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Voicing renewed concern at the growing violence in Tunisia, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today urged that all efforts be taken to restore peace and stability in the north African country, according to his spokesperson.

The Security Council today welcomed the conclusion of voting in the referendum for the self-determination of Southern Sudan, describing the voting exercise as “largely peaceful and orderly” while urging both parties to Sudan’s peace agreement to respect the outcome of the poll.

The head of the joint United Nations-African Union peacekeeping mission in Darfur (UNAMID), Ibrahim Gambari, today called for calm following recent clashes in the town of Nertiti, in Sudan’s West Darfur state.

With 1.6 billion people in developing countries still lacking access to electricity, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today called for a global revolution to address the world’s energy challenges.

The head of the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), Josette Sheeran, today began a three-day mission to the occupied Palestinian territory, Israel and Jordan, during which she will visit the agency’s projects and meet with government officials, partner organisations and staff.

A United Nations committee on Palestinian rights today called on the international community to take steps to compel Israel to end its “illegal” settlement activity in occupied Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem, warning that such actions preclude the possibility of peace.

Last year was full of “big events” for public health, including the launch of a new meningitis vaccine and an aggressive new strategy for polio eradication, the head of the United Nations health agency said today, while stressing the need to ensure that progress is maintained in the year ahead.

The United Nations envoy for Somalia today inaugurated a programme through which some 500 Somali police recruits will be trained in neighbouring Djibouti with funding provided by Japan as part of international efforts to strengthen the capacity of the Somali interim authorities to improve security.

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today voiced his concern about the continued violence and the resulting loss of lives in Tunisia, urging dialogue among all sides to resolve differences peacefully and to restore stability to the country.

General Assembly President Joseph Deiss said today he hopes “real negotiations” may at last get under way this year in the almost two-decades-long process to enlarge the Security Council, bringing the United Nations body whose decisions are binding into line with the Organization’s current membership.