For updates and e-mail alerts, visit UN NEWS CENTRE at

www.un.org/News

UN Daily News
Issue DH/5963

Friday, 12 August 2011

In the headlines:
Threat of cholera growing among already
vulnerable Somalis, says UN

UN chief sees sustainable development as top

priority in his second term cooperation

On International Youth Day, UN celebrating young

peoples role in ousting dictators forests

Heads of UN bodies discuss reform and closer

Trees speak out in UN writing competition to save

Threat of cholera growing among already vulnerable Somalis, says UN

12 August - United Nations agencies are stepping up efforts to respond to a cholera epidemic among the displaced Somalis who have arrived in the capital, Mogadishu, after fleeing drought, famine and conflict, and warned that the conditions are ripe for the disease to spread among an already vulnerable population. The UN World Health Organization (WHO) said 181 people have died from suspected cholera cases in a single hospital in Mogadishu this year and there have been several other confirmed cholera outbreaks across the country.

Most [outbreaks] have been declared under control, but alarming rates of confirmed cholera cases among internally displaced people have been reported in Mogadishu, WHO spokesperson Tarek Jasarevic told a news conference in Geneva. An estimated 100,000 Somalis have fled to Mogadishu over the past two months in search of food, water, shelter, protection and other help, said the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNCHR). This is in addition to the more than 370,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Mogadishu who were forced to leave their homes before the current wave of displacement. The health of the IDPs in Mogadishu, who are suffering from the effects of drought and famine in parts of southern Somalia, is already vulnerable. The threat of disease is particularly high among the malnourished and those living in overcrowded camps for the displaced. The concern here is mainly is the root causes of cholera and this is related to water and sanitation, said Michel Yao of WHO. Right now with IDPs and population movement, this increases the risk of further spread of the disease because we cannot control population movement. The issue is to make sure that we have an integrated intervention with our water and sanitation partners so that we provide services to minimize the risk of spread, added Dr. Yao.

Somali refugees at the world's largest refugee complex at Dadaab in north-east Kenya

For information media not an official record

UN Daily News

-2-

12 August 2011

Somalia has also seen an increase in cases of acute watery diarrhoea, which has led to the deaths of 11 people, including four children, in Mogadishu, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). To prevent and mitigate the risk of cholera, the UN Childrens Fund (UNICEF) is sending cholera kits to areas with rising numbers of acute watery diarrhoea. It is also massively scaling up access to water, sanitation and hygiene for those areas of Mogadishu with a high concentration of newly arrived IDPs. Also today, UNHCR said it urgently needs 45,000 more tents as more Somalis continue to arrive in Kenya after fleeing drought, famine and conflict in their homeland. More than 70,000 Somali refugees have arrived at the three camps that make up Kenyas Dadaab refugee complex during June and July, bringing the overall population there to 440,000, said the agency. As well as needing food and water, these new arrivals urgently need proper shelter, medical help and other basic services, UNHCR spokesperson Adrian Edwards told reporters in Geneva. The agency has moved thousands of tents to Dadaab since the current crisis began but they are still not sufficient for the growing refugee population. Some 3.7 million people, nearly half the Somali population, are now directly at risk of famine and tens of thousands have already perished. An estimated 12.4 million people in the drought-hit Horn of Africa Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia are facing severe food shortages and are in need of international assistance. Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Valerie Amos arrives in the region today to meet with humanitarian agencies that are responding to the crisis. As part of her visit, she is scheduled to visit Dadaab to see for herself the impact of the famine and meet Somalis who have survived the long journey to Kenya. UNHCR also said that the second of three planned humanitarian flights landed at Mogadishu airport on Thursday, bringing a 32-ton consignment of shelter and other aid items. The agency has been shipping relief supplies to Mogadishu by sea and land, but due to the large number of people seeking help in the city after fleeing their famine-hit villages in the south, it decided to airlift supplies to save time. Meanwhile, immunizations for 18,000 refugee children in the Kobe camp in the Dollo Ado area of south-eastern Ethiopia began yesterday in response to the recent outbreak of suspected measles. The campaign is expected to end on Sunday and will be extended to the other three refugee camps in the area, said UNHCR. The agency added that the daily arrival rate into the Dollo Ado area has reduced significantly to some 200 to 300 refugees per day. In addition to the nearly 120,000 Somali refugees hosted in the four camps as well as in the transit centre, there are more than 40,000 Somali refugees in camps in the Jijiga area in eastern Ethiopia.

UN News Centre www.un.org/news

UN Daily News

-3-

12 August 2011

On International Youth Day, UN celebrating young peoples role in ousting dictators

12 August - The United Nations marked International Youth Day today under the slogan Change Our World, with Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon underscoring the stunning role young people have played during the past year in overthrowing dictatorships. Far too many of the worlds more than one billion young people lack the education, freedom and opportunities they deserve, he said in a message. Yet, despite these constraints and in some cases because of them young people are mobilizing in growing numbers to build a better future. Over the past year, they have achieved stunning results, overturning dictatorships and sending waves of hope across regions and around the world.

Young people at the launch of the International Year of Youth, celebrated annually on 12 August

Citing their open minds and a keen awareness of emerging trends, and the energy, ideas and courage they bring to some of the most complex and important challenges facing the human family, Mr. Ban said young people often understand better than older generations that we can transcend our religious and cultural differences in order to reach our shared goals. They are standing up for the rights of oppressed peoples, including those who suffer discrimination based on gender, race and sexual orientation, he added. They are confronting sensitive issues in order to stop the spread of HIV. And they are often the leading proponents of sustainability and green lifestyles. He called on the international community to continue to work together to expand the horizons of opportunity for young people and answer their legitimate demands for dignity, development and decent work. Failing to invest in our youth is a false economy, he said. Investments in young people will pay great dividends in a better future for all. UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Irina Bokova also referred to the role young people have played in the recent overthrow of entrenched authoritarian regimes. The youth quakes that have struck across the Arab world have shown the ability of young people to drive change, she said in a message. The struggle for democratic participation has shaken regimes seemingly impervious to pressure. These movements have shown the power of aspirations for human rights and fundamental freedoms. Ms. Bokova stressed quality education as the starting point for full and positive engagement by young people. We must provide young people with everything they need to share their ideas and act on them to fight unemployment and poverty, to overcome gender inequality and all forms of discrimination, to tackle diseases and marginalization, she added. The Day marked the formal close of the International Year of Youth, which culminated last month with a high-level meeting on youth at the General Assembly.

UN News Centre www.un.org/news

UN Daily News

-4-

12 August 2011

Trees speak out in UN writing competition to save forests

12 August - Two teenagers powerful pleas from the imagined standpoint of a tree to save the worlds forests beat out two million competitors to win gold medals today in the United Nations International Letter-Writing Competition for Young People. Charle Gittens from Barbados, writing as a great oak in Guyanas Windsor Forest, and 13year-old Wang Sa from China, in the voice of an observant small tree prepared to care for humanity, were declared victors in the 40th UN Universal Postal Union (UPU) competition, which this year marked the International Year of Forests by asking young people to imagine themselves as a tree writing a letter to someone to explain why it is important to protect forests.

Wang Sa from China and Charle Gittens from Barbados are this year's top letterwriters

Despite living in an increasingly digital age, the more than 2 million often hand-written letters the competition generates worldwide annually shows the tremendous value of the written word, UPU director general Edouard Dayan said of the competition, which is open to youngsters up to the age of 15. The UPU is pleased that its 40-year-old competition continues to foster an appreciation for the art of letter-writing, encouraging young people to express their deepest and most insightful thoughts on topics that concern us all, while teaching them the importance of proper addressing. The international jury called the Barbadian entry a powerful, personal and touching composition dealing with the issue in a very global manner. Comparing the plight of forests to some of the worlds great crises sends a strong message about the importance of protecting forests. The jury called Chinas entry a well crafted and whimsical composition. Using a parable of two villages to tackle the theme, the writer does an excellent job of bringing readers into the story in a way that people are able to relate to it. This is the first time that Barbados and the fifth time that China has won top prize. Grenadas Jonathan Andrew, 14, won the silver medal for a well handled and educational presentation of the benefits of forests, while Botswanas Charlene Tiagae, 15, was awarded bronze for a delightful and personal composition explaining the benefits of the many plants and trees found in forests and why they need to be protected. The writer brings in lovely references about how some cultures perceive or depend on plants and trees. The jury consisted of Jan McAlpine, director of the UN Forum on Forests Secretariat; Jean-Paul Paddack, director of the network initiatives support unit; Daniel Shaw, head of communication at the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), and Jean-Franois Thivet, philately expert at the UPU International Bureau and a passionate collector of forest stamps. Next years theme, marking the London 2012 Olympics, asks youngsters to write a letter to an athlete or sports figure you admire to explain what the Olympic Games mean to you.

UN News Centre www.un.org/news

UN Daily News

-5-

12 August 2011

UN chief sees sustainable development as top priority in his second term

12 August - Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said today that sustainable development will remain his top priority during his second term as the head of the United Nations, saying that key challenges include achieving the global poverty reduction goals and strengthening disaster risk reduction to avert crises caused by climate change. The General Assembly in June agreed to appoint Mr. Ban to a second consecutive term as Secretary-General.
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon

Since my re-election, I have been consulting widely with Member States and the full range of UN partners on what they see as the great challenges going forward, Mr. Ban told members of the diplomatic corps in Seoul, the capital of the Republic of Korea. Looking to the longer horizon, sustainable development is at the top of my list of priorities, he said. Mr. Ban stated that global and regional security and democratization challenges will also feature prominently on his agenda. We are supporting the transitions that are under way in Egypt and Tunisia, and are deeply engaged in the diplomatic efforts aimed at a solution to the conflict in Libya. However, he pointed out that the most immediate concern was the humanitarian crisis brought on by the severe drought in the Horn of Africa which has led to famine in several areas of Somalia and made an estimated 12.4 million people in the wider region dependent on food aid. As we respond to this emergency, we also need to deal with the underlying causes. Todays drought may be the worst in decades, but with the effects of climate change being increasingly felt throughout the world, it surely will not be the last, said Mr. Ban, adding that long-term solutions would require the development of drought-resistant seeds, irrigation, rural infrastructure and livestock programmes. The Secretary-General emphasized that in an era of budgetary constraints, the UN must continue to fulfil its mandates with the resources available. That means continuing our efforts to deliver as one, he said. He also drew attention to the food shortages in the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea (DPRK) where, he said, a harsh winter, followed by severe flooding, had put millions of lives at risk, noting that the UN World Food Programme (WFP) had launched emergency operations there. Our challenge is to get food to those who need it, when they need it, he said. Mr. Ban highlighted the broader challenge of creating a nuclear-weapon-free, democratic and prosperous Korean Peninsula. The Secretary-General took note of Republic of Koreas growing presence in the international arena, including its hosting of the last Group of 20 (G20) summit, its support for African development and engagement in UN peacekeeping, among other initiatives. He emphasized the importance of partnerships between governments, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), the private sector, philanthropists and academic community for global common causes. We saw a powerful example of this in the Every Woman Every Child initiative on maternal and child health. We must extend this model to other challenges, the Secretary-General said. Mr. Ban also met Foreign Minister Kim Sung-hwan and attended an event organized by the South Korean Red Cross and the UN Childrens Fund (UNICEF) to support children in Africa. He thanked young Korean entertainers present for backing the project and asked them to use their reach to raise funds and awareness.
UN News Centre www.un.org/news

UN Daily News

-6-

12 August 2011

Many people are suffering and dying from HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis all these are preventable diseases, he said. If they have medicine, if they have access to sanitation, they can be saved. Why should all these people die needlessly? That is why we are gathered here today; I ask you all for your support, your compassion, your caring for all these people. In addition, the UN chief met the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Seoul, Cardinal Chung Jin-suk. They discussed how religion can help promote the work of the UN, including in the fields of peace and security, development and human rights.

Heads of UN bodies discuss reform and closer cooperation

12 August - General Assembly President Joseph Deiss has met with the heads of the Security Council and the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) to discuss increased cooperation, United Nations reform, regional crises and other issues. Mr. Deiss met yesterday with Ambassador Hardeep Singh Puri of India, which holds the rotating Council presidency this month, according to a statement issued by the Assembly Presidents spokesperson.
General Assembly President Joseph Deiss and Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon

The ambassador and Mr. Deiss discussed the Councils upcoming debate on peacekeeping, scheduled for 26 August, as well as current hotspots such as Syria, Libya, Yemen, Sudan

and Somalia. The two officials also discussed how to strengthen coordination and interaction between the 193-member Assembly and the 15-member Council. In a separate meeting with Ambassador Lazarous Kapambwe of Zambia, the current President of ECOSOC, and members of ECOSOCs bureau, Mr. Deiss discussed reform of the 54-member Council so that it can more effectively implement its resolutions. Mr. Kapambwe also briefed Mr. Deiss on ECOSOCs recent annual substantive session, which wrapped up at the end of last month in Geneva.

The UN Daily News is prepared at UN Headquarters in New York by the News Services Section of the News and Media Division, Department of Public Information (DPI)