Asia Pacific

With UN help, Afghanistan gains control of Internet domain name

11 March 2003
With the support of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Afghanistan has officially planted its flag in cyberspace, gaining legal and technical control of the “dot-af” domain for Afghan websites and email addresses.

Thousands of returning Afghans signal start of repatriation season, UN agency says

11 March 2003
Thousands of Afghan refugees are returning home from neighbouring countries this week, a sign that the spring repatriation season has started in earnest, the United Nations refugee agency said today.

UN official ends visit to Kazakhstan stressing ratification of human rights treaties

11 March 2003
Winding up a weeklong visit to Kazakhstan, a top United Nations human rights official strongly urged the Government to ratify core international human rights treaties and called for the early adoption of a law on granting refugee status in the country.
USG Guéhenno briefs the Security Council

Timor-Leste: Security Council hears calls for delay in UN troop cutbacks

10 March 2003
Sounding “a warning bell at a critical time,” the top United Nations peacekeeping official urged the Security Council today to delay cutbacks in UN military and police forces in Timor-Leste and to enhance support for local authorities in the face of recent civil disturbances and the increase in the number of armed groups in rural areas.

Senior UN rights official concludes trip to Kyrgyzstan

7 March 2003
Wrapping up a two-day visit to Kyrgyzstan, a top United Nations rights official praised the country's promising, constitution-based human rights plan, but stressed the need for the government to forge ahead with real implementation to ensure the Kyrgyz people could freely exercise their civil liberties.

3 new entities subject to UN sanctions against Al-Qaida operatives

6 March 2003
The United Nations Security Council committee monitoring sanctions imposed against the Taliban has added three more organizations to its extensive list of entities and persons subject to the measures because of their links to the group or other terrorist operatives.

Despite progress Afghan women still subject to intimidation, violence - UN

6 March 2003
Despite progress in some sectors since the overthrow of the Taliban, intimidation and violence against Afghan women continue unabated in rural regions, according to a new report by United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan.

UNICEF joins forces with Afghan ministries to launch new women's literacy project

6 March 2003
In a bid to boost education for women, by women in Afghanistan - where perhaps 79 per cent of the female population is illiterate - the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) is joining forces with Afghanistan's education and gender affairs ministries to produce the country's first literacy textbook for women.

Five UN peacekeepers in Timor-Leste die in drowning accident

6 March 2003
A drowning accident today claimed the lives of five United Nations peacekeepers from the Republic of Korea serving in Timor-Leste.

UN and partners step-up to assist China after lethal earthquake

5 March 2003
After a powerful earthquake last month killed more than 250 people and left 3,000 without housing in the harsh winter conditions in China, the United Nations and its humanitarian partners are stepping up to provide the country with needed assistance.