Secretary-General urges united local government body to address

needs of slum dwellers, challenge of good urban governance

The following is the text of Secretary-General Kofi Annan’s message to the Founding Congress of United Cities and Local Governments, delivered in Paris, on 2 May by Anna Tibaijuka, Executive Director, United Nations Human Settlements Programme:

SECRETARY-GENERAL HIGHLIGHTS FOCUS ON THE UNDERREPORTING OF IMPORTANT NEWS

AS HE ADDRESSES COMMITTEE ON INFORMATION

Calls Occasion Opportunity to Reaffirm Commitment to Independence of Media

SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR ON TORTURE SERIOUSLY CONCERNED ABOUT REPORTS

 

OF ABUSE OF IRAQI PRISONERS BY COALITION FORCES

(Reissued as received.)

GENEVA, 3 May (UN Information Service) –- The Special Rapporteur on the question of torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights, Theo van Boven, issued the following statement today:

COMMITTEE AGAINST TORTURE OPENS THIRTY-SECOND SESSION

Hears Address by Acting High Commissioner

For Human Rights; Elects Chairperson and Officers

(Reissued as received.)

GENEVA, 3 May (UN Information Service) –- The Committee against Torture today opened its thirty-second session by hearing an address by the United Nations acting High Commissioner for Human Rights and electing its Chairperson and officers for a two-year term. 

SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR ON RIGHT TO HEALTH CALLS FOR INDEPENDENT ENQUIRY

INTO HUMANITARIAN CRISIS IN FALLUJA

(Reissued as received.)

ACTING HUMAN RIGHTS chief:  PRESS FREEDOM DAY AN OCCASION

TO ENSURE VOICES CONTINUE TO BE HEARD

(Reissued as received.)

GENEVA, 3 May (OHCHR) –- Following is the statement of Bertrand Ramcharan, the acting High Commissioner for Human Rights, on the occasion of World Press Freedom Day:

Fifty-eighth General Assembly                              

Economic and Social Council                                

2004 Organizational Session                                

10^th Meeting (AM)

Biographical Note

NEW PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE OF antigua and barbuda PRESENTS CREDENTIALS

(Based on information received from the Protocol and Liaison Service.)

The new Permanent Representative from Antigua and Barbuda to the United Nations, John W. Ashe, today presented his credentials to Secretary-General Kofi Annan.

Biographical Note                                          

NEW PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE OF serbia and montenegro PRESENTS CREDENTIALS

(Based on information received from the Protocol and Liaison Service.)