKERS
The UN Special
Representative for Somalia, Ahmedou
Ould-Abdallah, says he is shocked by the kidnapping of two staff members
working for Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) in Bosasso, Puntland.
According to Ould-Abdallah,
kidnapping the humanitarian workers does not serve the cause of peace or
Somalia’s traditional culture of hospitality, particularly during this holiday
period.
He appeals to all actors
involved in this operation and those behind them to free unconditionally the
two women from MSF.
RECORD
NUMBER OF U.N. EMERGENCY MISSIONS IN THE AMERICAS
In 2007, the UN Disaster Assessment and
Coordination (UNDAC) teams
conducted nine missions to the Americas, their highest amount in history
for that region.
Throughout the world, the emergency teams
conducted 14 missions, which is more than usual. Ten out of the 14 missions
were in response to hurricanes and floods. The Office for the Coordination of
Humanitarian Affairs says that might be a glimpse of the shape of things to
come given the reality of climate change.
Office of the Spokesperson for the
Secretary-General
United Nations, S-378
New York, NY 10017
Tel. 212-963-7162
Fax. 212-963-7055
