UN UNDERTAKES FIRST HUMANITARIAN MISSION TO VOINJAMA, LIBERIA, IN FOUR YEARS

MORE AFRICAN COUNTRIES BACK LEAD-FREE PETROL

NAIROBI, 17 October (UN Environment Programme) -- An international effort to phase lead out of petrol in Africa is gathering pace as more and more countries develop and implement action plans for switching to unleaded gasoline.

SECRETARY-GENERAL SADDENED AT DEATH OF MOKTAR OULD DADDAH,

FIRST PRESIDENT OF MAURITANIA

The following statement was issued today by the Spokesman for Secretary-General Kofi Annan on the death of Moktar Ould Daddah of Mauritania:

LIBERIA:  HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE SCALING UP

SECRETARY-GENERAL HAILS INAUGURATION OF NATIONAL TRANSITIONAL

GOVERNMENT AS ‘TURNING POINT’ FOR LIBERIA

Following is the message of Secretary-GeneralKofi Annan on the inauguration of the National Transitional Government of Liberia, as delivered today in Monrovia by Jacques Paul Klein, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Liberia:

BETTER MARKET ACCESS, DIVERSIFICATION NEEDED TO REVIVE

AFRICAN TRADE, SAYS UNCTAD CHIEF

DISPLACED PEOPLE CONTINUE TO ARRIVE IN TOTOTA, LIBERIA

NEW YORK, 9 October (Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs) -- On Tuesday, 7 October, an inter-agency mission visited Totota and Kakata in Liberia to examine the relocation of internally displaced persons in irregular shelters and assess new population movements into Totota.

PRESS STATEMENT BY SECURITY COUNCIL PRESIDENT ON BURUNDI

This is the text of a statement on Burundi delivered today by the President of the Security Council, John Negroponte (United States):

Security Council members welcome the signing on 8 October of the Pretoria Protocol on political, defence and security power-sharing between the Transitional Government of Burundi and the CNDD-FDD.

LIBERIA:  NON-ESSENTIAL MISSIONS ON HOLD

New York, 8 October (Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs) -- Although the situation in Monrovia has stabilized, there are reports of fighting between Government troops and rebel factions in Nimba and Bong Mines in north/central Liberia.  Agencies are exercising caution in operating outside of Monrovia, and non-essential missions are on hold, for now. 

PRESS STATEMENT BY SECURITY COUNCIL PRESIDENT ON LIBERIA

Following is the text of a press statement on Liberia delivered today by the President of the Security Council, John Negroponte (United States):