Asia Pacific

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon briefs media after participating in meeting of the Friends of Myanmar

Ban welcomes amnesty in Myanmar as ‘first step’ toward democratization

23 February 2009
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today welcomed an amnesty announced by the Government of Myanmar, which reportedly includes some 23 political prisoners, as a “first step” toward release of all such detainees and further progress on democratization.
Up to 230,000 people are displaced in the Vanni area of Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka: UN official urges Government, rebels to end civilian deaths

21 February 2009
The top United Nations humanitarian official today urged combatants on both sides of the battle ravaging the northern Vanni region of Sri Lanka to make greater efforts to stop the rising toll of civilian casualties and to protect the people trapped in a small pocket of land held by rebel fighters.

UN renews appeal for safe release of abducted official in Pakistan

20 February 2009
The United Nations today renewed its appeal to those holding John Solecki, a staff member abducted in western Pakistan over two weeks ago, to release him immediately without harm.
Richard Bennett (right) with Kedar Nath Upadhyay of Nepal after signing agreement

Nepal: UN and national human rights body agree on guidelines for cooperation

20 February 2009
The United Nations today welcomed an agreement with Nepal’s national human rights body on guidelines for collaboration and cooperation in promoting and protecting the rights of people in the South Asian nation.
Children are suffering the most in the ongoing conflict in Sri Lanka

Protection of children caught in Sri Lankan conflict 'first priority' – UN official

20 February 2009
The United Nations official charged with the welfare of children in armed conflict today urged that priority attention be given to the fate of children in northern Sri Lanka, where Government forces are battling the separatists Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).
Special Adviser Ibrahim Gambari

UN envoy awaits 'tangible' outcomes from latest Myanmar visit

20 February 2009
The United Nations envoy for Myanmar told the Security Council today his latest visit to the South-East Asian nation, the fifth in the past year and a half, has not yet yielded any concrete results.
ITU Director of Telecommunication Development Bureau Sami Al Basheer Al Morshid

UN telecom agency launches partnerships for Pacific Island countries

20 February 2009
The United Nations International Telecommunication Union (ITU) today launched new partnerships to help 13 Pacific Island countries develop information and communications technology (ICT) in the region.
Primary school students in Indonesia

UNICEF opens 200th school in tsunami-battered Indonesian region

20 February 2009
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) reports that it has opened its 200th school in Indonesia’s Aceh-Nias region, which was devastated by the December 2004 tsunami.
Civilians flee fighting to welfare centre in Vavuniya, Sri Lanka

On visit to Sri Lanka, UN humanitarian chief stresses need to protect civilians

19 February 2009
The United Nations humanitarian chief today stressed the need to ensure the protection of civilians caught in the conflict zone in northern Sri Lanka, where Government forces are battling the separatists Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), as he began a three-day visit to the South Asian nation.

Pakistan, UN join forces to address health, population needs

19 February 2009
The Government of Pakistan and the United Nations today signed an agreement to cooperate in development initiatives in health and population in the South Asian nation.