Asia Pacific

Annan moves to appoint new envoy to Afghanistan

9 February 2004
United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan has moved to appoint Jean Arnault of France as his Special Representative for Afghanistan.

UN announces start of reintegration process for ex-fighters in Afghanistan

8 February 2004
The reintegration of former fighters in Afghanistan began today in the capital, Kabul, where over 100 ex-soldiers are expected to rejoin society in the coming days, a spokesman for the United Nations Assistance Mission (UNAMA) said.

Senior UN official urges parties in Nepal to sign human rights accord

6 February 2004
Responding to an upsurge of abuses in Nepal, a senior United Nations official today urged action on an accord governing human rights in the country.

Afghanistan's drug economy is fuelling terrorism, senior UN official says

6 February 2004
Surging opium production in Afghanistan is contributing to instability and even terror campaigns in the war-ravaged country, the United Nations' most senior anti-drugs official said today on the eve of an international conference on the issue.

Annan calls for international aid in response to Indonesian earthquake

6 February 2004
United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan voiced hope that the international community will give "generous and timely" assistance to the Government and people of Indonesia following today's earthquake in the country's Papua province.

UN scheme to teach gender awareness to judicial officers in Afghanistan

5 February 2004
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) will start work in April on a scheme across Afghanistan to refurbish judicial facilities and train judicial officers on gender awareness, prosecutions and case handling.
Kim Hak-Su, ESCAP

Despite some progress, Asia-Pacific region still menaced by hunger – UN official

4 February 2004
While considerable progress has been made in the Asia-Pacific region towards reaching the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) such as halving extreme poverty and hunger by 2015, some 766 million people there still live on less than $1 a day, a senior United Nations official told a workshop in Manila today.
Amb. Wang briefs journalists

Security Council to focus on African conflicts this month - new President

4 February 2004
Wars in Africa will command the attention of the United Nations Security Council, but the 15-member panel will also closely track events in Iraq and the Middle East, the President for February said today.
Avian Influenza

UN and animal health experts begin urgent meeting on 'bird flu' crisis

3 February 2004
Two United Nations agencies joining forces with the World Animal Health Organization (OIE) today began an urgent expert meeting to discuss the outbreak of avian influenza, or "bird flu," and to draw up a coordinated response.
UNESCO head Koïchiro Matsuura

UNESCO chief deplores murder of journalists and media staff in Iraq, Pakistan

3 February 2004
The head of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has condemned the murders of three journalists who were killed in Iraq and Pakistan last week.