Marie Heuzé, the Director of the United Nations Information Service in Geneva, chaired the briefing which was also addressed by Spokespersons for the International Telecommunication Union, the International Organization for Migration, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, the United Nations Children’s Fund, the World Food Programme, the International Labour Office and the World Health Organization.New Secretary-General-Designate Sworn in Ms. Heuzé said Ban Ki-moon was sworn in yesterday to serve as the next Secretary-General, effective on 1 January. Also yesterday, the…

Marie Heuzé, Director of the United Nations Information Service in Geneva, chaired the briefing, which also heard from Spokespersons for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency, the World Health Organization, the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe, the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, the United Nations Children’s Fund, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, the International Strategy for Disaster Reduction, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, and the International…

This afternoon Archbishop Desmond Tutu, in his capacity as Head of the Fact-Finding Mission to Beit Hanoun, held a press conference at the Palais des Nations in Geneva to announce that the investigative mission into the events in Beit Hanoun could not take place as scheduled owing to the lack of cooperation by the Israeli Government. The Fact-Finding Mission, established by Human Rights Council resolution S-3/1 adopted at the Council’s third special session on 15 November, was to travel to Beit Hanoun to “assess the situation of victims, address the needs of survivors, and make…

Elena Ponomareva-Piquier, Chief of the Press and External Relations Section, chaired the briefing which also heard from Spokespersons for the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, the World Health Organization, the United Nations Children’s Fund, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, the World Food Programme, the UN Refugee Agency, the International Organization for Migration and World Trade Organization.Nepal Ms. Ponomareva-Piquier indicated that a UN technical assessment mission will be on…

Elena Ponomareva-Piquier, Chief of the Press and External Relations Section, chaired the briefing which also heard from Spokespersons for the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, the World Health Organization, the United Nations Children’s Fund, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, the World Food Programme, the UN Refugee Agency, the World Bank and the International Committee of the Red Cross.High-Level Conference on Eliminating Sexual Exploitation and Abuse Ms. Ponomareva-Piquier said that…

Marie Heuzé, Director of the United Nations Information Service in Geneva, chaired the briefing which also heard from Spokespersons for the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, the United Nations Children’s Fund, the World Meteorological Organization, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, the UN Refugee Agency, the World Health Organization, the Inter-Parliamentary Union and the International Organization for MigrationWorld AIDS Day Ms. Heuzé recalled that today was World AIDS Day. She said that journalists had received the Secretary-General's…

Marie Heuzé, Director of the United Nations Information Service in Geneva, chaired the briefing which also heard from Spokespersons for the Joint UN Programme on HIV/AIDS, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, the World Food Programme, the UN Refugee Agency, the United Nations Children’s Fund, the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, the World Intellectual Property Organization, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, and the International Organization for Migration.Human Rights Council With regard to the Human Rights Council's second session,…

Marie Heuzé, the Director of the United Nations Information Service in Geneva, chaired the briefing which also heard from Spokespersons for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, the World Food Programme, the UN Refugee Agency, the United Nations Children’s Fund, the World Trade Organization, the International Labour Organization and the International Organization for Migration.New Statements and Documents Ms. Heuzé said the Secretary-…

Elena Ponomareva-Piquier, Chief of the Press and External Relations Section, chaired the briefing which also heard from Spokespersons for the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, the United Nations Children’s Fund, the UN Refugee Agency, the World Health Organization, the International Committee of the Red Cross and the International Organization for Migration.Geneva Activities Ms. Ponomareva-Piquier said that yesterday the Secretary-General had opened the Sixth Review Conference of the States Parties to the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development,…

Marie Heuzé, the Director of the United Nations Information Service in Geneva, chaired the briefing which was also addressed by Spokespersons for the Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, the UN Refugee Agency, the United Nations Children’s Fund, the World Food Programme, UNAIDS, the World Health Organization, the United Nations Conference for Trade and Development, the World Trade Organization and the International Organization for Migration.Secretary-General’s Trip to Switzerland Ms. Heuzé said Secretary-General Kofi Annan…