Press Release

Economic and Social Council                                

2004 Substantive Session                                   

ERRATIC RAINS, CIVIL STRIFE, DESERT LOCUSTS SERIOUSLY

THREATEN FOOD SECURITY IN SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA

Crisis in Sudan Pushes Millions off Land;

Elsewhere Drought, AIDS Undercut Agricultural Production

(Reissued as received.)

LOCUST SWARMS INVADE WEST AFRICA

Extremely Critical Situation in North-West Africa --

International Assistance Urgently Needed to Avoid Locust Plague

(Reissued as received.)

seoulpeacepark magnificent reaffirmation of ideals shared by un, people

of korea, says Secretary-General in message to ground-breaking ceremony

Following is the text of Secretary-General Kofi Annan’s message to the ground-breaking ceremony of the United Nations Peace Park and NGO Complex, delivered by Under-Secretary-General Joseph Verner Reed, in Seoul, 2 July:

Ad Hoc Committee on Assembly                               

 Resolution 51/210                                         

COMPENSATION COMMISSION APPROVES AWARDS OF $380.5 MILLION AT FIFTY-SECOND SESSION

(Reissued as received.)

GENEVA, 2 July (UN Information Service) -- The Governing Council of the United Nations Compensation Commission, under the presidency of Ambassador Michael Steiner (Germany), has concluded its fifty-second session today and approved awards of $380,532,962.70 for compensation.

Economic and Social Council

2004 Substantive Session

24^th & 25^th Meetings (AM & PM)

COMPLEMENTARY APPROACHES –- GENDER MAINSTREAMING, PROMOTING WOMEN’S

EMPOWERMENT -- NEEDED TO ACHIEVE GENDER EQUALITY, ECOSOC TOLD

Reviews System-Wide Effort To Mainstream

Gender Perspective into UN Policies, Programmes

UN REPORTS SLOW PROGRESS IN LIBERIA RECONSTRUCTION

NEW YORK, 2 July (OCHA) -- Slow progress in Liberia’s reconstruction is due to the failure of donors to contribute the $540 million they pledged at a donors’ conference in New York in February 2004, according to the United Nations.

SECRETARY-GENERAL DEEPLY SADDENED BY DEATH OF SIR RICHARD MAY,

FORMER JUDGE ON INTERNATIONAL TRIBUNAL

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

The Secretary-General was deeply saddened to learn of the death early this morning of Sir Richard May, former judge of the International Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia.

SECRETARY-GENERAL urges respect for ceasefire as colombia peace talks open

Following is the text of a statement attributable to the Spokesman for Secretary-General Kofi Annan: