Asia Pacific

In first such visit to DPR of Korea, UN legal delegation holds seminar on treaties

21 November 2005
In the first such visit of its kind, a United Nations legal delegation spent three days in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) last week at the invitation of the Government to conduct a seminar on treaty law and practice, statelessness and refugees issues.
Helicopter delivering much needed food aid

Pakistan: with quake aid aimed at long term, UN experts warn of immediate needs

21 November 2005
While warmly welcoming Saturday's international donors' conference for Pakistan's recovery from last month's devastating earthquake, a group of United Nations experts warned today that the vast majority of pledges are earmarked for long-term recovery even as operations remain in the critical rescue and assistance phase.

At Pakistan donor meeting, Annan seeks global solidarity for quake recovery

19 November 2005
At an international quake-recovery donor's conference in Pakistan today, Secretary-General Kofi Annan issued a ringing appeal to governments, civil society and the private sector to band together to provide continuing relief and full recovery from the 8 November disaster.

UN ecological agency signs accord to help make Beijing Olympics greenest ever

18 November 2005
In a new bid to slash ecological damage from major world sporting events, the United Nations environmental agency today signed an agreement to make the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games the greenest ever, from cutting from air, water and noise pollution to transport, landscaping and disposal of solid waste.
António Guterres

UN refugee chief to visit Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iran

18 November 2005
The new head of the United Nations refugee agency on Tuesday begins his first official visit to Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iran, where his office has assisted 3.5 million out of the more than 4.4 million Afghans who have returned home from the two host countries since 2002, the office of the High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) announced today.
Annan with President Musharraf in Islamabad

Annan tours worst-hit quake area of Pakistan ahead of donors' conference

18 November 2005
United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan, in Pakistan for an international donors' conference that is seeking $5.2 billion for relief and reconstruction after last month's devastating earthquake, today toured the hardest-hit area, declaring that the task at hand is gigantic.

Myanmar: UN labour agency voices 'grave concern' over death threats

18 November 2005
he Governing Body of the United Nations International Labour Organization (ILO) wrapped its latest session today, voicing "grave concern about the degradation of the situation" in Myanmar, including death threats against agency officials and the sentencing of people seeking redress for victims of forced labour.
Annan briefs reporters on arrival in Islamabad

Urging greater generosity, Annan arrives in Pakistan for quake donor conference

17 November 2005
United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan arrived in Pakistan today for an international donors’ conference on reconstruction after last month’s devastating earthquake, declaring “we need much, much more to help the people in need” as UN staff on the ground stressed the desperate shortfall in required funding.
Special Envoy Bill Clinton

UN tsunami recovery envoy Bill Clinton to return affected region

17 November 2005
The United Nations Special Envoy for Tsunami Recovery, former United States President Bill Clinton, has announced that later this month he will be making his second trip in his capacity as Envoy to countries devastated in the Indian Ocean region last December.

Pakistan’s agricultural losses from quake exceed $440 million, UN reports

16 November 2005
Direct and indirect losses to crops, livestock and irrigation infrastructure from last month’s earthquake in northern Pakistan total more than $440 million, yet the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has as yet received not one cent of the $25 million it has sought for immediate emergency aid.