Asia Pacific

Top UN relief official urges Taliban to improve working conditions for aid staff

25 June 2001
Welcoming the release of four Afghan aid workers, a top United Nations relief official urged the Taliban, who had detained the staff, to improve "in real terms" the working environment for humanitarian personnel in Afghanistan.

East Timor: donor countries meet to raise funds for new defence force

25 June 2001
The second international donor's conference of countries committed to assisting the newly formed East Timor Defence Force (ETDF) began today in Dili, under the chairmanship of the head of the United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor (UNTAET).

Nearly 96 per cent of East Timorese registered in advance of August elections

22 June 2001
The civil registration of East Timorese ended today in all 13 of the territory's districts except the capital Dili, where the process has been extended until tomorrow, according to the United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor (UNTAET).

Annan welcomes release of 5 parliamentarians in Myanmar

21 June 2001
Secretary-General Kofi Annan today welcomed the release in Myanmar of five more Parliament Members from the National League for Democracy (NLD).

In shift, UN supports setting up camps for displaced in northern Afghanistan

21 June 2001
Reacting to the displacement of tens of thousands of people in northern Afghanistan, the United Nations today said it would set up camps in that region, reversing an early policy which held that it would be better to discourage Afghans from congregating in organized shelter areas there.

Flash floods in East Timor leave 1,000 homeless, UN mission says

21 June 2001
An estimated 1,000 people were left homeless in eastern East Timor as a result of three days of heavy flooding that swept through the area earlier this week, the United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor (UNTAET) reported today.

East Timor: National Council sets up truth commission to probe rights violations

20 June 2001
The National Council of East Timor today unanimously passed an amended regulation on the establishment of a truth and reconciliation commission and in a related move asked the United Nations Transitional Administrator to set up a tribunal to prosecute perpetrators of serious human rights violations in the territory.

East Timor: UN mission extends civil registration process

19 June 2001
The United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor (UNTAET) has extended the registration process of East Timor's population by two days in order not to exclude the high number of people still arriving to register, especially in the capital, Dili.

Switzerland aids UN's long-term development efforts in war-stricken Afghanistan

19 June 2001
Switzerland will donate $2.15 million to long-term development efforts by United Nations agencies working to build peace, provide food and strengthen communities in war-ravaged Afghanistan, the UN announced today.

Role of women in city government highlighted at mayors' conference in Thailand

19 June 2001
Asian and Pacific countries would be much cleaner, healthier and friendlier if women had an equal decision-making role in local government, the head of the United Nations office in the region said today.