Economic and Social Council

2004 Organizational Session

1^st Meeting (AM)

ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL ELECTS MARJATTA RASI OF FINLAND AS PRESIDENT FOR 2004

Ms. Rasi Stresses Importance of Conference

Follow-up to Meeting Millennium Declaration Commitments

The Economic and Social Council this morning elected Marjatta Rasi of Finland as its President for 2004, the first woman to hold that post.

Committee on Elimination of

Discrimination against Women

637^th & 638^th Meetings (AM & PM)

TRIPARTITE LEGAL SYSTEM HINDERS PROGRESS TOWARDS GENDER EQUALITY IN NIGERIA,

SAY EXPERTS ON WOMEN’S ANTI-DISCRIMINATION COMMITTEE

But, Ample Evidence of Nigeria’s Commitment

To Implementing Obligation under Women’s Convention Also Cited

UN, LIBYA TO EXPAND COOPERATION AGAINST DRUGS, CRIME, TERRORISM

(Reissued as received.)

SECRETARY-GENERAL CONCERNED BY INCREASED TENSION THREATENING

OUTBREAK OF HOSTILITIES IN SOMALIA

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

POLITICAL WILL ESSENTIAL IN OVERCOMING CURRENT IMPASSE,

SECRETARY-GENERAL TELLS CONFERENCE ON DISARMAMENT

Following is the message by Secretary-General Kofi Annan to the Conference on Disarmament in Geneva, delivered today by Sergei Ordzhonikidze, Secretary-General of the Conference on Disarmament:

Security Council

4898^th Meeting* (AM & PM)

DESPITE PROGRESS IN PROTECTING CHILDREN IN ARMED CONFLICT, GENERAL SITUATION

REMAINS ‘GRAVE AND UNACCEPTABLE’, SECURITY COUNCIL TOLD

Special Representative, UNICEF Executive Director Brief Council,

COFFEE CRISIS:  FAO HELPS NICARAGUA’S SMALL-SCALE GROWERS

Seeds, Basic Tools for 3,000 of Worst-Affected Coffee Producers

(Reissued as received.)

ROME/MANAGUA, 20 January (FAO) – The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) will work with the Nicaraguan Government to assist small-scale coffee growers hit by the global crisis in coffee prices, the Organization said today.

UNITED NATIONS HOLDS OPEN INFORMAL SESSION ON EDUCATION AND OUTER SPACE

(Reissued as received.)

Note to Correspondents
ANTI-SEMITISM, ISLAMAPHOBIA, RACISM IS FOCUS OF DPI/NGO BRIEFING, 22 JANUARY

“Anti-Semitism, Islamaphobia and Racism:  New Perspectives on Old Menaces”will be the focus of a DPI/NGO Briefing to be held on Thursday, 22 January, from 10 a.m. to 12 noon in Conference Room 1 of the United Nations Secretariat Building.

TRANSCRIPT OF PRESS CONFERENCE BY SECRETARY-GENERAL KOFI ANNAN

AT UN HEADQUARTERS, 19 JANUARY 2004

The Secretary-General:  Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen.

As you know, I have just been meeting with senior representatives of the Iraqi Governing Council (IGC) and the Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA).