Asia Pacific

Exclusion of political groups from Myanmar national convention concerns Annan

18 February 2005
United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan today voiced his regret that the national convention in Myanmar reconvened Thursday without the participation of the National League for Democracy (NLD) – the party of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi – and other political groups and called on the country's authorities to make the process more inclusive.

UN child and health agencies support Kazakhstan with inoculation against measles

18 February 2005
With help from the United Nations agencies for children and public health, Kazakhstan will begin a campaign to inoculate nearly 1.5 million young people over the next two weeks against measles and rubella in an effort to end an outbreak that began last September.
Indian fishermen sort out nets damaged by tsunami

Asian fisheries lost more than $500 million to tsunami – UN

17 February 2005
December’s devastating Indian Ocean tsunami inflicted a loss of more than half a billion dollars on the fishing sector of the seven worst-affected countries, with over 111,000 vessels destroyed or damaged, 36,000 engines lost and 1.7 million units of fishing gear ruined, according to latest United Nations figures released today.

UN mission hails new landmark in Afghanistan’s disarmament programme

17 February 2005
Afghanistan has passed a new landmark in its demobilization efforts after two decades of war and factional conflict, with more than 40,000 combatants now disarmed, about four-fifths of the total outside the national army, the United Nations mission announced today.

UNESCO condemns yet another journalist’s murder, this time in Bangladesh

17 February 2005
Less than a week after voicing increasing concern at the growing insecurity in which journalists around the world exercise their profession, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) today condemned the murder of a Bangladeshi reporter.
Food supply from WFP

US football players touch down for UN tsunami relief in Sri Lanka

16 February 2005
Continuing relief efforts to help survivors of the devastating Indian Ocean tsunami, National Football League (NFL) players from the United States kicked off a four-day visit to Sri Lanka today to work with the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) on its emergency operation to feed hungry families.
Matsuura

UNESCO voices deep concern at attacks against democracy in Nepal

16 February 2005
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) today expressed deep concern over attacks against democracy and freedom of expression in Nepal since a state of emergency was declared in the Himalayan kingdom at the beginning of the month.

World must step up battle against bird flu to prevent human pandemic – UN

16 February 2005
The global community needs to step up the battle against bird flu in affected Asian countries to avoid a potential global human influenza pandemic, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) warned today.

Exchanging helmets for shovels, US football stars help UN tsunami relief efforts

15 February 2005
Exchanging the manicured green of the football field for the tropical wasteland of tsunami-devastated Indonesia, two National Football League (NFL) players, quarterback Kurt Warner and wide receiver Amani Toomer of the New York Giants, are at the disaster’s ground zero supporting United Nations efforts to deliver food to survivors.

WHO tends to 40,000 pregnant women left homeless by tsunami

14 February 2005
The United Nations health agency is working with national authorities to ensure safe childbirth services in the coming weeks to an estimated 40,000 pregnant women left homeless as a result of the Indian Ocean tsunami in South Asia.