REGULAR PRESS BRIEFING BY THE INFORMATION SERVICE

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 Human Rights, the World Health Organization, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, the UN Refugee Agency, the World Trade Organization and the World Food Programme.

Climate Change

Ms. Heuzé said available in the press room was the statement which the Secretary-General delivered yesterday to the 31st annual UN International School. As the theme this year was global warming, the Secretary-General said climate change was an inescapable reality. He said that, although the phenomenon had largely been viewed in isolation as an environmental issue, it was fast becoming increasingly clear, in North and South alike, that there was an inextricable, mutually dependent relationship between environmental sustainability and economic development. Because the issue transcended borders, the natural arena for action was the UN, he added.

Peacebuilding Fund

Ms. Heuzé said Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon would allocate $35 million from the Peacebuilding Fund in support of Sierra Leone. The Peacebuilding Fund was funded through voluntary contributions and sought to address critical peacebuilding priorities identified jointly by the Government and the United Nations and was created in late 2006 as part of the new peacebuilding architecture. This was the second such allocation made under the Peacebuilding Fund following an earlier one in support of Burundi, the other country currently under consideration by the Peacebuilding Commission.

Sport for Peace Campaign in Liberia

Ms. Heuzé said Adolf Ogi, the Under-Secretary-General and Special Adviser to the Secretary-General on Sport for Development and Peace, and President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf of Liberia, were inaugurating today in Monrovia an innovative five-week nationwide campaign which would use sports to bring Liberians together and foster peace and reconciliation to help the country recover from years of war and extreme poverty.

Geneva Activities

Ms. Heuzé said Sergei Ordzhonikidze, the Director-General of the United Nations Office at Geneva, had signed an agreement on 28 February in Madrid with the Spanish Foreign Minister concerning the renovation of Salle XX. Spain was offering four million dollars to UNOG for the renovation of the Salle, the largest contribution ever received by the Office for renovation work. The artwork would be carried out by the world-renowned Spanish artist Barcelo.

The Secretary-General had appointed Carlos Lopes of Guinea Bissau as Executive Director of the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR), in succession to Marcel Boisard, effective 1 March. Mr. Lopes had been serving since 1 September 2005 as Director for Political Affairs in the executive Office of the Secretary-General. Available was a biographical note on Mr. Lopes.

Human Rights

José Luis Díaz of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights said available was a press release about the UN Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers, Leandro Despouy, on his visit to the Maldives.

Concerning the upcoming session of the Human Rights Council, to be held from 12 to 30 March, Mr. Díaz said that according to a provisional timetable, it would start with a high-level part that would last two and a half days. So far, about 90 dignitaries had signalled their intention to address the Council. He hoped to have a list next week. At the end of the first week, probably 16 March, the Council was expected to take up the report of its high-level mission to Darfur which had not been able to visit the area, and the report of the Council’s aborted mission to Gaza. At the beginning of the second week, a special event on violence against children was scheduled for 19 March. Participating would be the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for children and armed conflict, Radhika Coomaraswamy, among others. Reports from Special Rapporteurs would be reviewed during the second week of the Council, and into the third week. At the end of the third week, there would be the conclusions and decisions of the session. Also during the third week, there would be a special event on the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. More details would be available in the middle of next week.

Asked if the Secretary-General would be in Geneva to address the Council during the high-level segment, Ms. Heuzé said she did not think so but she was unable to confirm or deny.

Mr. Díaz said one thing that was certain was that the Secretary-General would send a message to the Council, and it might be a video message.

Mr. Díaz reminded journalists that High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour would be speaking to journalists during the next briefing on Tuesday, 6 March.

Other

Fadela Chaib of the World Health Organization said an international consultation on male circumcision would be held from 6 to 8 March under the auspices of WHO and UNAIDS. The consultation would be examining the results of three studies on the impact of male circumcision on the reduction of infection of AIDS. The international consultation would be held in Montreux.

Elizabeth Byrs of the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said at noon on Monday, 5 in press room 1, there would be a press conference on the humanitarian situation in Somalia.

Ron Redmond of the UN Refugee Agency said UNHCR on 1 March resumed the voluntary repatriation of Afghans in Pakistan after the winter break, with new arrangements linked to the recently-concluded registration exercise that counted over 2.1 million Afghans in Pakistan. More than 2.87 million Afghans had returned from Pakistan to Afghanistan with UNHCR assistance since 2002. This year marked the sixth year of the largest such operation in the refugee agency's history. The planning figure for returns from Pakistan and Iran in 2007 was 250,000 Afghan returnees. Voluntary repatriation was largely funded by the European Commission.

Mr. Redmond said UN High Commissioner for Refugees António Guterres would be leaving this afternoon on a three-day mission to Egypt at the invitation of the League of Arab States. On Sunday, the High Commissioner would be addressing the opening session of the 127th meeting of the Council of Ministers of Foreign Affairs in Cairo, focusing on the situation of Iraqi refugees in neighbouring Arab countries and the internally displaced inside Iraq. He would be highlighting the urgent need for humanitarian solidarity by the international community and would seek partnerships with the Arab States in addressing the needs of the Iraqis.

Anoush der Boghossian of the World Trade Organization said there would be a briefing at 1 p.m. today at WTO about negotiations on market access for non-agricultural products. Next week, the trade policy of Australia would be reviewed on 5 and 7 March. There would also be a meeting of the Trade and Development Committee on 6 March.

Christiane Berthiaume of the World Food Programme said the Swiss pop star DJ BoBo would be leaving for Ethiopia on 4 March on his first trip as WFP goodwill ambassador against hunger. A press release with more details was available.