PRESS CONFERENCE TO MARK LAUNCH OF INTERNATIONAL YEAR OF FRESHWATER 2003

Partnerships and community efforts and initiatives in protecting and improving water resources were urged by speakers at a Headquarters press conference, which followed today’s official launching of the International Year of Freshwater 2003, proclaimed by the General Assembly three years ago.

PRESS CONFERENCE BY UNITED NATIONS FOUNDATION

Five years and $575 million later, the United Nations Foundation had proved an unparalleled success in partnering diverse global organizations with United Nations agencies, funds and Programmes to help tackle pressing universal issues such as fighting deadly preventable diseases, promoting women’s health and protecting the environment, the Foundation’s President told reporters this afternoon.

PRESS CONFERENCE BY PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE OF TIMOR-LESTE

Timor-Leste was celebrating International Human Rights Day by ratifying all major United Nations human rights treaties, said Jose Luis Guterres, Permanent Representative of Timor-Leste, at a Headquarters Press Conference this morning.

HEADQUARTERS PRESS CONFERENCE BY PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE OF CÔTE D’IVOIRE

PRESS CONFERENCE ON BURUNDI BY DEPUTY PRESIDENT OF SOUTH AFRICA

The Security Council fully supported the steps taken towards peace in Burundi, according to Jacob Zuma, Executive Deputy President of South Africa, Facilitator of the Peace Process in Burundi, and Vice-President of the African National Council.  Speaking at a press conference at Headquarters this evening, he explained that, despite that support, the Council had raised several concerns.

PRESS BRIEFING ON STATE OF WORLD POPULATION 2002

Women's access to contraception, information, and reproductive health services was vital in alleviating poverty and achieving the Millennium Development Goals, Earth Institute Director Jeffrey Sachs told correspondents at a Headquarters briefing this morning.

PRESS CONFERENCE BY SECURITY COUNCIL PRESIDENT

At a headquarters press conference this afternoon, Alfonso Valdivieso of Colombia, the new President of the Security Council for the month of December, outlined the Council’s work programme, including scheduled open meetings and its handling of Iraq’s disarmament programme.

PRESS CONFERENCE BY COMMANDER OF AFGHANISTAN INTERNATIONAL FORCE

If the international community left Afghanistan too early -- before there was a strong national army, before all opposition forces were demobilized, and before a strong police force was operational throughout the country -- Afghanistan could relapse into conflict, the Commander of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) warned today at a Headquarters press conference.

PRESS BRIEFING BY UNAIDS

Three million people died of AIDS and 5 million became infected with HIV last year, Cate Hankins, Associate Director of Strategic Information for the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), said at a press briefing this morning, part of the Headquarters observance of World AIDS Day.

PRESS BRIEFING BY EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF UN DEVELOPMENT FUND FOR WOMEN

Violence was a fact of life for millions of women around the world, devastating lives, destroying communities and impeding development, Noeleen Heyzer, Executive Director of the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) said at Headquarters this morning.