Africa

SECRETARY-GENERAL WELCOMES TRANSITIONAL AGREEMENT IN COMOROS

The following statement was issued by the Spokesman for Secretary-General Kofi Annan on 24 December:

FIGHTING IN CENTRAL SOMALIA DISPLACES 1,500 FAMILIES

SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR ON RIGHT TO HEALTH CONCLUDES VISIT TO MOZAMBIQUE

(Reissued as received.)

GENEVA, 23 December -- Paul Hunt, Special Rapporteur of the Commission on Human Rights on the right to health, has concluded a mission to Mozambique that lasted from 15 to 19 December. The mission took place at the invitation of the Government.

PRESS STATEMENT ON GUINEA-BISSAU BY SECURITY COUNCIL PRESIDENT

The following press statement was delivered today by Security Council President Stefan Tafrov (Bulgaria):

GOOD GOVERNMANCE ESSENTIAL FOR POLITICAL STABILITY, ECONOMIC GROWTH

SAYS SECRETARY-GENERAL IN MESSAGE TO WEST AFRICAN SUMMIT

Following is Secretary-General Kofi Annan’s message to the Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Economic Community of West African States, delivered by Ahmedou Ould-Abdallah, Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Chief of the United Nations Office for West Africa, in Accra, 19 December:

DESERT LOCUST THREAT GROWING

FAO Locust Group Publishes New Report 

(Reissued as received.)

      ROME, 18 December (FAO)-- After a summer season of good rains and recent favourable rainfall, Desert Locust populations continue to increase and may threaten winter crops in north-west Africa and along the Red Sea, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) warns today.

FAO HONOURS NIGERIAN PRESIDENT FOR HIS EFFORTS TO BRING FOOD

SECURITY TO FOREFRONT OF AFRICAN POLITICAL AGENDA

(Reissued as received.)

SECRETARY-GENERAL POINTS OUT AREAS FOR MUTUAL ASSISTANCE

IN MESSAGE TO CHINA-AFRICA COOPERATION FORUM

Following is the text of Secretary-General Kofi Annan’s message to the Second Ministerial Conference of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation delivered in Addis Ababa today, 15 December 2003, by Zéphirin Diabré, Under-Secretary-General and Associate Administrator, United Nations Development Programme:

PAN-AFRICAN IMPLEMENTATION AND PARTNERSHIP CONFERENCE

ON WATER ENDS WITH ACTION PLAN FOR CONTINENT

(Reissued as received.)

PRESS STATEMENT BY SECURITY COUNCIL PRESIDENT ON DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO

Following is today’s statement to the press by Security Council President Stefan Tafrov (Bulgaria):

The members of the Security Council heard a statement by the Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations on the situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.