VIENNA, 31 January 2007 -- UNIS Vienna held its annual preview press briefing today, to provide the media, permanent missions and NGOs with an overview of key events and plans for the year 2007 of the UN system entities in Vienna. The speakers were: Richard Murphy, Spokesperson and Chief, Advocacy Section, United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC); Annika Thunborg, Spokesperson and Chief of Public Information, Preparatory Commission for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO); Marc Vidricaire; Spokesperson and Director of Public Information, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); and Zoran Stevanovic Regional Communications Specialist, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Europe and the CIS. It was the first time that UNIS had invited a representative from the UNDP office in Bratislava to participate in the annual preview briefing. The briefing was moderated by Nasra Hassan, Director, UNIS Vienna, who also provided an overview of general UN Secretariat themes and UNIS and DPI plans for 2007.
Moreover, information on highlights in 2006 for the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs, the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law, United Nations Industrial Development Organization, International Narcotics Control Board (INCB) and the United Nations Environment Programme - Vienna Interim Secretariat of the Carpathian Convention was distributed, and representatives of several of these entities attended the briefing to answer questions.
Ms. Hassan pointed out that a UN Communications Group in Vienna had recently been established, and drew attention to upcoming UNIS activities, including a public lecture by the President of the African ombudspersons association, in cooperation with the Diplomatic Academy Vienna, on the occasion of International Women's Day (8 March); UNIS activities in its client countries Austria, Hungary, Slovakia and Slovenia, including a student's forum in cooperation with the City of Vienna and the University of Ljubljana from 3-5 April. Ms. Hassan noted that a new NGO Committee on Human Rights had recently been established in Vienna, and drew attention to some major 2007 commemorations and observances.
Further highlights in Vienna in 2007 included the first session of the Preparatory Committee process of the 2010 Review Conference of the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty (30 April-11 May); the annual visit by the General Assembly President; and the 7th Global Forum on Re-inventing Government, with the theme "Building Trust in Government" (26-29 June). In 2007, a further UN entity was expected to be established in Vienna: the Secretariat of the Register of Damage arising from the construction of separation wall by Israel in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, established by the General Assembly in December 2006.
Ms. Hassan drew attention to this year's highlights for several Vienna based programmes: For UNCITRAL, the 40 th annual session in July 2007, and the Congress "Modern Law for Global Commerce" on that occasion; as well as the promotion of the adoption of the Convention on the Use of Electronic Communications in International Contracts. For OOSA, the International Heliophysical Year 2007; the launch of a new programme, to facilitate the use of space technologies in disaster management; and the 50 th anniversary of the Committee on the Peaceful uses of Outer Space (June 2007). For UNEP: World Environment Day in June with the theme of global warming; and for the International Narcotics Control Board (INCB), the launch of its Annual Report on 28 February.
Mr. Vidricaire pointed out that 2007 was the 50 th anniversary of the IAEA, to be marked until the IAEA's General Conference in September. Key topics for the IAEA would be consultations with countries who were considering using nuclear power as part of their energy mix; nuclear non-proliferation; technical co-operation, highlighting the IAEA's contribution to sustainable development and the implementation of a plan of action on cancer therapy; as well as nuclear security and safety, especially meeting public concern about possible access to nuclear materials by terrorists. A special fund for nuclear safety had been created.
Mr. Murphy stated that Afghanistan would be a focus of work for UNODC, as opium production in the country had risen by 50 per cent in 2006. UNODC would be announcing the results of a rapid assessment survey shortly. The UNODC Executive Director would travel to the region to encourage countries there to work together to fight drug trafficking. UNODC was also planning to increase cooperation with China, and it had been agreed to open an office in Beijing. Furthermore, UNODC would soon be announcing a global initiative to combat human trafficking, which would include a fundraising initiative to assist trafficking victims, an improvement of the availability of data, and promoting the implementation by Member States of international agreements on human trafficking.
Ms. Thunborg provided a current overview of the status of the CTBT, with 177 signatures and 138 ratifications, including 34 Annex 2 States. All European countries had now ratified the Treaty. Concerning the verification regime, roughly 70 per cent of facilities were now operational, and it was planned to have 90 per cent operational by the end of 2008. Recent events had shown that the verification regime was functioning well, although the Provisional Technical Secretariat (PTS) was not in a position to comment on individual events. To promote the Treaty and the work of the PrepCom, the Public Information Section would re-design their website, as a tool for the media and the general public in the course of the year. The 10 th anniversary of the PTS would take place in March, on which occasion the new PTS operation centre would be opened in Vienna.
Mr. Stevanovic stated that the priorities of the UNDP Regional Centre for 2007 would include institutional reform: UNDP was taking the lead in coordinating UN reform measures by which all UN agencies in some countries were being located in one country office, for instanc ein Albania, where a related project had just been implemented. UNDP was also planning to pay a major part in media development, especially in Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) countries. Mr. Stevanovic drew attention to the launch of two key publications planned during the year: the annual Human Development Report, with a 2007 focus on climate change, and a regional HIV/AIDS publication, that would address, among other things, issues of stigma and discrimination.
* *** *
