UN Concern About Housing Demolitions In Zimbabwe

Secretary-General Expresses Increasing Concern About Housing Demolitions In Zimbabwe

New York, Jul 18 2005

United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan today voiced increasing concern about the human rights and humanitarian aspects of the housing demolitions in Zimbabwe.

Mr. Annan's Special Envoy, UN Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT) Executive Director Anna Tibaijuka, wound up her two-week fact-finding mission to Zimbabwe earlier this month.

"The Secretary-General is increasingly concerned by the human rights and humanitarian impact of the recent demolitions of what the Government of Zimbabwe has called illegal settlements," a UN spokeswoman, Marie Okabe, said at the daily briefing at UN Headquarters in New York.

Ms. Tibaijuka conducted an exhaustive examination, with the cooperation of the Government of Zimbabwe, Ms. Okabe said. The Secretary-General would receive Ms. Tibaijuka's report in the coming days, would study it to determine the UN's next steps and would make it public after Zimbabwe's Government had received its copy, she said.

ENDS

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