Secretary-General Kofi Annan departed New York on Friday morning, 9 March, to begin a four-nation tour of Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh and India.

ACCESS TO SAFE WATER FUNDAMENTAL HUMAN NEED, BASIC HUMAN RIGHT,

SAYS SECRETARY-GENERAL IN MESSAGE ON WORLD WATER DAY

Following is the message of Secretary-General Kofi Annan on World Water Day, which is observed 22 March:

Access to safe water is a fundamental human need and, therefore, a basic human right.  Contaminated water jeopardizes both the physical and social health of all people.  It is an affront to human dignity.

SECRETARY-GENERAL SAYS DAY FOR ELIMINATION OF RACIAL DISCRIMINATION

CELEBRATES STEPS WORLD HAS TAKEN TO FREE ITSELF FROM RACIAL HATRED

Following is the message of Secretary-General Kofi Annan on the occasion of the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, which is observed on 21 March:

SECRETARY-GENERAL SALUTES PAKISTAN’S UN CONTRIBUTIONS, OFFERS SUPPORT

FOR EFFORTS TO ESTABLISH DEMOCRACY, IN TOAST AT ISLAMABAD BANQUET

Following is the text of the toast delivered by Secretary-General Kofi Annan at the official dinner banquet hosted by the Chief Executive, General Perez Masharraf, in Islamabad, Pakistan, on 11 March:

SECRETARY-GENERAL DEEPLY CONCERNED AT RAPIDLY DETERIORATING

FLOOD SITUATION IN MOZAMBIQUE

Appeals to Governments and Private Sector to Respond Urgently

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

SECRETARY-GENERAL CITES SECURITY COUNCIL’S ‘CRISIS OF CREDIBILITY’

AS COUNCIL MEETS TO FOLLOW UP 2000 SUMMIT DECLARATION

Following is the statement of Secretary-General Kofi Annan to the Security Council, as it met today in New York to follow up on its 7 September 2000 Summit:

SECRETARY-GENERAL EXPRESSES SADNESS AT DEATH OF US STATESMAN, HAROLD STASSEN

Following is the text of a statement issued today by the Office of the Spokesman for Secretary-General Kofi Annan:

UNITED NATIONS TO SEND INTER-AGENCY MISSION TO WEST AFRICA

The Secretary-General has decided to dispatch an inter-agency mission to West Africa, from 6 to 26 March, led by Ibrahima Fall, Assistant Secretary-General, Department of Political Affairs.  The mission will visit Côte d'Ivoire, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone and Togo.

SECRETARY-GENERAL ASKS UNITED STATES GEOGRAPHERS TO WORK WITH HIM TO TACKLE CLIMATE CHANGE PROBLEMS, ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

Following is the text of an address made today by the Secretary-General to the Association of American Geographers:

SECRETARY-GENERAL DISMAYED AT OUTBREAK OF RENEWED FIGHTING IN BURUNDI

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