Press Release

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                                       

THROUGH GLOBAL COMPACT, BUSINESS CAN JOIN WITH OTHERS TO FIND SOLUTION TO POVERTY,

SOCIAL INJUSTICE, SECRETARY-GENERAL TELLS CEREMONY LAUNCHING COMPACT IN EGYPT

Following is the message by Secretary-General Kofi Annan to the ceremony launching the Global Compact in Egypt, delivered by S. Iqbal Riza, Chef de Cabinet, Executive Office of the Secretary-General, in Cairo today:

SECRETARY-GENERAL ANNOUNCES FACT-FINDING TEAM HAS ARRIVED IN BAGHDAD

The following statement by Secretary-GeneralKofi Annan was issued by the Spokesman on 7 February:

Note to Correspondents

CONFERENCE AT UNITED NATIONS HEADQUARTERS ON 11 FEBRUARY TO EXAMINE

HOW INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY CAN IMPROVE LIVES OF OLDER PEOPLE

A conference on “Caring Communities for the 21st Century:  Imagining the Possible -- Age of Connectivity:  Harnessing the Generations” will take place on Wednesday, 11 February at United Nations Headquarters (Conference Room 2) from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

UNITED NATIONS TEAM ARRIVES AT INDONESIAN QUAKE SCENE

NEW YORK, 9 February (OCHA) -- Following the series of earthquakes that hit Papua province in Indonesia, a team from the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) arrived in Nabire on 8 February.  The team is supporting local authorities in assessing damages and needs.