Ms. Deborah Seward (centre) with UNIC Ankara staff

On 15 July, the Department of Public Information (DPI) Strategic Communications Division Director Ms. Deborah Seward visited UNIC Ankara to discuss issues related to the activities of the Centre.

During her visit, Ms. Seward first met with Mr. Mustapha Sinaceur, United Nations Resident Coordinator, a.i., and was briefed on the priorities of the UN Country Team in Turkey, and Turkey’s position in the UN as an emerging donor country.

Mr. Sinaceur made a presentation on the United Nations Development Cooperation Strategy (UNDCS) signed by the Turkish Government and the United Nations System in Turkey.

The results of the Turkish experience in UNDCS is intended to serve as a proto-type for appropriate replication in other Middle Income Countries.

UNDSC covers three major areas: Democratic and Environmental Governance; Disparity Reduction, Social Inclusion and Basic Public Services; Poverty and Employment.

Ms. Seward also met with the UNIC Ankara staff and discussed issues related to day to day activities of the Centre, its relations with other UN agencies in Turkey and joint public information activities of the UN Communications Group in Ankara.

On 1 July 2011, the UNODC Executive Director Yury Fedotov concluded a two-day visit to Panama, meeting with several high-level officials including President Ricardo Martinelli and Vice-President Juan Carlos Varela.

The visit covered several issues ranging from anti-corruption, organized crime and criminal justice, to border control, illicit drugs and human trafficking.

An Agreement was also signed to support the establishment of a Regional Anti-Corruption Academy in Panama City.

The visit concluded with a press conference explaining the issues covered during his official visit.

On 2 June, the UN Information Centre (UNIC) Moscow organized a roundtable discussion dedicated to the International Day of UN Peacekeepers with the Assistant Secretary-General (ASG) DPKO Dmitry Titov, as a guest speaker.

The event was attended by 25 representatives of MFA, Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Defence and veteran UN peacekeepers.

Dmitry Titov articulated a 25-minute presentation to several generations of UN peacekeepers – from 1970s to the present day – who were in attendance. As a result, the ensuing discussion proved constructive and consistent, with the participants not only seeking clarification on certain points of the narrative, but also suggesting ways to promote closer cooperation between DPKO and various Russian entities.

The United Nations Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers, Gabriela Knaul, called upon the Government of Romania to consider postponing at least for a year the enactment of the four new codes expected one for October 2011 and the remaining for January 2012.

“During my visit to Romania, a great majority of stakeholders expressed serious concerns about moving the reform forward too quickly in detriment of the rule of law,” Ms. Knaul noted referring to a major judicial reform due in 2011, after the so-called ‘small reform’ adopted last year.

“The reform of the judiciary has been a process of change that has accompanied Romanian efforts to flourish as a democracy,” she said. “As it now stands, its major goal should be to guarantee a system of administration of justice that ensures independence, impartiality, integrity, equality and transparency, all prerequisites for the enjoyment of human rights by all in Romania.

Ms. Knaul also encouraged the media “to help to bridge understanding of the judicial reform and its expected impact on the ground”, and the general public “to get involved on the judicial reform and help in the construction of a transparent, fair, accessible, solid and independent system of administration of justice that will redound in benefits for the Romanian future generations.”

The Special Rapporteur’s mission took her to Bucharest, Iasi, Cluj Napoca and Pitesti. She hold discussions with representatives of the Government, intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations, academia, judges, lawyers, bailiffs and others involved in issues related to her mandate and will present her findings to the United Nations Human Rights Council in 2012.

The UN expert’s mission to Romania was preceded by a visit to Bulgaria, from 9 to 16 May 2011.

For the full statement, please click on https://www.facebook.com/notes/centru-informare-onu/preliminary-conclusions-and-observations-visit-to-romania-of-un-special-rapporte/1569891026243