IN MESSAGE TO ARAB LEAGUE – UN SYSTEM MEETING, SECRETARY-GENERAL SAYS

REFORMS URGENTLY NEEDED TO GENERATE GROWTH, CREATE JOBS

Following is the message by Secretary-General Kofi Annan to the General Cooperation Meeting between the League of Arab States and the United Nations System, Cairo, 10-13 February, delivered by Mervat Tallawy, Executive Secretary, United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia:

INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON RICE TO BE HELD IN ROME, 12 – 13 FEBRUARY

(Reissued as received.)

UNITED NATIONS MEMBER STATES

These are the 191 Member States of the United Nations with dates on which they joined the Organization, following the admission of Switzerland on

10 September 2002, and Timor-Leste (East Timor) on 27 September 2002:

Member	Date of Admission
Afghanistan	19 Nov. 1946

STUDY TAKES CRITICAL LOOK AT BENEFIT-SHARING OF GENETIC

RESOURCES, TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE

WIPO, UNEP Launch Voluntary ‘Access

And Benefit-Sharing’ Case Studies from Africa, Asia

(Reissued as received.)

MAJOR PROGRESS MUST BE ACHIEVED IN REFORM OF SECURITY SECTOR IN DEMOCRATIC

REPUBLIC OF CONGO, DEPUTY SECRETARY-GENERAL SAYS

Following is the text of introductory remarks, translated from French, by Deputy Secretary-General Louise Fréchette at the high-level meeting on security sector reform in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, New York, 9 February:

SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR ON FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION CONCLUDES VISIT TO COTE D’IVOIRE

(Reissued as received.)

GENEVA, 10 February (UN Information Service) -- The Special Rapporteur of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights on the right to freedom of opinion and expression, Ambeyi Ligabo, has completed a visit to Côte d’Ivoire (29 January to 5 February 2004) undertaken at the invitation of the Government.

CAMEROON-NIGERIA MIXED COMMISSION:  FIRST FIELD VISIT TO BAKASSI PENINSULA

(Reissued as received.)

SUDAN –- UN WELCOMES ANNOUNCEMENT OF INCREASED ACCESS TO DARFUR

NEW YORK, 10 February (OCHA) -– In a statement, the President of the Sudan, Omer Hassan Ahmed Al Bashir, has promised to provide access to aid workers so that they can reach millions of suffering civilians in the Darfur region.

UN REPORT HIGHLIGHTS BENEFITS OF CONSERVING EARTH’S CLOUD FORESTS

KUALA LUMPUR/CAMBRIDGE/NAIROBI, 9 February (UNEP) -- The Earth's cloud forests, vital and unique habitats for thousands of rare and endangered species, and suppliers of year-round water supplies for farmers, rural communities and many rapidly growing cities, are under increasing threat from factors, including agriculture, road-building and climate change.

Commission for Social Development                          

Forty-second Session