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With international tourism projected to grow again by more than 4 per cent this year, the United Nations has set 2007 as “a critical year” to consolidate tourism as a key agent in the fight against poverty and a primary tool for sustainable development.

Many of the most serious effects of the flooding that killed some 100 people and left over 200,000 in need of urgent assistance in the Indonesian province of Aceh have been brought under control since the start of the year, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) reports in its latest update.

Strongly backing last year’s inquiry into deadly violence in Timor-Leste, the United Nations today called for speedy action on its recommendations, which include further investigation as well as prosecution of those responsible for the clashes that led to at least 37 deaths and forced 155,000 people – 15 per cent of the population – to flee their homes.

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon will today chair the first meeting of the United Nations-wide Darfur Task Force, a new grouping set up by the Organization to help guide and streamline efforts to end the spiralling humanitarian and security crisis in the strife-torn Sudanese region.

The United Nations Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) has already repatriated four of its peacekeepers to Bangladesh following investigations into allegations of sexual exploitation and abuse, and the cases of those personnel will now be dealt with by that country, the UN spokesperson said today.

Urging parties in Somalia and the international community to “seize the moment to end the bloodshed,” United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today welcomed indications that some African countries can deploy peacekeepers there while calling on the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) to reach out to other groups, and on all neighbouring States to respect Somali sovereignty.

The United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) today announced plans with the country’s national police to bolster security in the capital, Port-au-Prince, when students return to classes next week.

The United Nations refugee agency today called on Kenya to allow Somalis “at risk” to enter its territory following reports that Kenyan authorities were forcibly returning people fleeing the recent fighting in their homeland.

The top United Nations human rights official appealed directly to Iraqi President Jalal Talabani today not to execute two high-ranking colleagues of former president Saddam Hussein, who was hanged on Saturday.

The situations in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Côte d’Ivoire, as well as instability in the Middle East and general threats to international peace will dominate the Security Council’s work in January, the 15-member body agreed today after holding its first consultations of 2007.