SECRETARY-GENERAL WELCOMES REPATRIATION OF OVER 100 RWANDAN REBELS

FROM DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO

The following statement was issued by the Spokesman for Secretary-General Kofi Annan today:

SECRETARY-GENERAL STRESSES KEY ROLE OF INDUSTRIALIZATION IN AFRICA’S EFFORTS

TO ACHIEVE DEVELOPMENT GOALS, INTEGRATE INTO GLOBAL ECONOMY

Following is the message of Secretary-General Kofi Annan on Africa Industrialization Day, 20 November:

PAN AFRICAN CONFERENCE TO DISCUSS HOW TO MEET AFRICA'S WATER GOALS

ADDIS ABABA, 17 November (ECA) -- Delegates from about 43 African countries will attend the first Pan African Implementation and Partnership Conference on Water (PANAFCON) in Addis Ababa from 8-13 December 2003, a statement from the UN-Water/Africa Secretariat, based at the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), said today.

UN AGENCIES INCREASE AID TO DISPLACED LIBERIANS

NEW YORK, 14 November (OCHA) -– United Nations humanitarian agencies continue a wide range of activities to meet the needs of vulnerable Liberians, especially internally displaced persons.

UNDER-SECRETARY-GENERAL EGELAND LAUDS IMPROVED SECURITY

EXPERT GROUP MEETING ON AFRICA'S DEBT TO TAKE PLACE IN DAKAR

ADDIS ABABA, 14 November (ECA) -- The Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) is co-hosting with Senegal an Expert Group Meeting on "Solving Africa's External Debt Problem to Finance Development" from 17 to 19 November in Dakar, Senegal.

SOMALIA:  CONTINUED DROUGHT SPELLS DISASTER FOR NOMADS

SEVERE food crisis LOOMS in Central African Republic

IN AFTERMATH OF internal conflict, UN AGENCY WARNS

NEW YORK, 13 November 2003 (OCHA) -– A United Nations agency in the Central African Republic was warned that the country could experience a severe food crisis within the next four months.

UNDER-SECRETARY-GENERAL FOR HUMANITARIAN AFFAIRS REAFFIRMS MORAL OBLIGATION

TO ASSIST VULNERABLE PEOPLE IN DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO

NEW YORK, 13 November (OCHA) -- Jan Egeland, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, has reaffirmed the moral obligation of the international community to assist the vulnerable people of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

PRESS STATEMENT ON DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO BY SECURITY COUNCIL PRESIDENT

Following is the text of the press statement on the situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo delivered by Security CouncilPresident Ismael Abraão Gaspar Martins (Angola):