Press Release

Commission on Population and Development                   

Thirty-seventh Session                                     

1^st & 2^nd Meetings (AM & PM)

SECRETARY-GENERAL REITERATES CALL FOR RATIFICATION OF KYOTO PROTOCOL ON TENTH

ANNIVERSARY OF CLIMATE CHANGE CONVENTION’S ENTRY INTO FORCE

Following is the message by Secretary-General Kofi Annan on the tenth anniversary of the entry into force of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, 21 March 2004:

Human Rights Committee                                     

UN LAUNCHES APPEAL TO AID MADAGASCAR CYCLONE VICTIMS

(Reissued as received.)

ANTANANARIVO, 19 March (UN Information Service) -- The United Nations today launched a flash appeal to raise $8.7 million to assist the Government of Madagascar to address the urgent relief needs of some 309,500 people affected by Cyclone Gafilo, which struck Madagascar twice in the last 10 days.

Fifth-eighth General Assembly                              

UNITED NATIONS WORKING GROUP MAKES RECOMMENDATIONS

ON DRAFT OF E-COMMERCE CONVENTION

A United Nations working group drafting a convention to facilitate global electronic commerce came closer to its goal at a one-week meeting that concluded today at United Nations Headquarters.

FAO/OIE CAUTIOUS ABOUT DECLARING VICTORY OVER AVIAN FLU IN ASIA

Virus Still Not Under Control Despite

Improvements; In-Depth Investigations are Crucial

(Reissued as received.)

SECRETARY-GENERAL THANKS WINNERS OF ‘UN 21’ AWARDS

FOR HELPING RENEW, STRENGTHEN ORGANIZATION

Following are Secretary-General Kofi Annan’s remarks on the occasion of the UN 21 Awards in New York, 19 March:

Dear colleagues, let me tell you how happy I am to join you at this UN 21 award ceremony and to be able to meet the winners.

UNITED NATIONS COMMISSION ON NARCOTIC DRUGS CONCLUDES SESSION,

CALLS FOR ENHANCED DRUG CONTROL EFFORTS

(Reissued as received.)

VIENNA, 19 March (UN Information Service) -- The Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND), the central policy-making body within the United Nations system dealing with drug-related matters, concluded its forty-seventh session in Vienna today.

Republic of Korea to Host Asia's first Global Ministerial Environment Forum

Water, Sanitation to Top Agenda;

Dead Zones in Oceans Highlighted as Major Emerging Threat

(Reissued as received.)