联合国秘书长

Noon briefing of 29 December 2005


HIGHLIGHTS OF THE SPOKESMAN'S NOON BRIEFING

UN HEADQUARTERS, NEW YORK

Thursday, 29 December, 2005

[Please note: There will be no Noon Briefings between December 26-30, 2005.
News developments within the UN system will be posted on this website throughout that time period, and the Noon Briefings will resume on Tuesday, January 3, 2006.]

ANNAN WELCOMES ESTABLISHMENT OF ASSESSMENT TEAM FOR IRAQI ELECTIONS

  • Secretary-General Kofi Annan welcomes today’s decision by the International Mission for Iraqi Elections (IMIE) to establish a team of assessors, including two representatives from the League of Arab States, to conduct a follow-up assessment to its interim report released on 15 December.

  • The Secretary-General strongly supports the ongoing efforts by the Independent Electoral Commission of Iraq (IECI) to investigate and audit all complaints received before certifying the results of the 15 December elections.

  • This is why the United Nations has encouraged the IECI to invite additional international observers to support this process. It is critical that those Iraqi groups who have complained about the conduct of the election are given a hearing. This team of assessors, which was not involved in the conduct of the elections, offers an independent evaluation of these complaints.

  • The Secretary-General notes that the IECI has welcomed the IMIE’s decision. He hopes that these efforts will assist in successfully completing the certification process.

CIVILIANS PAY INTOLERABLY HIGH PRICE IN DARFUR, SUDAN

  • In the latest monthly report to the Security Council on Darfur, Sudan, the Secretary-General notes that reports from the ground confirm the marked deterioration in the situation since September, including the proliferation of actors to the conflict, an increase in the number of inter-tribal clashes, the entry of destabilizing elements from Chad, and more instances of banditry.

  • Civilians continue to pay an intolerably high price as a result of recurrent fighting by warring parties, the renewal of the "scorched earth" tactics by militia and massive military action by the Government, he reports.

  • "This is a deeply disturbing trend which has devastating effects on the civilian population," the report says. "Large-scale attacks against civilians continue, women and girls are being raped by armed groups, yet more villages are being burned, and thousands more are being driven from their homes.

  • "As we approach the end of 2005, the second full year of conflict in Darfur, regrettably we have to acknowledge that the most urgent needs of millions affected by the war remain largely unmet, including their protection and safety," it says.

  • The Secretary-General strongly urges the Government of the Sudan once again to take decisive steps to address these manifest failures. All atrocities committed in Darfur must be condemned in the strongest possible terms.

  • And, everything possible should be done to sustain and strengthen the AU Mission and to further enhance protection efforts throughout the region, he urges.

UNITED NATIONS IS COMMITTED TO
HELPING DR CONGO AUTHORITIES RESTORE PEACE

  • The Secretary-General, in a statement, reaffirms the determination of the United Nations to work closely with the Congolese authorities in restoring peace in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo, through political engagement and military pressure on all those obstructing the peace process.
  • The Secretary-General was deeply saddened to learn of the death of an Indian peacekeeper and the injury of four others serving with the UN Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and extends his deepest sympathy and condolences to the Government of India and to the families of the victims.

TROOP MOVEMENTS NOTED ON BOTH SIDES OF ERITREAN AND ETHIOPIAN BORDER

  • The UN mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE) reports the military situation in the Temporary Security Zone (TSZ) and Adjacent Areas remains tense and potentially volatile.

  • Troop movements have been noticed on both the Ethiopian and Eritrean sides, according to the mission.

  • It went on to report that the ban imposed by the Eritrean Government on UNMEE helicopters is still in place. Restrictions are continuing on the movement of UNMEE patrols inside the TSZ in Sector Centre and Sector West, where movements in certain areas and movements at night have been curtailed.

  • Monitoring of the TSZ and Adjacent Areas within the limitations imposed continued from existing posts. UNMEE conducted 765 ground patrols throughout the Area of Responsibility (AOR) in the past week.

  • In all sectors, UNMEE peacekeepers continued to provide medical assistance to the local population, along with supplies of bulk water to civilian communities in the Temporary Security Zone (TSZ) and the Adjacent Areas. Approximately 56,600 litres of water was supplied to the civilian communities during the past week

AUDITING BODY CONCERNED BY INADEQUATE CONTROLS OVER IRAQI OIL

  • The International Advisory and Monitoring Board (IAMB) on the Development Fund for Iraq (DFI) met yesterday at UN Headquarters on 28 December 2005. The IAMB comprises representatives of the United Nations, the Executive Heads of the Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development, the International Monetary Fund, and the World Bank.

  • Board members noted that they had consistently raised concerns about inadequate controls over Iraqi oil and other aspects of the DFI's operations.

  • They also noted that they had repeatedly raised four issues with the Coalition Provision Authority and more recently with the Government of Iraq: the absence of oil metering; the use of barter transactions for certain oil sales; persistent weak controls in the spending ministries; and the use of non-competitive bidding procedures for some contracts funded from the DFI.

  • The IAMB has also asked the Iraqi Government keep it informed of the steps taken to implement the recommendations of earlier audits.

THREE SENIOR APPOINTMENTS ANNOUNCED AT UN DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME

  • The Secretary-General has confirmed the following three appointments at the Assistant Secretary-General level in the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP):

  • Amat Al Aleem Ali Alsoswa of Yemen as Assistant Administrator and Director of the Regional Bureau for Arab States. Ms. Alsoswa, currently Minister for Human Rights in Yemen, will succeed Dr. Rima Khalaf Hunaidi of Jordan;

  • Rebeca Grynspan of Costa Rica as Assistant Administrator and Director of the Regional Bureau for Latin America and the Caribbean. Ms. Grynspan, currently Director of the Sub-regional Headquarters in Mexico of the UN’s Economic Commission for Latin America (ECLAC), will succeed Elena Martinez of Cuba;

  • Gilbert Houngbo of Togo as Assistant Administrator and Director of the Regional Bureau for Africa. Mr. Houngbo, currently Chief of Staff in UNDP, will succeed Abdoulie Janneh of The Gambia.

  • All three will assume their posts at UNDP in the first quarter of 2006.