Fwd: UN DAILY NEWS DIGEST - 4 December

UN DAILY NEWS from the
UNITED NATIONS NEWS SERVICE
4 December, 2014
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US SHOULD RESPOND TO PUBLIC DEMANDS FOR GREATER POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY – BAN

In the wake of a grand jury decision in New York yesterday not to indict a police officer in the chokehold death of Eric Garner, an unarmed man, in July, United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has urged the United States to do "anything possible to respond to demands of greater accountability."

"We are obviously aware of what is going on here in our backyard," said UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric responding to questions at the daily press briefing at UN Headquarters. He said the Secretary-General's thoughts are with the families of Mr. Garner and the people of New York.

"I think the case is again focusing on the attention of accountability of law enforcement officials," he added, welcoming the announcement by the US Justice Department of opening a civil rights investigation in the case.

"I think I would just add that we've seen a lot of demonstrations here in New York. [Mr. Ban] would urge the [protestors] to demonstrate peacefully, and for the authorities for the respect of those demonstrators to do so peacefully," the spokesperson said.

This statement echoes a call the UN chief made last week following a grand jury decision, this one in Ferguson, Missouri, to absolve a white police office in the shooting death of unarmed African-American teenager Michael Brown back in August. Mr. Garner was also African American.

That decision sparked major protests in several US cities. Amid reports that many of the protests in and around Ferguson had turned violent, Mr. Ban appealed to all those demonstrating against the grand jury's verdict "to make their voices heard peacefully and to refrain from violence."

Also last week, the UN human rights chief expressed deep concern about the "disproportionate number of young African-Americans who die in encounters with police officers, as well as the disproportionate number of African Americans in US prisons and the disproportionate number of African-Americans on Death Row."

"It is clear that, at least among some sectors of the population, there is a deep and festering lack of confidence in the fairness of the justice and law enforcement systems," said UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein.


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COOLER BOX-EQUIPPED MOTORBIKES DONATED TO UN WILL SPEED UP EBOLA TESTING PROCESS IN WEST AFRICA

Four hundred motorbikes equipped with cooler boxes will help speed up deliveries of blood samples to laboratories from remote areas of Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone and reduce the waiting time for Ebola test results, thanks to a donation today from Germany to the United Nations.

At UN Headquarters, meanwhile, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon told reporters that the immediate priorities of the United Nations are to stop the virus and to treat all the people who have Ebola. "We have to ensure that all essential services are provided, and also we have to help them preserve their social and political stability, and keeping a further outbreak from happening."

In the long run, the Secretary-General emphasized the importance of countries to have sound, robust health systems. He was speaking on the eve of a special high-level meeting of the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) tomorrow to examine the threat Ebola outbreak poses to sustainable development and possible solutions to strengthen the capacity of the affected countries to deal with future health shocks.

Meanwhile, the UN Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) said that a member of its military personnel has tested positive for the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) and that test came back yesterday. The patient is receiving treatment at an Ebola Treatment Unit in Monrovia. The latest is the third case of Ebola in the mission.



 
 
 
Hand over ceremony of the 400 motorbikes by Ambassador Ruediger John of Germany for the #EbolaResponse. UNMEER Photo/Martine Perret

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The Head of the Mission, Karin Landgren, said UNMIL had taken immediate steps to prevent further transmission. In line with established WHO protocols, immediate and robust contact tracing was initiated to ensure that all those who came into contact with the individual while he was symptomatic have been assessed and quarantined.

In Mali, Mr. Ban's Special Envoy on Ebola, Dr. David Nabarro, said a "very powerful effort" was under way to stop the spread of the virus in that country but "as long as there is Ebola in any neighbouring country, Mali needs to be on high alert, all the time."

Dr. Nabarro discussed the current situation and measures being taken during a series of meetings with President Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta and other Malian Government officials as well as with the head of the UNMEER in Mali, Dr. Ibrahima Socé Fall and other senior UN representatives in the country.

"There is a big engagement of the whole population … the whole of society. The Government itself is working very effectively, particularly at the frontiers," Dr. Nabarro said.

According to WHO, there have been eight cases of Ebola in Mali as of 3 December. Six of them have been fatal, one has been cured, and one confirmed case remains hospitalized at a treatment centre in Bamako.

The latest Ebola update from WHO today put the number of cases at 17,256 with 6,113 deaths.

In Accra, Ghana, this morning, German Ambassador to that country, Ruediger John, stopped by the UN Humanitarian Response Depot to officially hand over 400 motorbikes. The will be used to bring blood samples to laboratories for Ebola testing from the most affected areas of Sierra Leone, Liberia, and Guinea.

The head of the UN Mission for Ebola Emergency Response (UNMEER), headquartered in Accra, Anthony Banbury, thanked the German people for their donation. "It's really been a great partnership. It's an excellent example of international collaboration," he said.

UNMEER spokesman Ari Gaitanis said: "Using these bikes will help cut down transport times, in some areas quite dramatically, given some of the terrain involved."

The UN World Food Programme (WFP), meanwhile, has started distributing food rations in Bamako, Mali, to households under observation for Ebola symptoms. WFP trained volunteers on safe distribution and provided personal protection equipment, including gloves, glasses and masks.


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ROAD TO DIGNITY BY 2030: UN CHIEF LAUNCHES BLUEPRINT TOWARDS SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

Calling for inclusive, agile and coordinated action to usher in an era of sustainable development for all, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today presented the United Nations General Assembly with an advance version of his so-called "synthesis report," which will guide negotiations for a new global agenda centred on people and the planet, and underpinned by human rights.

"Next year, 2015, will herald an unprecedented opportunity to take far-reaching, long-overdue global action to secure our future well-being," Mr. Ban said as he called on Member States to be "innovative, inclusive, agile, determined and coordinated" in negotiating the agenda that will succeed the landmark Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), the UN-backed effort to reduce extreme poverty and hunger, promote education, especially for girls, fight disease and protect the environment, all by 2015.

In an informal briefing to the 193-Member Assembly, the UN chief presented his synthesis report, The Road to Dignity by 2030: Ending Poverty, Transforming All Lives and Protecting the Planet, alongside the President of the General Assembly, Sam Kutesa who also addressed delegates, describing the process of intergovernmental negotiations that fed into the report's compilation to set the stage for agreement on the new framework at a September 2015 summit and stressing the "historical responsibility" States faced to deliver a transformative agenda.

The synthesis report aims to support States' discussions going forward, taking stock of the negotiations on the post-2015 agenda and reviewing lessons from pursuit of the MDGs. It stresses the need to "finish the job" – both to help people now and as a launch pad for the new agenda.

In the report's conclusion, the Secretary-General issues a powerful charge to Member States, saying: "We are on the threshold of the most important year of development since the founding of the United Nations itself. We must give meaning to this Organization's promise to 'reaffirm faith in the dignity and worth of the human person' and to take the world forward to a sustainable future…[We] have an historic opportunity and duty to act, boldly, vigorously and expeditiously, to turn reality into a life of dignity for all, leaving no one behind."

Never before has so broad and inclusive a consultation been undertaken on development, Mr. Ban told the Assembly today, referring to the consultations that followed Rio+20 [ the 2012 UN Conference on Sustainable Development], adding that his synthesis report "looks ahead, and discusses the contours of a universal and transformative agenda that places people and planet at the centre, is underpinned by human rights, and is supported by a global partnership."

The coming months would see agreement on the final parameters of the post-2015 agenda and he stressed the need for inclusion of a compelling and principled narrative, based on human rights and dignity. Financing and other means of implementation would also be essential and he called for strong, inclusive public mechanisms for reporting, monitoring progress, learning lessons, and ensuring shared responsibility.

He also welcomed the outcome produced by the Open Working Group, saying its 17 proposed sustainable development goals and 169 associated targets clearly expressed an agenda aiming at ending poverty, achieving shared prosperity, protecting the planet and leaving no one behind.

Discussions of the Working Group had been inclusive and productive and he the Group's proposal should form the basis of the new goals, as agreed by the General Assembly. The goals should be "focused and concise" to boost global awareness and country-level implementation, communicating clearly Member States' ambition and vision.

The synthesis report presented dignity, people, prosperity, the planet, justice and partnerships as an integrated set of "essential elements" aimed at providing conceptual guidance during discussions of the goals and Mr. Ban stressed that none could be considered in isolation from the others and that each was an integral part of the whole.

"Implementation will be the litmus test of this agenda. It must be placed on a sound financial footing," he said welcoming the work of the Intergovernmental Committee of Experts on Sustainable Development Financing and encouraging countries to scale up their efforts.

The Financing for Development Conference in Addis Ababa next year would play a major role in outlining the means for implementation, and he stressed the "key role" national Governments would play in raising domestic revenue to benefit the poorest and most vulnerable members of society.

Official development assistance (ODA) and international public funds, particularly for vulnerable countries, would also be vital to unlocking "the transformative power of trillions of dollars of private resources", while private investment would be particularly important on projects related to the transition to low-carbon economies, improving access to water, renewable energy, agriculture, industry, infrastructure and transport.

Implementation would also rely on bridging the technology gap, creating a new framework for shared accountability, and providing reliable data, which he called the "lifeblood of sound decision-making."

Stressing his commitment to ensuring the best outcome from the post-2015 process, he underlined the need for States to be guided by universal human rights and international norms, while remaining responsive to different needs and contexts in different countries.

"We must embrace the possibilities and opportunities of the task at hand," he said.

In an earlier interview with the UN News Centre Amina J. Mohammed, the Secretary-General's Special Adviser on Post-2015 Development Planning stressed that one of the report's main "takeaways" is that "by 2030 we can end poverty, we can transform lives and we can find ways to protect the planet while doing that."

"I think that's important because we're talking about a universal agenda where we're going to leave no one behind. It's not doing things by halves or by three-quarters, it's about everyone mattering…To say you don't want to leave anyone behind is to look to see who is the most vulnerable and smallest member of the family and what is it that we're going to have to do to ensure that they're not left behind, because that will be the litmus test and success of what we do."

 Sustainable development goals
Goal 1 End poverty in all its forms everywhere
Goal 2 End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture
Goal 3 Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages
Goal 4 Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all
Goal 5 Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls
Goal 6 Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all
Goal 7 Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all
Goal 8 Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all
Goal 9 Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation
Goal 10 Reduce inequality within and among countries
Goal 11 Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable
Goal 12 Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns
Goal 13 Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts*
Goal 14 Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development
Goal 15 Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss
Goal 16 Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels
Goal 17 Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development
* Acknowledging that the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change is the primary international, intergovernmental forum for negotiating the global response to climate change.  

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AMID FRESH VIOLENCE IN LIBYA, UN MISSION URGES ALL PARTIES TO GIVE DIALOGUE CHANCE TO SUCCEED

Strongly condemning the spiralling violence in Libya, including a recent round of air raids in the western part of the country, the United Nations Support Mission (UNSMIL) today noted with deep concern the "disastrous impact" the attacks have on civilians and infrastructure, and warned that the violence is also endangering the political process.

While the Mission has proposed to convene a new round of inclusive dialogue among Libyan stakeholders next week to seek ways to end the country's political and security crisis and restore stability, UNSMIL noted in a statement today that the continuing escalation in the violence, and statements threatening more military action "do not help create the atmosphere conducive to hold this political dialogue."

"Furthermore, this escalation amounts to an attempt to undermine the dialogue's chances. Consequently, all influential Libyan actors are called upon to do their utmost to ensure that this escalation ceases immediately, to give the dialogue in which all major Libyan stakeholders are taking part in the chance to succeed," said a statement issues this evening.

UNSMIL is convinced that those seeking to undermine the dialogue through these attacks will not achieve their objectives, said the statement, adding that Libyans wish for this dialogue to be successful and will not be deterred from supporting and participating in it.

Recalling that under UN Security Council resolution 2174 (2014), individuals and entities that threaten Libya's peace, stability or security will face targeted sanctions, UNSMIL also noted that Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has called on the parties to end the attacks and prevent further escalation.

According to the UNMIL at a ministerial meeting in Brussels this week, key members of the international community warned that if key stakeholders fail to participate in the UN-led political process they will consider additional measures to protect Libya's unity, stability and prosperity.

The International Contact Group convened by the African Union this week in Addis Ababa has called for an immediate and unconditional end to the fighting, and expressed support for resolution 2174.

"Only a few hours ago, foreign ministers of Libya's neighbours who met in Khartoum with the participation of Libyan Foreign Minister Mohammed Al-Dayri called on Libyan parties to immediately cease armed confrontations and promptly engage in the dialogue called for by the United Nations," said the UNSMIL statement.

Finally, UNSMIL reminded the Libyan parties of their obligations under international humanitarian law, which prohibits attacks on civilian targets such as airports or ports or any other facility not being used for military purposes.

Earlier in the summer, Libya seemed to be taking steps in the right direction with the election on 25 June of a national Parliament, a move the UN Mission hoped would thrust Libya toward political resolution. However in early November, Libya's Supreme Court declared the national Parliament unconstitutional.

Moreover, on 11 November, Fatou Bensouda, Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) warned the UN Security Council about growing political instability in Libya. She said that the country is currently split with two governments vying for legitimacy.


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KENYA: UN SAYS UPTICK IN VIOLENCE LINKED TO RISING INTER-COMMUNAL TENSIONS

Spiking inter-communal tensions in Kenya have sparked outbursts of violence across the nation, leaving hundreds of people dead in their wake, the United Nations humanitarian relief office reported today.

"Violent conflicts involving pastoralists have become widespread and increasingly severe in the northern Rift Valley and north-eastern regions of Kenya," the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) warned in its most recent assessment of the humanitarian situation in Eastern Africa.

"The reasons given for the inter-communal conflicts," the UN's relief arm continued, "are revenge attacks, competition over land and water resources, cattle rustling, and struggles over political representation."

According to OCHA, 310 people had lost their lives, 214 had been injured and 220,177 had fled their homes by the end of October amid a growing number of attacks on civilians and an upsurge in terrorist activity, particularly in areas adjacent to the Kenya-Somalia border, such as Garissa, Lamu, Mandera and Wajir.

"Mandera County has particularly suffered from struggles over political representation and its proximity to both the Somali and Ethiopian borders," OCHA said.

Most recently, the town of Mandera in Mandera County, has suffered two brutal terrorist attacks committed by extremist Al-Shabaab fighters, resulting in the deaths of almost 60 civilians.

OCHA noted that humanitarian efforts coordinated by local partners were working to deliver food and non-food assistance to those displaced or affected by the clashes but had been hampered in some regions due to poor roads, hilly terrain and high levels of insecurity.


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UN POLITICAL CHIEF URGES REVAMPED APPROACH TO BOOSTING DEVELOPMENT IN AFGHANISTAN

Despite lingering instability and economic fragility, Afghanistan sits at an historic crossroads from which it can fully transition to a "strong, independent, and forward-looking" nation, the top United Nations political official said today in London.

In his message to the London Conference on Afghanistan, Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs, Jeffrey Feltman, noted that although many challenges lay ahead for the Asian country on its road to stability and peace, it had nevertheless successfully transferred political power from one democratically elected leader to another in its recent elections – a feat, he said, which marked "a key milestone in the political rebirth of the nation."

Afghanistan's democratic elections concluded in September when presidential candidates Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai and Abdullah Abdullah signed an agreement to establish a government of national unity, ultimately ending the months of political uncertainty that followed a run-off vote between the two.

But while the seeds of political progress had been planted, Mr. Feltman added, much work still remained to be done in the country's overhaul.

"Endemic poverty, hunger and malnutrition, faltering growth, diminishing revenue and a burgeoning illicit economy continue to diminish opportunities for Afghan communities, and inherently leave open space for those who seek to exploit such fragility for their own ends," he told the gathering, which included Mr. Abdullah and President Ghani.

"Similarly, corruption, weak rule of law and lack of respect for human rights including women's rights, remain widespread, exercising a deeply corrosive influence on both the capacity of Government to deliver results and the faith that Afghans and the international community can place in Government itself."

The UN official highlighted, however, that Afghanistan's political class is "keenly aware and engaged" in confronting these issues as it prepared an "ambitious and focused proposal for reform and renewal."

To that point, Mr. Feltman explained that the Conference offered Afghanistan and its citizens an opportunity to forge "strong, sustainable and accountable" partnerships with the international community in order to catalyse economic growth and development.

"Improved governance, revitalized markets and strengthened institutions can only take place with the assistance, commitment and input of the community, civil society, the private sector and regional partners," he continued. "Only through such broad engagement can the conditions in which greater stability, increased peace and growth in opportunity prosper."

He urged Afghan stakeholders to address the country's economic fragility not only through a bolstering of the rule of law framework but also through empowering Afghanistan's women and strengthening the safeguards to protect them – a necessary step, he clarified, to ensuring prosperity and growth.

As the country pushes forward with its necessary reforms, the Under-Secretary-General also warned that the security situation remained "deeply troubling" and humanitarian support remained "an acute need" for large swathes of the population.

"Despite the drawdown in international military forces, the international community must remain engaged in combating the devastating effects on civilians of this conflict," stated Mr. Feltman, who urged members of the international community, including the UN, to refrain from "business as usual."

"Genuine partnership requires both honesty and commitment on both sides, and I acknowledge that rethinking our approach to development in this context is an opportune discussion, and one rich in potential rewards for how we all progress a sustainable reform agenda."


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SENIOR UN RELIEF OFFICIAL DESCRIBES "BLEAK" SITUATION IN SOUTH SUDAN AFTER A YEAR OF CONFLICT

A year of conflict has "devastated" South Sudan, the United Nations Deputy Emergency Relief Coordinator, Kyung-wha Kang, said at UN Headquarters today, as she briefed journalists on her recent visit to that crisis-torn country and to Ethiopia.

Ms Kang, who is also UN Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs said fighting displaced some 1.9 million within the country, with many thousands seeking refuge in UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) bases as they fled attacks in fear for their lives. Many more had fled into the bush and were too fearful to return to their homes.

"Countless people have been killed, some very brutally," she said, pointing out that many more had suffered appalling crimes, with many villages torched and lives ruined. Children, like a 13 year-old she recalled meeting in Lankien in Jonglei Province, had lost access to education and she had assessed the work of humanitarians in response to dire needs.

Political in-fighting between South Sudan President Salva Kiir and his former deputy, Riek Machar, started in mid-December 2013 and subsequently turned into a full-fledged conflict that has sent nearly 100,000 civilians fleeing to UNMISS bases around the country.

Ms. Kansa said today that even before the outbreak of hostilities, aid delivery in South Sudan posed major difficulties but the conflict intensified a "bleak" situation. Humanitarians faced active hostility, threats to their lives and significant logistical pressures.

A total of 13 humanitarian workers had died since November 2013, but their efforts meant that assistance reached 3.5 million people, that a famine was averted, and that a cholera outbreak had been suppressed.

Despite such efforts, however, 2.5 million people would face food insecurity next year and aid organizations needed $600m to kick-start their 2015 operations. Pre-positioning of assets and preparations ahead of the rainy season in April would be necessary, as up to 60 per cent of the country's roads would become impassable.

In addition, previous dry seasons had seen escalations of violence, and she said she expected the same to happen now. An uptick in violence had already been seen in some provinces.

During her visit to Ethiopia, Ms. Kang travelled to the town of Gambella, on the border with South Sudan, where many South Sudanese refugees had fled. Up to 40 per cent of the 472,000 refugees fleeing South Sudan arrived in Ethiopia, she noted, adding that Kenya and Uganda were also major stopping points.

She was impressed by the Ethiopian Government's efforts to help refugees and she pointed out that resources required to support the refugee population were increasingly stretched as the needs and scale of requirements grew to "tremendous" levels.

While in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, she had briefed the African Union Peace and Security Council, noting that her message, first and foremost, was that "the conflict must stop." She called on those with influence on the South Sudanese parties to redouble their efforts to find a political solution and on both parties to the conflict to respect ceasefire commitments and international legal obligations.


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BAN APPOINTS NEW UNDER-SECRETARY GENERAL FOR COMMUNICATIONS AND PUBLIC INFORMATION

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon announced today the appointment of Cristina Gallach of Spain as Under-Secretary-General for Communications and Public Information, the UN Spokesperson's office announced today.

Ms. Gallach, according to a statement issued by the Office of Mr. Ban's spokesperson, brings to the role a "wealth of experience" in communication, information, public diplomacy, international affairs and security policy, combined with transformational leadership and hands-on management expertise. She is also an experienced newspaper, radio and television journalist.

As she takes up her new role, she succeeds Peter Launsky-Tieffenthal of Austria.

The Secretary-General said he was grateful for Mr. Launsky-Tieffenthal's commitment and dedicated service to the Organization. Mr. Ban said he was also grateful to Maher Nasser for his professional and effective work as acting head of the Department of Public Information in recent months.

Ms. Gallach, who holds a Master's Degree in International Affairs from Columbia University, New York, and a degree in Communication and Journalism from the Universidad Autonoma, Barcelona, is currently Head of the Public Relations Unit in the Council of the European Union, Directorate General for Information and Communication – a post she has held since July 2010.


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BAN CONDEMNS DEADLY TERRORIST ATTACKS IN GROZNY

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today strongly condemned last night's terrorist attacks in Grozny, Russia, reiterating that there can be no justification for acts of terror.

According to media reports, a gun battle between Islamic militants and Government forces overnight on Thursday left as many as 19 people dead.

In a statement issued by the UN chief's spokesperson, Mr. Ban sent his deepest sympathies to the families of the victims of these "heinous acts."

The Secretary-General also expressed condolences to the Government and people of the Russian Federation.

"He wishes a speedy recovery to those injured," Mr. Ban's spokesperson said.


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YEMEN: SECURITY COUNCIL CONDEMNS DEADLY BOMBING AT IRANIAN AMBASSADOR'S RESIDENCE

The United Nations Security Council has condemned yesterday's bomb attack at the residence of the Iranian Ambassador to Yemen which killed several people.

In a press statement issued today, the 15-member body expressed its deep sympathy and condolences to the families and friends of those killed and injured by these "heinous acts."

The Council condemned in the strongest terms all acts of violence against diplomatic premises, which endanger innocent lives and "seriously impede the normal work of diplomatic representatives and officials."

"Terrorism in all its forms and manifestations constitutes one of the most serious threats to international peace and security…any acts of terrorism are criminal and unjustifiable regardless of their motivation," the Council reiterated.

Council members recalled in their statement the fundamental principle of the "inviolability of diplomatic and consular premises," and the obligations on host Governments to take all appropriate steps to protect those premises and prevent any attack on diplomatic agents and consular officers.

This, they said, is an obligation under the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and the 1963 Vienna Convention on Consular Relations.

Council members reiterated their determination to combat all forms of terrorism, in accordance with its responsibilities under the Charter of the United Nations.

Perpetrators, organizers, financiers and sponsors of acts of terrorism to justice must be brought to justice, members said as they urged all States, in accordance with their obligations under international law and relevant Security Council resolutions, to cooperate actively with the Yemeni authorities in this regard.

Despite the formation of a new Government on 7 November aimed at ending a period of political turbulence and bringing about a full transition towards democracy, Yemen continues to be plagued by violence.

The UN human rights office has recently voiced concern over human rights abuses in the country, saying that it had "documented serious violations committed by all sides" of the ongoing conflict including killing of civilians, arbitrary detentions, the recruitment of children and the targeting of schools and hospitals.


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DARFUR: UN PEACEKEEPING CHIEF WARNS SECURITY COUNCIL OF REGION'S ONGOING INSECURITY, VIOLENCE

The situation in Darfur remains precarious amid intermittent clashes, inter-communal violence, and a dire humanitarian crisis, the top United Nations peacekeeping official said today, as he delivered a sobering assessment of the region's security and stability to the UN Security Council.

In a briefing to the Council, Hervé Ladsous, Under-Secretary-General for UN Peacekeeping Operations, described a tenuous scenario in the Sudanese region of Darfur with ramped-up hostilities between Government forces and armed movements, "deadly" inter-communal conflicts and a precipitous rise in criminality and banditry.

All this, he said, has had a significant impact on civilians across the region's five states and has hampered the effort of the UN-African Union hybrid mission in Darfur's (UNAMID) to keep the peace.

"This insecurity as well as the persistent restrictions imposed by Government forces, armed movements and militia groups continued to challenge the ability of the Mission to implement its mandate, particularly as regards the protection of civilians, as well as posing a threat to the safety and security of United Nations and humanitarian personnel," Mr. Ladsous said.

The Under-Secretary-General's remarks accompany a report issued to the 15-member Council which provides a bleak outlook regarding the on-the-ground situation. In particular, it details a total of 55 recorded cases of violence and attacks against civilians, with 16 of them allegedly perpetrated by Arab militias, 23 by Government forces, and another 16 by unknown armed elements.

"The reporting period continued to highlight deep concerns relating to the lack of direct access to vulnerable populations in need of protections," he continued. "Free and unhindered access to communities in need remains a critical concern for UNAMID's ability to effectively implement its mandate, with frequent and numerous restrictions of movement having been imposed by the Government and armed movements on the basis of security concerns."

Mr. Ladsous' remarks come amid allegations of a mass rape of 200 women in Tabit, located in North Darfur. UNAMID recently declared it had initiated an investigation in the area but said its team had found no evidence confirming the claims and received no information regarding the purported acts. Village community leaders, meanwhile, reiterated to UNAMID that they "coexist peacefully" with local military authorities in the area.

Nevertheless, the UN official said, the team's findings remain "inconclusive and require further investigation," due to the heavy presence of military and police found in the village.

"Only an independent investigation by UNAMID will address the concerns over these serious allegations and [I] therefore urge the Government of Sudan to grant UNAMID immediate and independent access to Tabit and its population so that these reports can be verified."

Amid the continuing violent attacks against "blue helmets" and other UN personnel which, along with a similarly worrying rise in criminality, including rape, hijackings and abductions, had prompted "deep concern" within the Organization's peacekeeping apparatus, Mr. Ladsous also highlighted the dire humanitarian situation across Darfur, which has led to widespread internal displacement.

According to UN estimates, the number of people displaced by conflict has increased to more than 430,000 since the beginning of the year, with close to 300,000 remaining in displacement in addition to the more than two million long-term internally displaced persons, or IDPs.

The Under-Secretary-General told the Council that as UNAMID streamlined its operations, it remained focused on its three strategic priorities for the upcoming 2014-2016 biennium, including mediation between the Government and non-signatory armed movements on the basis of the Doha Document for Peace in Darfur; the provision of support, in conjunction with the UN Country Team, to the mediation of community conflict, including through measures to address its root causes; and the protection of civilians, the facilitation of the delivery of humanitarian assistance and the safety and security of humanitarian personnel.

Meanwhile, returning to the current humanitarian situation, Mr. Ladsous said UNAMID continued to work closely with humanitarian agencies to facilitate the delivery of assistance to vulnerable communities around the region.

The UN has repeatedly called on all sides to join negotiations aimed at achieving a permanent ceasefire and comprehensive peace for the people of Darfur, which has witnessed fighting since 2003.

For its part, UNAMID, formally established in 2007, has been mandated to protect civilians, support humanitarian assistance, monitor and verify implementation of agreements, contribute to the promotion of human rights and the rule of law, and assist in the political reconciliation following the 2003 civil war between the Government of Sudan and militias and other armed rebel groups.


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FOOD PRICES, STABLE FOR THIRD STRAIGHT MONTH, APPEAR TO HAVE 'BOTTOMED OUT' – UN

After some volatile movements in recent months, the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization's (FAO) Food Price Index held steady in November, marking the third consecutive month of stability.

"The index appears to have bottomed out with higher probabilities for a rise in its value in coming months" said Abdolreza Abbassian, senior economist at FAO, in a press release on the monthly survey .

Last month, the Index averaged 192.6 points, meaning it now stands 13 points – or 6.4 per cent – below its level a year ago. The trade-weighted index, which tracks prices of cereals, meat, dairy products, vegetable oils, and sugar on international markets, is now around its level of August 2010.

The inching up of vegetable oil and grain prices offset ongoing declines in dairy prices. Dairy prices declined 3.4 percent from October and 29 percent from a year earlier to average 178.1 points.

Cereal prices rose significantly for the first time since March, as growing conditions for the just-sown wheat crop in the Northern hemisphere, appear less than ideal. However, rice prices weakened as newly-harvested supplies arrived to market. The Cereal Price Index averaged 183 points in November, up 2.6 percent from October, but down 5.8 percent from a year earlier.

The Vegetable Oil Price Index also rose, increasing 0.7 percent to 164.9 points – still almost 17 percent below its level a year earlier – due to lower-than-anticipated global production of sunflower oil and some slowdown of palm oil production in Malaysia and Indonesia. However, soy oil prices were weak, dampening the sub-index's rise.

Sugar prices were down 3.2 percent from October, reflecting an 8 per cent decline over the year, and meat prices remained stable at historically high levels.


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ISRAEL'S DEMOLITIONS OF PALESTINIAN HOMES UNDERMINE 'ALREADY FRAGILE SITUATION' – UN

The "punitive demolition" of Palestinian homes by Israeli authorities is a violation of the most basic human rights and risks destabilizing an already delicate security situation in the contested region, a senior United Nations relief official today said today as he implored Israel to halt the destructive practice.



"Punitive demolitions are a form of collective penalty that punishes people for acts they did not commit," UN Humanitarian Coordinator, James W. Rawley declared in a press release. "They render innocent people homeless. The impact on children, women and the elderly is particularly devastating."



There has been a surge in the use of punitive demolitions by the Government of Israel following a fresh uptick in tensions and deadly violence across Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories.



Most recently, the East Jerusalem home of Abd al-Rahman al-Shaludi, a Palestinian man accused of committing a car attack in Jerusalem that claimed the lives of a 22 year-old woman and a three-month old child, was demolished on 19 November – an act which garnered UN criticism.



Israeli authorities have also slated at least six other homes of Palestinian suspects located in East Jerusalem, Askar refugee camp, and Hebron, for demolition or sealing – the practice of completely or partially closing off the rooms of a home with concrete or metal sheeting, prohibiting family members from accessing their homes, at times indefinitely. Meanwhile, following a recent deadly attack against a Jerusalem synagogue, a number of other house demolitions are reportedly being prepared.



Between 1 June and 30 November 2014, punitive demolitions have resulted in the displacement of 34 Palestinians, including 16 children. Another six families, including four in East Jerusalem and two in other parts of the West Bank, are at imminent risk of displacement.



"Punitive demolitions must stop," Mr. Rawley continued.



"They contravene international law and risk undermining the already fragile situation. Human rights violations are not only a symptom of the continued conflict here; they contribute to it."



Last week, two UN human rights experts similarly exhorted the Israeli authorities to stop the demolitions, warning that an upsurge in the practice would only add to a sense of collective frustration and despair and sow the seeds of more hatred and violence for the future.



In addition, punitive demolitions run counter to a range of rights and protections outlined in various international legal instruments that Israel has accepted, the Office of the UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process has noted. These include the prohibition on the destruction of private property in an occupied territory, the absolute ban on collective penalties, and the rights to fair trial and due process and to adequate housing.


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