Alan Doss, Special Representative to the UN in the DRC (Democratic Republic of Congo), briefed reporters via telelink from Kinshasha, DRC. He explained the main focus for the UN mission now is to provide support to the President by working to stabilize conflict areas. A number of convoys have successfully been able to get to parts of the country that had been deeply affected by the fighting. Rebel groups have agreed to a ceasefire in partial areas (termed “zones of separation,” in the north of Goma) to allow MONUC (United Nations Mission in the Congo) to care for the internally displaced. In many areas, the national armed forces have disintegrated.

Doss said there is ongoing discussion between governments in Rwanda and Congo and he hopes the political and diplomatic process can produce lasting peace. The Security Council will tomorrow be asked to give its support for 3,000 additional peacekeeping troops. If the Council approves, Doss estimates troops will be provided in the next several months. Doss indicated there are some discussions that the CNDP (Congress in the Defence of the People) and government may meet in Nairobi in the coming months to discuss a way forward.

Doss was asked whether he wanted to see more troops on the ground and if a mandate were moved toward peace enforcement, but the Security Council has yet to approve. There are 6,000 troops in North Kivu where fighting is the most active. Doss could not confirm whether Angolan and Rwandan troops were in fact in the DRC. Doss said: “The Angolan government does not have the immediate intention to send troops regardless of what is being reported in the international media.” There are continuous media reports of Portuguese speaking troops in the conflict zones.

Pakistan is intending to stay on to support peace-building during the coming months until more troops are secured. A team of conflict experts is currently being assembled.

The G-20 summit is aimed at promoting dialogue between countries on key issues regarding economic growth and stability of the financial system.  – The gathering on Saturday will include heads of State, as well as the United Nations Secretary-General.

“It is essential that the G-20 meeting signals an unmistakable common resolve to overcome the crisis, to act together, to act with urgency and to show solidarity towards the neediest,” Mr. Ban said in a letter to the global leaders attending Saturday’s meeting in Washington, D.C.

 

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Forty-nine permanent representatives and ambassadors gathered at the UN today to attend the interfaith dialogue “Culture of Peace” meeting held at the General-Assembly. President Shimon Peres said the time has come to build peace with the Palestinians. He was surprised at first to hear this initiative being brought on by the Saudi Arabian government and later said he was pleased to find a way forward.

“The history never reduced our desire to make peace.”

Peres said the gaps from this interfaith dialogue have seriously been narrowed. “We can see the shore of peace closer than ever before.”

“We cannot handle the problems created by the Iranians, the nuclear weapons, and an Iranian attack would be against the will of the Arabs nations as well.  Our mission is to live in peace with our neighbors. What we are witnessing today is the beginning of a new attack of a different kind. A new kind of Arab initiative of peace.”

Ms. Tzipi Livni, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Israel said her country is about working together to achieve peace. “Today we are talking about a conflict between faiths and conflict comes from abuses of faiths with extremism which can be used as an excuse for those who don’t want peace. We want to continue the negotiations to pursue peace and fight this kind of extremism.”

Ms. Livni said in order to find peace the participating governments need to keep talking about change and now that the United States has shown its government is heading for change, she said the government of Israel was hopeful this kind of spirit would be carried forward from the General Assembly meeting.

She also said the Annapolis process has helped build Palestinian and Israeli relationships greatly and now it is up to the Palestinians to follow the road map and fight against terrorism.

“We promised the world to make all the efforts to set a timetable to end the conflict and to fail to do so is something we cannot afford.”

She said the meeting organized at the UN today and tomorrow provides an avenue for better understanding and gives the Israeli government the priority to lead bi-lateral talks with pragmatic leaders and to fight extremism with national palestinian movements for peace.  “Only if we do so simultaneously–there is hope. Hamas is not willing to accept the will of the international community including the right of Israel to exist.”

President Peres concluded the press conference by stating the interfaith dialogue “sends a new air to the region and demonstrates a readiness to talk. Discussions can prepare for better relations and I have talked with the King (Abdullah from Saudi Arabia) personally –he’s got the reaction openly and clearly by all of us:  to continue to bring an end to the Arab conflict.”

Today, the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) released The State of World Population 2008. The UNFPA held a discussion on how to use culturally sensitive approaches that are essential to understanding legal, political, economic and social power relations instrumental to development.

According to a UNFPA press release, the report suggests that partnerships—for example between UNFPA and local non-governmental organizations (NGOs)—can create effective strategies to promote human rights, such as women’s empowerment and gender equality, and end human rights abuses like female genital mutilation or cutting. The press release said power relations mold gender dynamics and underlie practices such as child marriage (a leading cause of obstetric fistula and maternal death) and female genital mutilation or cutting.

Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.) said “UNFPA will be funded. The president doesn’t have to do anything. He just has to let the will of congress go through.” Maloney was a very strong supporter of this new report that believes by “embracing cultural realities, you can reveal the most effective ways to challenge harmful cultural practices and strengthen beneficial ones.”

Azza Karam, Ph.D., Senior Culture Adviser at UNFPA, brought up an example of this cultural development integration in Ethiopia. International aid organizations spend thousands to millions of dollars on medical clinics in Ethiopia, especially for safeguarding childbirth methods. Yet many NGOs find that the clinics are rarely used. By using what UNFPA calls a “cultural lens,” an NGO would find that many women are choosing to perform home births instead because “they believe it’s a part of their culture.” If the NGO uses UNFPA’s cultural lens method, they could work with a religious leader who performs the teen-marriages that lead to young pregnancy to prevent the marriages from happening in the first place. This is a way of what Pauline Muchina, Ph.D., Senior Partnership Adviser at UNAIDS, called using culture as the fundamental groundwork for development.

Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.) explains her support for “The State of World Population 2008″ report released today by the United National Population Fund.

 

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Azza Karam, Ph.D., Senior Culture Adviser at the United Nations Population Fund, explains how culture can aid in development as opposed to standing in the way. (00:52)

 

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The Secretary-General, Ban Ki Moon, met with reporters today to review the month’s key activities and concerns of the Organization. There will be an Interfaith “Culture of Peace” meeting tomorrow and Thursday–to help promote and fight religious extremism, racism and hatred. King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia has brought this initiative to the UN.

The SG met with Abdullah and commended his country on the initiative. The objectives of the meeting are to converge the differences of opinion on interfaith groups within their countries and on their borders. There will be a number of bi-laterals attending tomorrow. The SG stated: “A number of initiatives have been made to a number of countries.  I sincerely hope this will be a very good start–and at the end of the meeting there will be a joint statement made by all parties involved.” The SG also discussed the Arab Peace Initiative with the King–as a cornerstone of the middle east peace process and said he counted on Abdullah’s leadership. “I hope that through meetings of high level dialogue, the whole world will be able to live in a society of tolerance and peace. We have to stop the demolition of houses and this interfaith meeting is quite encouraging. To see that at this social diplomatic gathering, leaders from the region will be able to provide further understanding by sitting down together.The goal remains clear to all–a two state solution and work of the Palestinian government to improve action on road map commitments including housing concerns. There are ongoing distressing situations in Gaza and civilians there should be insured access to humanitarian workers.”

There was some criticism by reporters that Saudi Arabia has a lot of its own internal injustices to face in regards to religious and human rights and questioned why the King was leading the initiative. The SG responded by stating this a step in many that he hoped several other member states from the region would sign onto.

The Global financial crisis continues to be at the forefront of concerns. This Saturday, the Secretary-General will attend a meeting with financial leaders in Washington DC with key messages in mind—we must alleviate the impact of the crisis on the worlds poorest- the sums being spent to mitigate the crisis are vastly higher than total amount for ODA (Overseas Development Assistance), and climate change should also be addressed through the theme of promoting “green” growth.

In Eastern Congo, the SG traveled to the Great Lakes region last week at attend the Nairobi summit calling on all armed groups in North Kivu to issue an immediate ceasefire. The heads of states touched on most relevant aspects of the situation. He stated “Everyone involved has a better sense of what needs to be done and the southern African leaders decision to provide immediate military and humanitarian aid is very helpful. We must stabilize the situation on the ground.”

At least 100,000 civilians are being cut off from food aid and assistance. Their situation has grown increasingly desperate. Sporadic fighting continues as does the targeting of civilians, looting, recruitment of child soldiers at schools and rape.

Afghanistan air strikes continue and civilian casualties have caused great alarm from the international community. There is an on-going necessity in protecting civilians–and UN emergency officials are now strengthening military and civilian coordination.

Later this month, the SG will travel to Doha to address financing for development. He explained the need for global solidarity is more important “than ever”  and “in crisis lies opportunity.”

When asked how would the SG compare and contrast relations with Bush and Obama? He stated” “As a matter of principle, the UN does not take a stand on individual member states’ domestic affairs. UN staff being “intergovernmental” do not take a stand as a matter of principle.  Nevertheless, he said the UN and US have shared responsibilities.  “Particularly, the US is one of the founding members and the world’s leading countries”  The SG plans to meet with President Bush and Ms. Rice before the end of their administration.

 

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The Assistant Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, Edmond Mulet, was in New York today, having just returned from the Democratic Republic of the Congo to give a full report to UN emergency officials.

Leaders of countries in the Great Lakes region have called for a rapid ceasefire and for the immediate improvement of the humanitarian situation throughout the country. The Nairobi summit, being organized by Great Lakes officials, also urged the implementation of existing agreements on the disarmament of rebel groups in the region and the strengthening of the UN peacekeeping force. Humanitarian agencies have described the situation for civilians as  ” desperate ”, with many people displaced following fighting last week in North Kivu. The total number of displaced people stands at one million.

 

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Ambassador Urbina from Costa Rica gave a briefing on the program of work for the Security Council in the coming month. He underscored the importance of this historical program to open up as many activities as possible.

There will be consultations and a high level event on collective security and armament regulation on November 19th. The President of Costa Rica will be in attendance with ministers of foreign affairs and special envoys. There have been concerns cited by several countries including representatives on the expansive army build-up in East Timor.  The hope is to reach consensus and adopt an outcome.

Ambassador Urbina said: “Talking about arms control in the Organization is a very delicate issue. We Latin- Americans believe that arms control is an achievable goal and we believe that through arms control we could give an incentive to some countries to reduce military expenditures. Our main concern is that the developing world reduce arms expenditures as cited in the United Nations Charter under Article 26 and which the Security Council has not reviewed since 1947.”

Urbina also emphasized the important elections on the International Court of Justice this month. The Ambassador hopes the situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) will improve with the visit of the Prime Ministers of France and the United Kingdom. Leaders will visit with the goal to improve the relationship between the governments of Rwanda and Congo. There is a fixed date to follow up on the situation of the DRC on the 26th of this month. The issue of rising tensions in Djibouti and Eritrea will be brought to the attention of Council as well.

Daily Update:

Fighting has resumed in the Democratic Republic of Congo, especially in the eastern part of the country.  As of today, violence seems to be limited to rebel held territories. United Nations peacekeepers appear to be trapped in the crossfire but the ceasefire seems to be holding in Goma.

There are currently 5,000 peacekeepers in North Kivu. UN officials are visiting with the Congolese Prime Minister today to discuss the situation of the 60 percent children left homeless. Over 250,000 people have been displaced in the past two months. Nearly 1 million have been displaced since the start of the conflict. The World Health Organization and the World Food Program are calling for more support to meet urgent health needs. The International Criminal Court representatives have expressed serious concern over crimes, thefts and rapes being committed against civilians in the rebel held areas.

Iran’s parliament has impeached the country’s interior minister in a vote widely seen as a defeat for President Mahmoud Ahmadenijad.

In Iraq, the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) supported the call today by the Iraqi Council of Representatives (CoR) to allocate specific seats for representatives of Iraq’s minorities. The adoption of the amendment to the electoral law should be seen as a contribution towards furthering the respect for human rights and democracy in Iraq.

UNIFEM (United Nations Development Fund for Women) organized a panel of Israeli and Palestinian women rights activists through the membership of the International Women’s Commission. The International Women’s Commission is a global organization that fights for a just and sustainable peace between Israel and Palestine. The panel of women activists and experts will meet with the Security Council today to promote United Nations Resolution 1325, on women’s peace and security. Women have long held a strong role in conflict resolution and the panel of women from several prominent activist organizations based in the region will ask the Security Council to 1) put on the agenda of the monthly briefings the progress of women’s issues, 2) organize a thematic mission and visit women’s programs to see what women are doing in the region, 3) establish a monitoring mechanism for stability with the guidance of UNIFEM and UN organizations underscoring the experiences of women in both the Israeli and Palestinian territories.