SECURITY SECTOR REFORM IN AFRICAN COUNTRIES EMERGING FROM CONFLICT VITAL, UN SAYS
The Security Council today debated the need to reform the security sector in African countries emerging from conflict, with the United Nations peacekeeping chief calling it crucial to ensuring stability, reducing poverty and promoting sustainable development.
“In Liberia, for example, unresolved security sector governance and management issues in the mid-1990s contributed to the re-emergence of conflict and a dramatic 80 per cent downturn in its economy,” Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations Hervé Ladsous told the 15-member body of the West African country that slipped back into bloody civil war after a 1995 peace deal.
“Ineffective and poorly governed security sectors can become decisive obstacles to stability, poverty reduction, sustainable development and peacebuilding. The United Nations has therefore increasingly sought to assist countries affected by conflict to build effective, accountable and affordable security sectors within the broad framework of the rule of law,” he stressed.
Speaking on behalf of Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, Mr. Ladsous noted that a significant portion of UN support for security sector reform (SSR) is directed to countries in Africa, but experience has shown that there is no “one-size-fits-all” approach, and the Organization and its partners must be adaptable and capable of responding quickly.
Among the varied and increasingly complex actions the UN has undertaken, Mr. Ladsous cited training and infrastructure development in Burundi; capacity-building for management and oversight of security institutions in Liberia; development of national security policies and strategies for Somalia and Côte d’Ivoire; and aid in coordinating international partners to support national priorities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Guinea-Bissau.
“Many Member States, in Africa and elsewhere, have recognized that security sector governance is necessary for early recovery from conflict, economic development and sustainable peacebuilding, as well as regional stability and international peacekeeping,” he said, noting that the African Union (AU) is at the forefront of developing a specific SSR framework.
“We have also learned that many security threats can only be contained by a regional approach as indicated, for example, by the fact that a number of African countries are working together to end the scourge of the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA),” he added.
The LRA was formed in the late 1980s and for over 15 years its attacks were mainly directed against Ugandan civilians and security forces. But after being dislodged by Ugandan forces in 2002, it exported its rampage to the country’s neighbours, including the DRC, South Sudan and the Central African Republic (CAR).
Mr. Ladsous noted that a number of African countries, including Angola, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Senegal, South Africa and Tanzania, are becoming crucial providers of SSR aid to fellow African States, with many of them also active troop- and police-contributors to UN operations, and he praised the efforts of the UN inter-agency SSR Task Force and SSR Unit in providing field support, deploying experts and training specialists.
In a presidential statement, the Council underscored the vital need for SSR to bolster progress in other sectors.
“In light of ongoing conflict in Africa, the Security Council reiterates the link between security sector reform and socio-economic development, and underlines that such reform efforts should be situated within the broader and more comprehensive spectrum of peacebuilding,” it said.
The statement stressed that SSR should be a nationally owned process, with each country having primary responsibility to determine its approach and priorities. It also highlighted the importance of improving women’s participation in conflict prevention and resolution, the maintenance of peace, and in national armed and security forces, and hailed the UN-AU partnership in developing a continental SSR policy framework.
* * *
BAN HAILS FORMER UN CHIEF DAG HAMMARSKJöLD AS A CONSCIENTIOUS LEADER OF PEACE
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today paid tribute to one of his predecessors, Dag Hammarskjöld, who died 50 years ago, hailing him as a problem-solver who championed the concept of action taken on the basis of conviction and principle.
Mr. Hammarskjöld was guided by an inner voice “never to do what was expedient or popular [but] always to do what he believed was right,” said Mr. Ban, speaking at Mr. Hammarskjöld’s graveside in Uppsala, Sweden. “For that, he stands out among the leaders of the past century.”
Mr. Hammarskjöld led the United Nations from 1953 until his death in September 1961, when he was killed with 15 others in a plane crash in what was then known as Northern Rhodesia – now Zambia – while en route to Katanga in the country now known as the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) to negotiate a ceasefire.
“Today, in the stillness of this sanctuary, I have the chance to do something else, something which was also one of Hammarskjöld’s strengths: To stand in peaceful contemplation. To reflect on what it means and what it takes to serve in the interest of the greater good,” said Mr. Ban.
He told the story of how as an elementary school pupil in 1956 he had read a letter to his class urging Mr. Hammarskjöld to help the people of Hungary, where there had been a pro-democracy uprising. The letter said: ‘Mr. Secretary-General, please help the people of Hungary so they can have freedom and democracy.’
Mr. Ban said he had hoped, when he took over as Secretary-General in 2006, that he would not receive such appeals from young people around the world.
“In reality, unfortunately I am still receiving those kinds of appeals from many people, particularly what we are observing in Arab [countries], in North Africa and in many parts of the world where people are oppressed, where people do not have freedom of expression, freedom of assembly.
“We must all work together to uphold the fundamental principle of democracy so these people, and all people, men and women, countries big or small, rich or poor, can enjoy genuine freedom and people can live without fear. This is what we have to do, upholding the torch Dag Hammarskjöld has left for us. I am committed to that mission,” said Mr. Ban before leading those gathered to observe a moment of silence in memory of Mr. Hammarskjöld.
Speaking to reporters at a joint press briefing with Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt, the Secretary-General said they had discussed a number of important issues, including developments in the Middle East and Libya, as well as efforts to help poorer countries achieve the social and economic targets known as the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
He also met Sweden’s International Development Cooperation Minister, Gunilla Carlsson, whom, he said, is playing a critical role as a member of his High-Level Panel on Global Sustainability.
Mr. Ban noted that Sweden is one of the UN’s most generous donors, providing important resources and valuable ideas and leadership.
“Sweden makes up a fraction of one per cent of the global population, but Swedes account for more than five per cent of my high-level UN envoys and representatives. I am very proud and you should be very proud of them. We also have Swedish staff in eight peacekeeping missions, from Liberia to Afghanistan; from South Sudan to Haiti,” he said.
The Secretary-General also congratulated Swedish author Tomas Tranströmer, the winner of this year’s Nobel Prize for Literature.
“The United Nations is very proud that our agency, UNESCO [UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization] once published a number of his works in an anthology of Swedish poetry,” he said.
* * *
UN-LED EFFORT HELPS HAITIANS CLEAR HALF OF QUAKE RUBBLE IN LARGE-SCALE OPERATION
Thousands of Haitians participating in a large-scale clean-up coordinated by the United Nations have removed more than 40 per cent of the 10 million cubic metres of rubble caused by last year’s earthquake.
“It’s been a colossal task,” said Jessica Faieta, Haiti’s Senior Country Director for the UN Development Programme (UNDP), today.
“For the past 20 months we’ve been working non-stop with the Government of Haiti, civil society organizations, the international community, and especially with community members, in this epic-scale clean-up.”
The operation, one of the largest of its kind, involved Haitian citizens as well as nearly 50 in-country UN partners, who helped map all debris-related initiatives in affected areas. Home owners and private enterprises have cleared an additional 10 percent of the rubble.
Ms. Faieta stressed that citizens’ participation was crucial for the operation.
“Community involvement is essential. Haitians have to be at the centre of reconstruction – and training and empowerment are crucial to their successful management of the earthquake recovery,” said Ms. Faieta.
So far, UNDP, the UN Programme for Human Settlements, the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the UN Office of Project Services (UNOPS) have trained and hired more than 7,000 Haitians in the fields of manual and mechanical rubble removal, recycling, house repair skills, as well as electric wiring, carpentry and masonry.
“These debris removal initiatives are crucial for the reconstruction of Haiti,” said Nigel Fisher, UN Humanitarian and Resident Coordinator.
“We are working towards the rehabilitation of neighbourhoods and improvement of living conditions through access to basic services so Haitians can return home safely,” he said.
More than 80,000 buildings in the capital city of Port-au-Prince and surrounding areas collapsed after the 7.0-magnitude quake that hit the country on 12 January last year, leaving amounts of debris equivalent to 4,000 Olympic-sized swimming pools.
It is estimated that 50 per cent of the rubble can be reused to repair roads, improve neighbourhoods and rebuild houses. However, processing the debris has a been slow endeavour as many of the affected communities are located on hillsides, making it difficult to transport heavy machinery to the sites, which means a lot of the clearance has been done manually.
The UN is supporting the Haitian Government to finalize a national debris management strategy to establish tracking tools, rubble-removal and recycling standards and to prepare governmental and non-governmental partners for future debris-generating natural disasters.
* * *
UN MAY STEP UP MINE CLEARANCE EFFORTS IN SOUTH SUDAN AFTER DEADLY BLAST
United Nations mine clearance workers in South Sudan are considering expanding their operations in the country’s north in the wake of an explosion, apparently from an anti-tank mine recently laid by rebels, that has killed at least 20 people.
Eighteen civilians and two soldiers died when the bus in which they were travelling ran over the mine at about 5:30 p.m. on Sunday, on the road from Mayom to Mankien in Unity state, the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) reported.
Another seven people were injured, most of them seriously. UNMISS helped transport some of the injured, who were initially transferred to Malakal, to hospital.
“That route was suspected to be mined but civilian traffic continued to use it because of a lack of alternate routes,” said Lance Malin, the programme manager of the UN Mine Action Coordination Centre (UNMACC), in an interview with the UN News Centre.
Mr. Malin said the explosion was the deadliest ever in South Sudan, which became independent from the rest of Sudan on 9 July.
He said rebels based in Unity were suspected of laying anti-tank mines and possibly anti-personnel mines as well across a number of roads in the area. Rebel militias have been involved in clashes with South Sudanese authorities throughout the year and, after years of conflict, the country has relatively little infrastructure and few working roads.
Mr. Malin said UNMACC – which currently has about 15 people in Unity working on mine clearance, monitoring and verification – is now considering how to enhance its operations to deal with the recent upsurge in landmines in the area.
“We are looking at how we can offer a better service given the scale of the problem,” he said.
* * *
INTERNATIONAL TOURIST NUMBERS TO HIT 1.8 BILLION BY 2030, UN REPORT PROJECTS
The number of tourists travelling outside their countries is projected to reach 1.8 billion within two decades, with emerging economies responsible for the highest growth rates, according to a new report released by the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO).
The report, Tourism Towards 2030, confirms that international tourism will continue to grow, forecasting an average of 43 million additional people becoming international tourists every year. This figure, which corresponds to a 3.3 per cent annual increase, represents a more moderate growth pace in the industry than in previous years.
“The next 20 years will be of continued growth for the sector – a more moderate, responsible and inclusive growth,” said UNWTO Secretary-General Taleb Rifai, who presented the report yesterday at the organization’s General Assembly in Gyeongju in the Republic of Korea (ROK).
“This growth offers immense possibilities as these can also be years of leadership, with tourism leading economic growth, social progress and environmental sustainability,” he said.
According to the report, arrivals will pass the one billion mark next year, and by 2030 five million people will be crossing international borders every day.
The report also reveals that emerging economies in Asia, Latin America, Central and Eastern Europe and the Middle East and Africa will have the most to gain from this increase as they are expected to grow at double the pace of advanced markets in North America and Europe.
By 2015, emerging economies will receive more international tourists than advanced economies, and by 2030 their share is expected to reach 58 per cent.
The report also forecasts that by 2030 North-East Asia will be the most visited region in the world, taking over from Southern and Mediterranean Europe, and that most tourists will come from Asia and the Pacific, followed by European travellers.
“Tourism Towards 2030 shows that there is still significant potential for further expansion in the coming decades. Established, as well as new destinations, can benefit from this trend and opportunity, provided they shape the appropriate conditions and policies with regard to business environment, infrastructure, facilitation, marketing and human resources,” said Mr. Rifai.
“Nevertheless, alongside this opportunity, challenges will also arise in terms of maximizing tourism’s social and economic benefits while minimizing negative impacts. As such, it is more important than ever that all tourism development be guided by the principles of sustainable development,” he added.
* * *
JUDGE IN UN-BACKED CAMBODIAN COURT PLEDGES TO PRESS ON AFTER COLLEAGUE RESIGNS
The national co-investigating judge in the United Nations-backed Cambodian genocide tribunal today affirmed that he will continue to fulfil his mandate independently and in compliance with the principles stipulated in the law, despite the resignation of his international colleague.
Judge Siegfried Blunk, the international co-investigating judge at the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC), submitted his resignation to Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon as of 8 October, citing repeated statements by Government officials regarding what are known as cases 003 and 004.
Case 003 reportedly involves two former senior members of the Khmer Rouge military suspected of being responsible for the deaths of thousands of people, while case 004 is believed to involve three other senior members.
“His resignation was very surprising to me,” said You Bunleng, the national co-investigating judge, in a statement.
“In fact, the work relationship between the international co-investigating judge and myself as national co-investigating judge has so far developed in a smooth and responsible manner based on legal principles and the ECCC internal rules, although there have been some allegations through media speculations made by some outsiders of the Court.”
He said judicial investigations with regard to cases 003 and 004 have been conducted by the office of the co-investigation judges “independently without any obstacle.”
“Although speculations have been made in various media reports with regard to the procedural measures and decisions of the co-investigating judges, the national co-investigating judge still affirms that he will continue to fulfil the works of the office of the co-investigating judges independently and in compliance with the principles stipulated in the law and the ECCC internal rules, and he is resolved to resist any attempt to interfere into his works from any source,” Judge Bunleng said in his statement.
Under an agreement signed by the UN and the Government, the ECCC was set up as an independent court using a mixture of Cambodian staff and judges and foreign personnel. It is designated to try those deemed most responsible for mass killings and other crimes committed under the Khmer Rouge three decades ago.
After his appointment as a co-investigating judge last year, Judge Blunk proceeded with investigations in cases 003 and 004 with the expectation that a previous statement reportedly made by the Cambodian Prime Minister to the Secretary-General that these cases “will not be allowed” did not reflect Government policy, according to a news release issued by the tribunal.
* * *
SENIOR UN RELIEF OFFICIAL VISITS DR CONGO AFTER MURDER OF FIVE AID WORKERS
A senior United Nations official is on a week-long visit to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) for talks with Government and aid officials amid safety concerns following the murder of five non-governmental organization (NGO) staff in the deadliest such assault in the vast country.
The Director of the of the Coordination and Response Division of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), John Ging, who arrived in Kinshasa, the capital, on Monday, will discuss the situation with the Congolese authorities, the UN humanitarian coordinator in the country, UN agencies and national and international NGOs.
The five NGO education workers along with two civilians were killed in Malinda, South Kivu province, in the strife-torn east of DRC in what OCHA has said is the deadliest assault on aid workers ever recorded in the country. It was the latest in a growing number of attacks in recent weeks targeting humanitarian workers and impeding the delivery of vital aid.
Ranging from extortion to hostage taking to using humanitarian vehicles to carry military equipment, the attacks are linked to the persistent fighting in eastern DRC and have aroused a growing sense of vulnerability in humanitarian organizations.
Since August there have been 25 such incidents in North Kivu province and 15 in South Kivu. This year, the two provinces have suffered nearly 140 such attacks. During his visit Mr. Ging will visit North Kivu and Oriental provinces.
UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Director-General Irina Bokova today called on the Government to investigate the murders and take the strongest possible measures to protect the local people and those working to bring them services to which they are entitled.
“As the head of the United Nations agency in charge of education, I mourn the death of five people committed to bringing education to such a difficult environment,” she said in a statement.
Since 1999 and under various names, the UN has maintained a peacekeeping mission of up to nearly 20,000 uniformed personnel in the DRC to oversee country’s emergence from years of civil war and factional chaos, culminating most notably in 2006 with the first democratic elections in over four decades.
A measure of stability has returned much of to the country, which is as large as Western Europe, but fighting has continued sporadically in the east including the Kivus, where the bulk of the UN mission, currently known as MONUSCO, is deployed.
* * *
SECURITY COUNCIL EXTENDS MANDATE OF INTERNATIONAL FORCE IN AFGHANISTAN
The Security Council today extended the authorization of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan for another year, welcoming the agreement between the country and troop-contributing States to gradually transfer key security responsibilities to the Afghan Government by the end of 2014.
In a unanimous resolution, the Council urged United Nations Member States to contribute personnel, equipment and other resources to ISAF, and to continue to support security and stability in Afghanistan.
The Council also welcomed the Enduring Partnership Declaration signed by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and the Afghan Government in Lisbon last year, particularly the intention to provide sustained support to improve Afghanistan’s capacity to tackle continued threats to its security, stability and integrity.
The 15-member UN body encouraged ISAF and other partners to continue training, mentoring and empowering the Afghan national security forces to accelerate progress towards “self-sufficient, sustainable, accountable and ethnically balanced Afghan security forces providing security and ensuring the rule of law throughout the country.”
It welcomed the increasing leadership role played by the Afghan authorities in security responsibilities throughout the country, and stressed the importance of supporting the planned expansion of the Afghan army and the Afghan police.
The Council called upon ISAF and NATO’s senior civilian representative to continue to work in close consultation with the Afghan Government and the Special Representative of the Secretary-General, in accordance with a Security Council resolution earlier this year, as well as with the Operation Enduring Freedom coalition in the implementation of the ISAF mandate.
It expressed serious concern over the security situation in the country, particular the ongoing violence and acts of terror by the Taliban, Al-Qaida, other illegal armed groups and criminals, including those involved in the narcotics trade, and the strong links between terrorism and illicit drugs.
The Council voiced concern over the high number of civilian casualties in Afghanistan, particularly women and children, the majority of which it said were caused by Taliban, Al-Qaida and other violent and extremist groups.
It took note of the further progress made by ISAF and other international forces to minimize civilian casualties and urged them to continue to “undertake enhanced efforts to prevent civilian casualties, including the increased focus on protecting the Afghan population as a central element of the mission.”
* * *
GREEN INDUSTRIES ESSENTIAL TO FOSTER SUSTAINABLE ECONOMIC GROWTH – UN AGENCY
Industries should take into account green measures for every aspect of what they do to be able to ensure their sustainable future, the United Nations agency entrusted with accelerating industrial development in poorer States said today.
Speaking at the Global Green Growth Forum (3GF) in Copenhagen, the Director-General of the UN Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) Kandeh K. Yumkella said the only way to ensure an economically viable future is to ensure that industries do not harm the environment.
In addition, he said that UNIDO’s Green Industry concept will prove crucial as a catalyst for green growth in country’s economies. The concept asks industries – regardless of their scope or location – to continuously improve their environmental performance through measures such as phasing out toxic substances, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and strengthening occupational health and safety.
The concept also entails implementing public policy initiatives that encourage environmentally responsible private investment.
“Green Industry and the Greening of Industries, concepts coined by UNIDO in the last few years, are helping place sustainable industrial development in the context of new global sustainability challenges. Together we can make the global transition to a green growth pathway work,” he said.
Mr. Yumkella added that his agency is currently providing assistance to developing countries to facilitate their transition to greener measures: “UNIDO is helping developing countries secure resource-efficient low-carbon growth, create new green jobs while at the same time protecting the environment. We also help developing countries move to clean technologies and implement environmental agreements, including the Montreal Protocol,” he told forum participants.
The 3GF Forum, established by Denmark and the Republic of Korea (ROK) in association with the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI), brought together 200 global leaders from government, business, finance and civil society.
During the two-day event, which ends today, leaders discussed green issues and designed the structure for a green economy.
* * *
MYANMAR: UN HELPS GOVERNMENT DEVISE DISASTER MITIGATION PLANS
A senior United Nations official arrived in Myanmar today to help the Government devise measures to reduce the impact of natural disasters through early warning systems and other steps in a country where an estimated 140,000 people were killed and 2.4 million others affected by Cyclone Nargis in 2008.
“Myanmar is one of the most disaster-affected countries in Asia,” Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s Special Representative for Disaster Risk Reduction Margareta Wahlström said in a statement issued ahead of her visit.
“It has been hit by six major cyclones in the last 40 years and is also vulnerable to multiple hazards such as floods, earthquakes, tsunamis, landslides and forest fires.
“UNISDR is willing to assist in whatever way we can to help the country reduce its risk which is fundamental to inclusive economic growth and poverty alleviation, which are part of the new government’s reform agenda,” she added, referring to UN International Strategy for Disaster Reduction, which she heads.
“UNISDR is supporting Myanmar in making disaster risk reduction a national and local priority for all citizens through engagement with the new National Disaster Preparedness Committee on developing law and regulations for disaster management and disaster risk reduction,” Ms. Wahlström added.
“I am looking forward to hearing how the responses to Cyclone Giri last year and the Shan State earthquake in March this year benefitted from the many lessons learned from Cyclone Nargis especially in early warning, preparedness and response.”
Giri, a category four cyclone, killed at least 45 people and affected 260,000 others when it struck Myanmar last October, and three months later UN humanitarian agencies reported that key challenges remained, including inadequate shelter, food insecurity and lack of livelihoods.
Ms. Wahlström is due to visit areas that were affected by Nargis.
* * *
UN FOOD AGENCY WARNS OF SERIOUS HUMANITARIAN SITUATION IN YEMEN
An increase in food prices, political uncertainty and fuel shortages are severely straining Yemenis’ ability to feed their families, the United Nations Food Programme (WFP) warned today, adding that the country is now facing a serious humanitarian situation.
“Rising food prices and political instability have left millions of people in Yemen hungry and vulnerable. Malnutrition is stalking the lives of women and children,” said WFP’s Executive Director Josette Sheeran.
Food prices in Yemen have risen dramatically since the beginning of this year, with the price of bread doubling in the past six months.
A recent WFP assessment revealed that an increasing number of people are unable to meet their basic food needs, placing families – especially children – at risk of malnutrition. Even before the crisis, more than 50 per cent of Yemeni children were chronically malnourished and more than 13 per cent were acutely malnourished.
In a news release, the agency said it would scale up its programmes in the country to feed 3.5 million people affected by the crisis, particularly those who have been displaced in the northern and southern regions of the country.
“The challenges to reach and meet the urgent needs of the most vulnerable are huge, especially in the midst of a very volatile security situation,” said Lubna Alaman, WFP’s representative in Yemen.
“In addition to feeding internally displaced people, WFP is also assisting refugees from the Horn of Africa, severely food insecure people affected by the high food prices, malnourished children and pregnant women and nursing mothers.”
The security situation in Yemen has progressively deteriorated since a civilian uprising began earlier this year, despite international efforts to promote a peaceful political transition. As a result, many people have died and thousands of others have been displaced.
* * *
HAITI: UN PEACEKEEPERS TO THE RESCUE AS FLOOD WATERS ENGULF COUNTRY’S SOUTH
United Nations peacekeepers in Haiti have evacuated hundreds of families from their homes and placed them in temporary shelters as flood waters rise across the country’s south after more than four days of torrential rain.
Blue helmets, working with local officials, helped rescue at least 330 families from Les Cayes, Torbeck, Chantal and Arniquet, according to the UN peacekeeping mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH).
Those rescued join hundreds of others who have sought shelter as rising waters engulf or damage their homes.
Several major rivers in the region have overrun their banks and much of downtown Les Cayes is under water, with more rain forecast for later this week.
MINUSTAH said it remains on alert to assist authorities across the affected region in case they are need for further rescues or the distribution of aid.
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported yesterday that at least two people have been reported missing since the heavy rains began, and there are fears that the floods could lead to fresh outbreaks of cholera.
Haiti has been hit hard by cholera over the past year, with nearly 6,500 people dying from the disease. But the death rate had been declining recently before the floods.
* * *
AFRICA, ON EVE OF ECONOMIC RENEWAL, NEEDS WORLD TRADE AND INVESTMENT – UN
With Africa potentially on the eve of an economic renewal, a senior United Nations official today called on the international community to grant the continent fairer access to markets for its exports and invest in its lucrative resources by funding the necessary infrastructure.
“Even though aid is still important for most African countries, the post-independence period has clearly shown that aid alone is not enough,” Deputy Secretary-General Asha-Rose Migiro told the 12th World Knowledge Forum in Seoul, Republic of Korea (ROK).
“Africa also needs fairer access to markets to be able to export its products without unnecessary barriers, better access to Western technologies at a reasonable cost to build competitive industries, more investment in productive sectors and infrastructure, and more policy space to craft and perfect their own development path.
“However, what Africa needs most, is to be recognized as a new investment frontier – where the returns are among the highest in the world,” she said, noting that the continent has some of the largest known reserves of mineral resources including diamonds and gold; growing oil potential as Ghana and Uganda join the list of exporters; and the largest amount of unexploited arable land, a strategic asset in a world where food crises are becoming recurrent.
Ms. Migiro cited a slew of positive factors including a rapid change in the perception of Africa as a place where poverty, hunger, disease and civil wars are the norm. Many now see wide-ranging opportunities in a continent that has experienced robust growth of over 5 per cent on average over the past 10 years, evidence that it has emerged from the volatile years of the 1980s and early 1990s.
Although still high, poverty has substantially declined from its highest level of 59 per cent of the population in 1996 to about 50 per cent today, the fight against malaria and HIV/AIDS through mosquito nets and antiretroviral drugs has dramatically cut deaths from these pandemics, and Africa now has the lowest incidence of civil war in 50 years, she said.
“There are several reasons to believe that Africa is on the eve of an economic renewal. The high level of growth is expected to continue,” she added, citing a projected 2012 growth rate of about 6 per cent, “a remarkable performance compared to the rates expected in the world’s major economies, owing to their deepening macroeconomic imbalances.”
Ms. Migiro noted that increasing trade and investment with emerging economies such as China, India, Brazil and Turkey, will continue to have a positive effect on Africa’s growth over the coming years, although in terms of human development, growth has not been fully inclusive, with the continent figured lowest of any region on the UN Human Development Index (HDI) in 2010, even as all but one country improved its human development between 2000 and 2010.
“The international community has an important role to play in helping Africa to sustain high rates of economic growth and human development,” she declared. “I urge investors to transform these and other opportunities into goods and services that will improve the lives of the millions of Africans now stuck in poverty.”
At the same time, Africans themselves must do their part by continuing reforms to make their economies even more attractive while ensuring that their populations benefit from foreign investment, she stressed, calling for inclusive growth with job creation an overarching priority, action against corruption, and the strengthening of the institutions of good governance.
She highlighted Africa’s cooperation with China and India as especially important in diversifying its economies into agriculture, services and manufacturing and widening its export base, and in infrastructure development in helping to create a regional market by putting in place the necessary roads, railways, airports and telecommunications.
“Let me stress one key message: Africa’s people need neither pity nor charity,” Ms. Migiro concluded. “Respect, international solidarity and a level playing field will go a long way toward bringing a new dawn to the continent.”
* * *
The Security Council today debated the need to reform the security sector in African countries emerging from conflict, with the United Nations peacekeeping chief calling it crucial to ensuring stability, reducing poverty and promoting sustainable development.
“In Liberia, for example, unresolved security sector governance and management issues in the mid-1990s contributed to the re-emergence of conflict and a dramatic 80 per cent downturn in its economy,” Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations Hervé Ladsous told the 15-member body of the West African country that slipped back into bloody civil war after a 1995 peace deal.
“Ineffective and poorly governed security sectors can become decisive obstacles to stability, poverty reduction, sustainable development and peacebuilding. The United Nations has therefore increasingly sought to assist countries affected by conflict to build effective, accountable and affordable security sectors within the broad framework of the rule of law,” he stressed.
Speaking on behalf of Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, Mr. Ladsous noted that a significant portion of UN support for security sector reform (SSR) is directed to countries in Africa, but experience has shown that there is no “one-size-fits-all” approach, and the Organization and its partners must be adaptable and capable of responding quickly.
Among the varied and increasingly complex actions the UN has undertaken, Mr. Ladsous cited training and infrastructure development in Burundi; capacity-building for management and oversight of security institutions in Liberia; development of national security policies and strategies for Somalia and Côte d’Ivoire; and aid in coordinating international partners to support national priorities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Guinea-Bissau.
“Many Member States, in Africa and elsewhere, have recognized that security sector governance is necessary for early recovery from conflict, economic development and sustainable peacebuilding, as well as regional stability and international peacekeeping,” he said, noting that the African Union (AU) is at the forefront of developing a specific SSR framework.
“We have also learned that many security threats can only be contained by a regional approach as indicated, for example, by the fact that a number of African countries are working together to end the scourge of the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA),” he added.
The LRA was formed in the late 1980s and for over 15 years its attacks were mainly directed against Ugandan civilians and security forces. But after being dislodged by Ugandan forces in 2002, it exported its rampage to the country’s neighbours, including the DRC, South Sudan and the Central African Republic (CAR).
Mr. Ladsous noted that a number of African countries, including Angola, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Senegal, South Africa and Tanzania, are becoming crucial providers of SSR aid to fellow African States, with many of them also active troop- and police-contributors to UN operations, and he praised the efforts of the UN inter-agency SSR Task Force and SSR Unit in providing field support, deploying experts and training specialists.
In a presidential statement, the Council underscored the vital need for SSR to bolster progress in other sectors.
“In light of ongoing conflict in Africa, the Security Council reiterates the link between security sector reform and socio-economic development, and underlines that such reform efforts should be situated within the broader and more comprehensive spectrum of peacebuilding,” it said.
The statement stressed that SSR should be a nationally owned process, with each country having primary responsibility to determine its approach and priorities. It also highlighted the importance of improving women’s participation in conflict prevention and resolution, the maintenance of peace, and in national armed and security forces, and hailed the UN-AU partnership in developing a continental SSR policy framework.
* * *
BAN HAILS FORMER UN CHIEF DAG HAMMARSKJöLD AS A CONSCIENTIOUS LEADER OF PEACE
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today paid tribute to one of his predecessors, Dag Hammarskjöld, who died 50 years ago, hailing him as a problem-solver who championed the concept of action taken on the basis of conviction and principle.
Mr. Hammarskjöld was guided by an inner voice “never to do what was expedient or popular [but] always to do what he believed was right,” said Mr. Ban, speaking at Mr. Hammarskjöld’s graveside in Uppsala, Sweden. “For that, he stands out among the leaders of the past century.”
Mr. Hammarskjöld led the United Nations from 1953 until his death in September 1961, when he was killed with 15 others in a plane crash in what was then known as Northern Rhodesia – now Zambia – while en route to Katanga in the country now known as the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) to negotiate a ceasefire.
“Today, in the stillness of this sanctuary, I have the chance to do something else, something which was also one of Hammarskjöld’s strengths: To stand in peaceful contemplation. To reflect on what it means and what it takes to serve in the interest of the greater good,” said Mr. Ban.
He told the story of how as an elementary school pupil in 1956 he had read a letter to his class urging Mr. Hammarskjöld to help the people of Hungary, where there had been a pro-democracy uprising. The letter said: ‘Mr. Secretary-General, please help the people of Hungary so they can have freedom and democracy.’
Mr. Ban said he had hoped, when he took over as Secretary-General in 2006, that he would not receive such appeals from young people around the world.
“In reality, unfortunately I am still receiving those kinds of appeals from many people, particularly what we are observing in Arab [countries], in North Africa and in many parts of the world where people are oppressed, where people do not have freedom of expression, freedom of assembly.
“We must all work together to uphold the fundamental principle of democracy so these people, and all people, men and women, countries big or small, rich or poor, can enjoy genuine freedom and people can live without fear. This is what we have to do, upholding the torch Dag Hammarskjöld has left for us. I am committed to that mission,” said Mr. Ban before leading those gathered to observe a moment of silence in memory of Mr. Hammarskjöld.
Speaking to reporters at a joint press briefing with Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt, the Secretary-General said they had discussed a number of important issues, including developments in the Middle East and Libya, as well as efforts to help poorer countries achieve the social and economic targets known as the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
He also met Sweden’s International Development Cooperation Minister, Gunilla Carlsson, whom, he said, is playing a critical role as a member of his High-Level Panel on Global Sustainability.
Mr. Ban noted that Sweden is one of the UN’s most generous donors, providing important resources and valuable ideas and leadership.
“Sweden makes up a fraction of one per cent of the global population, but Swedes account for more than five per cent of my high-level UN envoys and representatives. I am very proud and you should be very proud of them. We also have Swedish staff in eight peacekeeping missions, from Liberia to Afghanistan; from South Sudan to Haiti,” he said.
The Secretary-General also congratulated Swedish author Tomas Tranströmer, the winner of this year’s Nobel Prize for Literature.
“The United Nations is very proud that our agency, UNESCO [UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization] once published a number of his works in an anthology of Swedish poetry,” he said.
* * *
UN-LED EFFORT HELPS HAITIANS CLEAR HALF OF QUAKE RUBBLE IN LARGE-SCALE OPERATION
Thousands of Haitians participating in a large-scale clean-up coordinated by the United Nations have removed more than 40 per cent of the 10 million cubic metres of rubble caused by last year’s earthquake.
“It’s been a colossal task,” said Jessica Faieta, Haiti’s Senior Country Director for the UN Development Programme (UNDP), today.
“For the past 20 months we’ve been working non-stop with the Government of Haiti, civil society organizations, the international community, and especially with community members, in this epic-scale clean-up.”
The operation, one of the largest of its kind, involved Haitian citizens as well as nearly 50 in-country UN partners, who helped map all debris-related initiatives in affected areas. Home owners and private enterprises have cleared an additional 10 percent of the rubble.
Ms. Faieta stressed that citizens’ participation was crucial for the operation.
“Community involvement is essential. Haitians have to be at the centre of reconstruction – and training and empowerment are crucial to their successful management of the earthquake recovery,” said Ms. Faieta.
So far, UNDP, the UN Programme for Human Settlements, the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the UN Office of Project Services (UNOPS) have trained and hired more than 7,000 Haitians in the fields of manual and mechanical rubble removal, recycling, house repair skills, as well as electric wiring, carpentry and masonry.
“These debris removal initiatives are crucial for the reconstruction of Haiti,” said Nigel Fisher, UN Humanitarian and Resident Coordinator.
“We are working towards the rehabilitation of neighbourhoods and improvement of living conditions through access to basic services so Haitians can return home safely,” he said.
More than 80,000 buildings in the capital city of Port-au-Prince and surrounding areas collapsed after the 7.0-magnitude quake that hit the country on 12 January last year, leaving amounts of debris equivalent to 4,000 Olympic-sized swimming pools.
It is estimated that 50 per cent of the rubble can be reused to repair roads, improve neighbourhoods and rebuild houses. However, processing the debris has a been slow endeavour as many of the affected communities are located on hillsides, making it difficult to transport heavy machinery to the sites, which means a lot of the clearance has been done manually.
The UN is supporting the Haitian Government to finalize a national debris management strategy to establish tracking tools, rubble-removal and recycling standards and to prepare governmental and non-governmental partners for future debris-generating natural disasters.
* * *
UN MAY STEP UP MINE CLEARANCE EFFORTS IN SOUTH SUDAN AFTER DEADLY BLAST
United Nations mine clearance workers in South Sudan are considering expanding their operations in the country’s north in the wake of an explosion, apparently from an anti-tank mine recently laid by rebels, that has killed at least 20 people.
Eighteen civilians and two soldiers died when the bus in which they were travelling ran over the mine at about 5:30 p.m. on Sunday, on the road from Mayom to Mankien in Unity state, the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) reported.
Another seven people were injured, most of them seriously. UNMISS helped transport some of the injured, who were initially transferred to Malakal, to hospital.
“That route was suspected to be mined but civilian traffic continued to use it because of a lack of alternate routes,” said Lance Malin, the programme manager of the UN Mine Action Coordination Centre (UNMACC), in an interview with the UN News Centre.
Mr. Malin said the explosion was the deadliest ever in South Sudan, which became independent from the rest of Sudan on 9 July.
He said rebels based in Unity were suspected of laying anti-tank mines and possibly anti-personnel mines as well across a number of roads in the area. Rebel militias have been involved in clashes with South Sudanese authorities throughout the year and, after years of conflict, the country has relatively little infrastructure and few working roads.
Mr. Malin said UNMACC – which currently has about 15 people in Unity working on mine clearance, monitoring and verification – is now considering how to enhance its operations to deal with the recent upsurge in landmines in the area.
“We are looking at how we can offer a better service given the scale of the problem,” he said.
* * *
INTERNATIONAL TOURIST NUMBERS TO HIT 1.8 BILLION BY 2030, UN REPORT PROJECTS
The number of tourists travelling outside their countries is projected to reach 1.8 billion within two decades, with emerging economies responsible for the highest growth rates, according to a new report released by the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO).
The report, Tourism Towards 2030, confirms that international tourism will continue to grow, forecasting an average of 43 million additional people becoming international tourists every year. This figure, which corresponds to a 3.3 per cent annual increase, represents a more moderate growth pace in the industry than in previous years.
“The next 20 years will be of continued growth for the sector – a more moderate, responsible and inclusive growth,” said UNWTO Secretary-General Taleb Rifai, who presented the report yesterday at the organization’s General Assembly in Gyeongju in the Republic of Korea (ROK).
“This growth offers immense possibilities as these can also be years of leadership, with tourism leading economic growth, social progress and environmental sustainability,” he said.
According to the report, arrivals will pass the one billion mark next year, and by 2030 five million people will be crossing international borders every day.
The report also reveals that emerging economies in Asia, Latin America, Central and Eastern Europe and the Middle East and Africa will have the most to gain from this increase as they are expected to grow at double the pace of advanced markets in North America and Europe.
By 2015, emerging economies will receive more international tourists than advanced economies, and by 2030 their share is expected to reach 58 per cent.
The report also forecasts that by 2030 North-East Asia will be the most visited region in the world, taking over from Southern and Mediterranean Europe, and that most tourists will come from Asia and the Pacific, followed by European travellers.
“Tourism Towards 2030 shows that there is still significant potential for further expansion in the coming decades. Established, as well as new destinations, can benefit from this trend and opportunity, provided they shape the appropriate conditions and policies with regard to business environment, infrastructure, facilitation, marketing and human resources,” said Mr. Rifai.
“Nevertheless, alongside this opportunity, challenges will also arise in terms of maximizing tourism’s social and economic benefits while minimizing negative impacts. As such, it is more important than ever that all tourism development be guided by the principles of sustainable development,” he added.
* * *
JUDGE IN UN-BACKED CAMBODIAN COURT PLEDGES TO PRESS ON AFTER COLLEAGUE RESIGNS
The national co-investigating judge in the United Nations-backed Cambodian genocide tribunal today affirmed that he will continue to fulfil his mandate independently and in compliance with the principles stipulated in the law, despite the resignation of his international colleague.
Judge Siegfried Blunk, the international co-investigating judge at the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC), submitted his resignation to Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon as of 8 October, citing repeated statements by Government officials regarding what are known as cases 003 and 004.
Case 003 reportedly involves two former senior members of the Khmer Rouge military suspected of being responsible for the deaths of thousands of people, while case 004 is believed to involve three other senior members.
“His resignation was very surprising to me,” said You Bunleng, the national co-investigating judge, in a statement.
“In fact, the work relationship between the international co-investigating judge and myself as national co-investigating judge has so far developed in a smooth and responsible manner based on legal principles and the ECCC internal rules, although there have been some allegations through media speculations made by some outsiders of the Court.”
He said judicial investigations with regard to cases 003 and 004 have been conducted by the office of the co-investigation judges “independently without any obstacle.”
“Although speculations have been made in various media reports with regard to the procedural measures and decisions of the co-investigating judges, the national co-investigating judge still affirms that he will continue to fulfil the works of the office of the co-investigating judges independently and in compliance with the principles stipulated in the law and the ECCC internal rules, and he is resolved to resist any attempt to interfere into his works from any source,” Judge Bunleng said in his statement.
Under an agreement signed by the UN and the Government, the ECCC was set up as an independent court using a mixture of Cambodian staff and judges and foreign personnel. It is designated to try those deemed most responsible for mass killings and other crimes committed under the Khmer Rouge three decades ago.
After his appointment as a co-investigating judge last year, Judge Blunk proceeded with investigations in cases 003 and 004 with the expectation that a previous statement reportedly made by the Cambodian Prime Minister to the Secretary-General that these cases “will not be allowed” did not reflect Government policy, according to a news release issued by the tribunal.
* * *
SENIOR UN RELIEF OFFICIAL VISITS DR CONGO AFTER MURDER OF FIVE AID WORKERS
A senior United Nations official is on a week-long visit to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) for talks with Government and aid officials amid safety concerns following the murder of five non-governmental organization (NGO) staff in the deadliest such assault in the vast country.
The Director of the of the Coordination and Response Division of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), John Ging, who arrived in Kinshasa, the capital, on Monday, will discuss the situation with the Congolese authorities, the UN humanitarian coordinator in the country, UN agencies and national and international NGOs.
The five NGO education workers along with two civilians were killed in Malinda, South Kivu province, in the strife-torn east of DRC in what OCHA has said is the deadliest assault on aid workers ever recorded in the country. It was the latest in a growing number of attacks in recent weeks targeting humanitarian workers and impeding the delivery of vital aid.
Ranging from extortion to hostage taking to using humanitarian vehicles to carry military equipment, the attacks are linked to the persistent fighting in eastern DRC and have aroused a growing sense of vulnerability in humanitarian organizations.
Since August there have been 25 such incidents in North Kivu province and 15 in South Kivu. This year, the two provinces have suffered nearly 140 such attacks. During his visit Mr. Ging will visit North Kivu and Oriental provinces.
UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Director-General Irina Bokova today called on the Government to investigate the murders and take the strongest possible measures to protect the local people and those working to bring them services to which they are entitled.
“As the head of the United Nations agency in charge of education, I mourn the death of five people committed to bringing education to such a difficult environment,” she said in a statement.
Since 1999 and under various names, the UN has maintained a peacekeeping mission of up to nearly 20,000 uniformed personnel in the DRC to oversee country’s emergence from years of civil war and factional chaos, culminating most notably in 2006 with the first democratic elections in over four decades.
A measure of stability has returned much of to the country, which is as large as Western Europe, but fighting has continued sporadically in the east including the Kivus, where the bulk of the UN mission, currently known as MONUSCO, is deployed.
* * *
SECURITY COUNCIL EXTENDS MANDATE OF INTERNATIONAL FORCE IN AFGHANISTAN
The Security Council today extended the authorization of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan for another year, welcoming the agreement between the country and troop-contributing States to gradually transfer key security responsibilities to the Afghan Government by the end of 2014.
In a unanimous resolution, the Council urged United Nations Member States to contribute personnel, equipment and other resources to ISAF, and to continue to support security and stability in Afghanistan.
The Council also welcomed the Enduring Partnership Declaration signed by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and the Afghan Government in Lisbon last year, particularly the intention to provide sustained support to improve Afghanistan’s capacity to tackle continued threats to its security, stability and integrity.
The 15-member UN body encouraged ISAF and other partners to continue training, mentoring and empowering the Afghan national security forces to accelerate progress towards “self-sufficient, sustainable, accountable and ethnically balanced Afghan security forces providing security and ensuring the rule of law throughout the country.”
It welcomed the increasing leadership role played by the Afghan authorities in security responsibilities throughout the country, and stressed the importance of supporting the planned expansion of the Afghan army and the Afghan police.
The Council called upon ISAF and NATO’s senior civilian representative to continue to work in close consultation with the Afghan Government and the Special Representative of the Secretary-General, in accordance with a Security Council resolution earlier this year, as well as with the Operation Enduring Freedom coalition in the implementation of the ISAF mandate.
It expressed serious concern over the security situation in the country, particular the ongoing violence and acts of terror by the Taliban, Al-Qaida, other illegal armed groups and criminals, including those involved in the narcotics trade, and the strong links between terrorism and illicit drugs.
The Council voiced concern over the high number of civilian casualties in Afghanistan, particularly women and children, the majority of which it said were caused by Taliban, Al-Qaida and other violent and extremist groups.
It took note of the further progress made by ISAF and other international forces to minimize civilian casualties and urged them to continue to “undertake enhanced efforts to prevent civilian casualties, including the increased focus on protecting the Afghan population as a central element of the mission.”
* * *
GREEN INDUSTRIES ESSENTIAL TO FOSTER SUSTAINABLE ECONOMIC GROWTH – UN AGENCY
Industries should take into account green measures for every aspect of what they do to be able to ensure their sustainable future, the United Nations agency entrusted with accelerating industrial development in poorer States said today.
Speaking at the Global Green Growth Forum (3GF) in Copenhagen, the Director-General of the UN Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) Kandeh K. Yumkella said the only way to ensure an economically viable future is to ensure that industries do not harm the environment.
In addition, he said that UNIDO’s Green Industry concept will prove crucial as a catalyst for green growth in country’s economies. The concept asks industries – regardless of their scope or location – to continuously improve their environmental performance through measures such as phasing out toxic substances, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and strengthening occupational health and safety.
The concept also entails implementing public policy initiatives that encourage environmentally responsible private investment.
“Green Industry and the Greening of Industries, concepts coined by UNIDO in the last few years, are helping place sustainable industrial development in the context of new global sustainability challenges. Together we can make the global transition to a green growth pathway work,” he said.
Mr. Yumkella added that his agency is currently providing assistance to developing countries to facilitate their transition to greener measures: “UNIDO is helping developing countries secure resource-efficient low-carbon growth, create new green jobs while at the same time protecting the environment. We also help developing countries move to clean technologies and implement environmental agreements, including the Montreal Protocol,” he told forum participants.
The 3GF Forum, established by Denmark and the Republic of Korea (ROK) in association with the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI), brought together 200 global leaders from government, business, finance and civil society.
During the two-day event, which ends today, leaders discussed green issues and designed the structure for a green economy.
* * *
MYANMAR: UN HELPS GOVERNMENT DEVISE DISASTER MITIGATION PLANS
A senior United Nations official arrived in Myanmar today to help the Government devise measures to reduce the impact of natural disasters through early warning systems and other steps in a country where an estimated 140,000 people were killed and 2.4 million others affected by Cyclone Nargis in 2008.
“Myanmar is one of the most disaster-affected countries in Asia,” Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s Special Representative for Disaster Risk Reduction Margareta Wahlström said in a statement issued ahead of her visit.
“It has been hit by six major cyclones in the last 40 years and is also vulnerable to multiple hazards such as floods, earthquakes, tsunamis, landslides and forest fires.
“UNISDR is willing to assist in whatever way we can to help the country reduce its risk which is fundamental to inclusive economic growth and poverty alleviation, which are part of the new government’s reform agenda,” she added, referring to UN International Strategy for Disaster Reduction, which she heads.
“UNISDR is supporting Myanmar in making disaster risk reduction a national and local priority for all citizens through engagement with the new National Disaster Preparedness Committee on developing law and regulations for disaster management and disaster risk reduction,” Ms. Wahlström added.
“I am looking forward to hearing how the responses to Cyclone Giri last year and the Shan State earthquake in March this year benefitted from the many lessons learned from Cyclone Nargis especially in early warning, preparedness and response.”
Giri, a category four cyclone, killed at least 45 people and affected 260,000 others when it struck Myanmar last October, and three months later UN humanitarian agencies reported that key challenges remained, including inadequate shelter, food insecurity and lack of livelihoods.
Ms. Wahlström is due to visit areas that were affected by Nargis.
* * *
UN FOOD AGENCY WARNS OF SERIOUS HUMANITARIAN SITUATION IN YEMEN
An increase in food prices, political uncertainty and fuel shortages are severely straining Yemenis’ ability to feed their families, the United Nations Food Programme (WFP) warned today, adding that the country is now facing a serious humanitarian situation.
“Rising food prices and political instability have left millions of people in Yemen hungry and vulnerable. Malnutrition is stalking the lives of women and children,” said WFP’s Executive Director Josette Sheeran.
Food prices in Yemen have risen dramatically since the beginning of this year, with the price of bread doubling in the past six months.
A recent WFP assessment revealed that an increasing number of people are unable to meet their basic food needs, placing families – especially children – at risk of malnutrition. Even before the crisis, more than 50 per cent of Yemeni children were chronically malnourished and more than 13 per cent were acutely malnourished.
In a news release, the agency said it would scale up its programmes in the country to feed 3.5 million people affected by the crisis, particularly those who have been displaced in the northern and southern regions of the country.
“The challenges to reach and meet the urgent needs of the most vulnerable are huge, especially in the midst of a very volatile security situation,” said Lubna Alaman, WFP’s representative in Yemen.
“In addition to feeding internally displaced people, WFP is also assisting refugees from the Horn of Africa, severely food insecure people affected by the high food prices, malnourished children and pregnant women and nursing mothers.”
The security situation in Yemen has progressively deteriorated since a civilian uprising began earlier this year, despite international efforts to promote a peaceful political transition. As a result, many people have died and thousands of others have been displaced.
* * *
HAITI: UN PEACEKEEPERS TO THE RESCUE AS FLOOD WATERS ENGULF COUNTRY’S SOUTH
United Nations peacekeepers in Haiti have evacuated hundreds of families from their homes and placed them in temporary shelters as flood waters rise across the country’s south after more than four days of torrential rain.
Blue helmets, working with local officials, helped rescue at least 330 families from Les Cayes, Torbeck, Chantal and Arniquet, according to the UN peacekeeping mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH).
Those rescued join hundreds of others who have sought shelter as rising waters engulf or damage their homes.
Several major rivers in the region have overrun their banks and much of downtown Les Cayes is under water, with more rain forecast for later this week.
MINUSTAH said it remains on alert to assist authorities across the affected region in case they are need for further rescues or the distribution of aid.
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported yesterday that at least two people have been reported missing since the heavy rains began, and there are fears that the floods could lead to fresh outbreaks of cholera.
Haiti has been hit hard by cholera over the past year, with nearly 6,500 people dying from the disease. But the death rate had been declining recently before the floods.
* * *
AFRICA, ON EVE OF ECONOMIC RENEWAL, NEEDS WORLD TRADE AND INVESTMENT – UN
With Africa potentially on the eve of an economic renewal, a senior United Nations official today called on the international community to grant the continent fairer access to markets for its exports and invest in its lucrative resources by funding the necessary infrastructure.
“Even though aid is still important for most African countries, the post-independence period has clearly shown that aid alone is not enough,” Deputy Secretary-General Asha-Rose Migiro told the 12th World Knowledge Forum in Seoul, Republic of Korea (ROK).
“Africa also needs fairer access to markets to be able to export its products without unnecessary barriers, better access to Western technologies at a reasonable cost to build competitive industries, more investment in productive sectors and infrastructure, and more policy space to craft and perfect their own development path.
“However, what Africa needs most, is to be recognized as a new investment frontier – where the returns are among the highest in the world,” she said, noting that the continent has some of the largest known reserves of mineral resources including diamonds and gold; growing oil potential as Ghana and Uganda join the list of exporters; and the largest amount of unexploited arable land, a strategic asset in a world where food crises are becoming recurrent.
Ms. Migiro cited a slew of positive factors including a rapid change in the perception of Africa as a place where poverty, hunger, disease and civil wars are the norm. Many now see wide-ranging opportunities in a continent that has experienced robust growth of over 5 per cent on average over the past 10 years, evidence that it has emerged from the volatile years of the 1980s and early 1990s.
Although still high, poverty has substantially declined from its highest level of 59 per cent of the population in 1996 to about 50 per cent today, the fight against malaria and HIV/AIDS through mosquito nets and antiretroviral drugs has dramatically cut deaths from these pandemics, and Africa now has the lowest incidence of civil war in 50 years, she said.
“There are several reasons to believe that Africa is on the eve of an economic renewal. The high level of growth is expected to continue,” she added, citing a projected 2012 growth rate of about 6 per cent, “a remarkable performance compared to the rates expected in the world’s major economies, owing to their deepening macroeconomic imbalances.”
Ms. Migiro noted that increasing trade and investment with emerging economies such as China, India, Brazil and Turkey, will continue to have a positive effect on Africa’s growth over the coming years, although in terms of human development, growth has not been fully inclusive, with the continent figured lowest of any region on the UN Human Development Index (HDI) in 2010, even as all but one country improved its human development between 2000 and 2010.
“The international community has an important role to play in helping Africa to sustain high rates of economic growth and human development,” she declared. “I urge investors to transform these and other opportunities into goods and services that will improve the lives of the millions of Africans now stuck in poverty.”
At the same time, Africans themselves must do their part by continuing reforms to make their economies even more attractive while ensuring that their populations benefit from foreign investment, she stressed, calling for inclusive growth with job creation an overarching priority, action against corruption, and the strengthening of the institutions of good governance.
She highlighted Africa’s cooperation with China and India as especially important in diversifying its economies into agriculture, services and manufacturing and widening its export base, and in infrastructure development in helping to create a regional market by putting in place the necessary roads, railways, airports and telecommunications.
“Let me stress one key message: Africa’s people need neither pity nor charity,” Ms. Migiro concluded. “Respect, international solidarity and a level playing field will go a long way toward bringing a new dawn to the continent.”
* * *
Tidak ada komentar:
Posting Komentar