UN Information Centre DC

Tuesday, July 1, 2008

Washington, D.C.

New agreement paves way for increased UN food delivery to North Korea

More than five million hungry people in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea) are now receiving food assistance after a new agreement was signed with the United Nations Food Programme (WFP) on June 27.

The agreement was hailed by WFP as a significant breakthrough in its long-standing efforts to ensure that all those in need of food aid in North Korea are able to receive it.

A United States ship has arrived in the port of Nampo carrying 37,000 tons of wheat, the first installment of a US food aid pledge of up to 500,000 metric tons, which would provide enough food to allow WFP to expand feeding operations from the 1.2 million people it currently feeds to more than five million.

"WFP is grateful for the cooperation and commitment of the DPRK (North Korea) and United States governments," said WFP's Regional Director for Asia, Tony Banbury. "With their support, WFP will now be able to dramatically expand our food assistance operation, and provide aid to millions of people who would otherwise be at risk of increased hunger and malnutrition."

The agreement will also enable WFP to send nearly 50 more international aid workers to the country, who will oversee and monitor the delivery of food to make sure it reaches hungry people most in need.

In addition, WFP will be expanding into 128 counties, up from just 50, including the remote and traditionally food-insecure northeast and some counties never before accessible to humanitarian agencies.

The expansion of food aid comes at a critical time when the country is facing a cereal shortfall of more than 1.5 million tons - the largest food gap since 2001, according to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). Compounding the situation is the rise in domestic prices for staples such as rice, wheat, maize and potatoes.

WFP and FAO are currently examining the extent of the needs throughout the country. The results of what is the most comprehensive assessment on food and nutrition undertaken in the North Korea since 2004, is expected by mid-July.

Outcome of Zimbabwe election illegitimate, says Secretary-General

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon criticized the outcome of Friday's run-off presidential election in Zimbabwe as illegitimate.

Ban Ki-moon

The election went ahead despite international appeals for a postponement given the violence and intimidation that preceded it.

"The outcome did not reflect the true and genuine will of the Zimbabwean people or produce a legitimate result," said UN Spokesperson Michele Montas. "The Secretary-General has said repeatedly that conditions were not in place for a free and fair election and observers have confirmed this from the deeply flawed process."

President Robert Mugabe was sworn in for another term after being declared the winner of the June 27 run-off. He was the sole candidate in the polls after violence and intimidation directed towards the opposition forces led to the withdrawal of Morgan Tsvangirai, the candidate of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC).

The southern African nation has been plagued by deadly violence and a worsening humanitarian situation since the first round of elections was held on March 29.

Many MDC activists have reportedly been killed or injured in recent weeks and human rights defenders and staff with non-governmental organizations (NGOs) have been harassed.

"The Secretary-General encourages efforts of the two sides to negotiate a political solution that would end violence and intimidation," Montas added.

The situation in Zimbabwe is high on the agenda of the African Union Summit, currently underway in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt.

Mr. Ban expressed support for the efforts of the AU and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) to promote an agreement acceptable to the people of Zimbabwe, adding that Deputy Secretary-General Asha-Rose Migiro and senior UN political aide Haile Menkerios - who are both at the summit - are ready to help in any way possible.

Addressing the summit, Ms. Migiro called the Zimbabwe crisis "the single greatest challenge to regional stability in southern Africa, not only because of its terrible humanitarian and security consequences, but also because of the dangerous political precedent it sets."

UNEP unveils new Africa atlas

More than 300 satellite images taken in every country in Africa are brought to life in a new 400-page publication unveiled by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).

Africa: Atlas of our Changing Environment was unveiled today at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in Washington, D.C. with the cooperation of the Environmental Change and Security Program.

The publication, with its 151 maps, 316 satellite images and 319 ground photographs, examines environmental change over thirty-six years by using historical and current satellite images from more than 100 locations across every country on the continent.

Compiled in cooperation with researchers and organizations in Africa, the US and elsewhere, the atlas illustrates the magnitude of land degradation, deforestation, disappearance of glaciers, erosion of farmlands, and other concerns. It also underlines how "development choices, population growth, climate change, and in some cases, conflicts are shaping and impacting the natural and nature-based assets of the region."

UNEP Executive Director Achim Steiner, UNEP-RONA's Ashbindu Singh and representatives from the State Department and South African Embassy joined more than 200 opinion leaders, policy makers, researchers and others at the today's launch. They stressed the importance of using the atlas as a tool to help shape policy within national governments in Africa.

MEET THE UN

Ellen Margrethe Løj

Ellen Margrethe Løj
Special Representative to Liberia

Ellen Margrethe Løj of Denmark currently serves as the special representative to Liberia.

She previously served as Denmark's ambassador to the Czech Republic and has more than 30 years experience in the diplomatic service.

She was the permanent representative of Denmark to the United Nations from 2001 to 2007 and served as a chairperson of the UN Security Council's Sanctions Committee on Liberia.

Between 1977 and 1986, she served as Secretary in her country's Permanent Mission to the United Nations and then as counselor within the European Commission in Brussels

- Read more about Ellen Margrethe Løj...

UN SNAPSHOT

Jackie Chan

Actor and UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador Jackie Chan gives a young boy a hug during a visit to promote the use of martial arts for peace in Dili, Timor-Leste. UN Photo by Martine Perret

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