HEADQUARTERS PRESS CONFERENCE BY INFORMATION MINISTER OF SIERRA LEONE

Under a new philosophical premise, Sierra Leone's Government would treat information as a basic human need, placing it on the same level as food and shelter, Information and Broadcasting Minister Cecil Blake said at a Headquarters press conference this morning.

PRESS BRIEFING BY UNITED NATIONS FORUM ON FORESTS

During its first two-week session, the new international body on forests -- the United Nations Forum on Forests (UNFF) -- had had an opportunity to define its scope of work, initiate a framework for a plan of action, design new approaches to international cooperation, and expand coordination through the newly formed collaborative partnerships on forests (CPF), correspondents were told at a Headquarters press briefing this morning.

HEADQUARTERS PRESS BRIEFING BY UNAIDS DIRECTOR

One of the most astounding discoveries in the ongoing global struggle against AIDS had been the revelation that vigorous and creative leadership could elicit the new reserves of compassion and political will needed to halt the devastation of the virus, the Executive-Director of the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) said this morning. 

MEDIA BRIEFING ON SECURITY ARRANGEMENTS FOR AIDS SPECIAL SESSION

Briefing the media on security arrangements during the General Assembly special session on HIV/AIDS, today's guest at the noon briefing, Chief of Security and Safety Service of the United Nations, Michael McCann, said that the Organization would be "open for business" as usual until Monday, when some restrictions would come into force.  On Saturday and Sunday, the complex would be open to the public.

PRESS CONFERENCE BY US COMMITTEE FOR REFUGEES

It was difficult today -- on World Refugee Day -- to be celebrating the fiftieth anniversary of the 1951 Refugee Convention, at a time when the key United Nations agency mandated to support refugees was being starved for funds, Bill Frelick, Director of Policy, United States Committee for Refugees, told correspondents at a Headquarters press conference this morning.

HEADQUARTERS PRESS BRIEFING ON KOSOVO

The United Nations Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) was a live example of two institutions –- the European Union and the United Nations -- working together to achieve a common goal, Andy Bearpark, Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General and European Union Representative in Kosovo, told correspondents this afternoon at a Headquarters press briefing.

PRESS BRIEFING BY UNITED NATIONS VOLUNTEER PROGRAMME

The annual report of the United Nations Volunteer Programme (UNV) for the year 2000, Reaching Out, was launched today at a Headquarters press briefing by Sharon Capeling-Alakija, Executive Coordinator of the UNV.

HEADQUARTERS PRESS BRIEFING ON CONFLICT PREVENTION

HEADQUARTERS PRESS CONFERENCE BY 'GROUP OF 77' DEVELOPING COUNTRIES

The "Group of 77" developing countries and China (G-77), as the deliberative body and collective negotiating arm of the developing world, had championed the cause of the South within the bigger United Nations family for 37 years and maintained its solidarity in the face of tumultuous global change, the G-77 Chairman for 2001, Bagher Asadi (Iran), said today at a Headquarters press conference.

PRESS BRIEFING BY PRESIDENT OF SECURITY COUNCIL

The 15 members of the Security Council would spend Saturday and Sunday viewing first-hand the political and security challenges faced by the United Nations Interim Administration in Kosovo (UNMIK), Anwarul Karim Chowdhury (Bangladesh), President of the Security Council, told correspondents today at a Headquarters press briefing.