HEADQUARTERS PRESS CONFERENCE BY MAYOR OF BARCELONA

Cities worldwide were demanding greater political autonomy and financial capacity to reverse the rapid growth of urban poverty, Joan Clos, the Mayor of Barcelona, told correspondents today at a Headquarters press conference, on the eve of the General Assembly's Special Session on human settlements development.

PRESS CONFERENCE ON LAUNCH OF MILLENNIUM ECOSYSTEM ASSESSMENT

A press conference was held at Headquarters today on the occasion of the launch of the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment, which was hosted by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).  Secretary-General Kofi Annan opened the event with a brief introductory statement.

PRESS BRIEFING BY SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR ON ADEQUATE HOUSING

The draft declaration to be adopted by the General Assembly special session this week was a regression from the achievements made at the 1996 Habitat II in Istanbul, Miloon Kothari, Special Rapporteur on adequate housing, said at a Headquarters press briefing this afternoon.

HEADQUARTERS PRESS BRIEFING BY HABITAT EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

The challenge of a divided city was the main message of two new reports of the United Nations Centre for Human Settlements (Habitat), its Executive Director, Anna Tibaijuka, told correspondents this afternoon at a Headquarters press briefing.  On Wednesday, the General Assembly would convene a three-day special session to appraise recent global progress in the development of human settlements.  

PRESS BRIEFING BY ANWARUL KARIM CHOWDHURY, COUNCIL PRESIDENT FOR MONTH OF JUNE

PRESS BRIEFING BY SECRETARY-GENERAL'S SPECIAL ENVOY FOR HIV/AIDS IN AFRICA

The Secretary-General today appointed Stephen Lewis as his Special Envoy for HIV/AIDS in Africa, Deputy Secretary-General Louise Fréchettetold correspondents at a Headquarters press briefing this afternoon.

PRESS CONFERENCE ON PROTECTING RELIGIOUS SITES

Following the General Assembly's adoption Thursday of a resolution on "Protection of Religious Sites", Rabbi Arthur Schneier, President, Appeal of Conscience Foundation, told correspondents yesterday at a Headquarters press conference that the international community had come through in a rare manifestation of consensus to take a stand against a growing global scourge.

HEADQUARTERS PRESS BRIEFING BY EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF HABITAT

Some 1.2 billion people in the world were not adequately housed, Anna Tibaijuka, Executive Director of the United Nations Centre for Human Settlements (Habitat), told correspondents at a Headquarters press briefing this afternoon. 

The focus of next week’s special session of the General Assembly for an Overall Review and Appraisal of the Implementation of the Habitat Agenda

HEADQUARTERS PRESS CONFERENCE ON STAFF SECURITY BY FICSA

HEADQUARTERS PRESS CONFERENCE ON UNITED NATIONS-EUROPEAN UNION RELATIONS