More naval ships and aircraft were needed to confront Somali-based pirates who were expanding their area of operations into the Indian Ocean and, possibly, working in collaboration with terrorist groups, the Chairman of the Contact Group on Piracy off the Coast of Somalia said today at a Headquarters press conference.

The Secretary-General spoke to reporters in Seoul in advance of the Group of 20 (G-20) Summit that is to take place there, saying he will do his best to ensure that the leaders of the world’s biggest and strongest economies build solutions for the poorest and the most vulnerable people around the world into their plans.

The Secretary-General attended an event on the Millennium Development Goals at the National Assembly of the Republic of Korea, and he appealed to the leadership of the Korean Government to push forward on the implementation of those Goals. By doing so, he said, the Republic of Korea can show its commitment to protect the human rights of the vulnerable.

The Secretary-General welcomes the agreement of the Government formation process in Iraq which represents a major step forward in the country’s democratic process. He commends all political parties and their leaders for reaching a compromise that will serve the collective interest of the Iraqi people.

Ibrahim Gambari, the Joint Special Representative of the UN-African Union mission in Darfur, expressed deep concern at renewed violence between the Government of Sudan and the armed movements, most notably the Justice and Liberation Movement (JEM) and the Sudanese Liberation Army-Abdul Wahid (SLA-AW) faction.

Experts agreed that the number of cholera cases in Haiti would continue to rise, Nigel Fisher, Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General ad interim, said today at a Headquarters press conference.

Humanitarian supplies are being prepositioned at key locations in Sudan ahead of an expected referendum in the event of a possible mass movement of southern Sudanese from the north to the south, Valerie Amos, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, said today.

The United Nations today appointed Disney actress and youth activist Monique Coleman the Organization’s first-ever “Youth Champion” for the International Year of Youth, which began on 12 August.

Addressing the Security Council today in its meeting on Sudan the Secretary-General said that he remains concerned by delays in the preparations for the referendums, partly resulting from considerable national funding shortfalls, and calls for all remaining obstacles to be removed so that the Referendum Commission can take key decisions without delay.

The Secretary-General called Daw Aung San Suu Kyi today to personally greet her following her long-awaited release from detention. He reiterated his commitment and that of the United Nations to uphold the cause of human rights and support all efforts by the Government, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and all other stakeholders to build a united, peaceful, democratic and modern Myanmar.