Fifty-eighth General Assembly

Fifth Committee

23^rd Meeting (AM)

FIFTH COMMITTEE DEBATE FOCUSES ON PROPOSED IMPROVEMENTS

TO PLANNING, BUDGETING PROCESS

The Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) this morning focused on the proposed improvements to the current process of planning and budgeting and on the administration of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights.

Fifty-eighth General Assembly

Plenary

65^th Meeting (PM)

SPEAKERS IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY REAFFIRM SUPPORT FOR MIDDLE EAST ROAD MAP, REGRET

LACK OF PROGRESS IN ITS IMPLEMENTATION

FAO STUDY EXAMINES IMPACT OF HIV/AIDS IN RURAL AFRICA

ROME, 1 December (FAO) -- The steady advance of HIV/AIDS is devastating rural households in Africa, plunging families into poverty and hunger, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said on World Aids Day.

‘INTOLERABLE AND UNACCEPTABLE’ PRACTICE OF SLAVERY HAS YET TO BE ERADICATED,

SECRETARY-GENERAL SAYS IN INTERNATIONAL DAY MESSAGE

Following is the message of Secretary-GeneralKofi Annan on the occasion of the International Day for the Abolition of Slavery, 2 December:

BEST WAY TO REMEMBER THOSE LOST IN WAR IS TO ‘REDEDICATE OURSELVES TO THE CAUSE

OF PEACE’, SECRETARY-GENERAL TELLS WORLD VETERANS FEDERATION

Following is the message of Secretary-General Kofi Annan to the twenty-fourth General Assembly of the World Veterans Federation, to be held in Johannesburg, South Africa, on 1 December:

PEACE, END TO OCCUPATION, SECURITY FOR ISRAELIS ALL POSSIBLE, SECRETARY-GENERAL

SAYS ON INTERNATIONAL DAY OF SOLIDARITY WITH PALESTINIANS

Following is the message of Secretary-General Kofi Annan on the occasion of the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, 29 November:

SECRETARY-GENERAL, IN MESSAGE TO NOBEL PEACE LAUREATES, URGES THEM

TO MAKE THEIR VOICES HEARD IN REVIEW OF GLOBAL SECURITY

Following is the text of Secretary-General Kofi Annan’s message to the Fourth World Summit of Nobel Peace Laureates, delivered by Shalini Dewan, Director, United Nations Information Centre, Rome, today, 28 November:

SECRETARY-GENERAL’S REPORT SAYS ISRAEL NOT IN COMPLIANCE

WITH GENERALASSEMBLY RESOLUTION ON WEST BANK ‘BARRIER’

NEW YORK, 28 November -- The Secretary-General today released his report, requested by the General Assembly, on the Government of Israel’s compliance with the Assembly’s resolution A/ES - 10/13 of 21 October 2003, which demands that Israel stop and reverse construction of a barrier in the occupied Palestinian territory.

TREATY ON HAZARDOUS CHEMICALS, PESTICIDES TRADE TO BECOME LAW; ROTTERDAM

CONVENTION EFFECTIVE 24 FEBRUARY NEXT

(Reissued as received)

TENTATIVE SCHEDULE OF MEETINGS OF UNITED NATIONS BODIES IN DECEMBER 2003

The following is a tentative list of United Nations meetings scheduled to be held in December, including major meetings of intergovernmental organizations related to the United Nations:

Meetings continued from previous month: