Asia Pacific

Cambodia: UN launches online map to identify food insecurity

15 February 2008
The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has launched an interactive and online map of Cambodia to identify areas of food insecurity so that it can better ascertain where to step up its aid in the South-East Asian country.
UN Deputy Secretary-General Asha-Rose Migiro

Migiro travels to Thailand for regional meeting to spur development

15 February 2008
Deputy Secretary-General Asha-Rose Migiro heads to Thailand this weekend to chair the latest regional coordination meeting of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) as part of her efforts to promote development worldwide.
Security forces in Timor-Leste remain on high alert

Timorese political leaders condemn recent attacks on top officials – UN

14 February 2008
In a meeting held at the United Nations headquarters in Dili today, leaders of Timor-Leste's political parties strongly condemned the attacks on Monday that injured the country's president and targeted its prime minister.

UN backs over one dozen women in largest all-female Everest expedition

14 February 2008
In the largest all-female expedition to Mount Everest ever, 13 courageous Nepali women representing the range of the Asian country’s castes and ethnicities, backed by the United Nations, will attempt to reach the world’s highest peak this Spring.

Harsh winter in Tajikistan prompts UNICEF to rush aid deliveries

13 February 2008
With Tajikistan facing the harshest winter in three decades amid severe shortages of water and gas supplies, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) has rushed in emergency supplies to meet immediate critical needs.

Myanmar: Secretary-General convenes ‘Group of Friends’ meeting

13 February 2008
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today convened a meeting of the 14 Member States known as the “Group of Friends” to review developments in Myanmar, where the Government forcefully cracked down on peaceful protesters last year.
Security forces search vehicles at a check point in Dili

Timor-Leste: UN envoy decries political attacks, hails government response

12 February 2008
A senior United Nations envoy today decried attempts on the life of the President of Timor-Leste, who was wounded yesterday in a shooting, and the Prime Minister, who escaped a separate attack on his motorcade, while praising the maintenance of calm in the country.
UNESCO Director-General, Koïchiro Matsuura

UNESCO chief condemns murder of Nepalese journalist

12 February 2008
The Director-General of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) today condemned the murder last month of Nepalese journalist Pushkar Bahadur Shrestha.

UN-backed project to assist thousands in northern China’s countryside

12 February 2008
About 125,000 households in China’s Inner Mongolia region stand to benefit from better access to financial services, markets, technology and information under a new programme backed by the United Nations agency tasked with trying to reduce rural poverty.
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon

Myanmar: upcoming referendum must be inclusive, transparent – Ban Ki-moon

11 February 2008
Reacting to Myanmar’s announcement of a constitutional referendum to be held this May, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today called on authorities to ensure that the process represents the views of all of the South-East Asian nation’s people.