World leaders and high-ranking officials meeting at the United Nations on September 24 renewed their support for the parties to the 2005 peace accord that ended Sudan's north-south civil war as they embark on the critical final phase of the agreement - the upcoming referenda on the self-determination of southern Sudan and the central region of Abyei.

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon (left) converses with Ibrahim Gambari, Joint Special Representative for the African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID), at the Ministerial Meeting on Sudan held at UN headquarters.

At a high-level meeting on Sudan, convened by Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, delegations renewed their commitment to peace in the country.

"The participants voiced strong support to both CPA parties and confirmed their commitment to respect the outcome of credible referenda and to assist the Sudanese achieve sustainable peace throughout Sudan in the post-referenda period," stated a communiqué issued at the conclusion of the meeting.

Mr. Ban said Sudan's leaders and people face "critical, difficult" questions about their future.

"The stakes are high, for Sudan, for Africa, for the international community," he said. "The Sudanese people cannot afford a resumption of conflict. We must all assist them in finding a peaceful way through one of the most important passages in their country's history."

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The UN Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) will proactively provide logistics assistance and technical advice to the country's referenda, the head of the UN Integrated Referendum and Elections Division (UNIRED) Denis Kadima stressed during a press conference at UNMIS headquarters in Khartoum.

As requested by the UN Security Council Resolution 1919, UNMIS will provide support in all phases of Sudan's self-determination referenda scheduled for January 9, 2011.

Support includes conceptualization of operations, support in procurement and logistics as well as with tabulation of votes, Mr. Kadima told journalists.

To coordinate efforts, UNIRED, an integrate referenda support division was created from teams of UNMIS and the UN Development Programme, assisting the Southern Sudan Referendum Commission together with other organizations, including the International Foundation for Electoral Systems, International Organization of Migration and the European Union.

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The security of civilians in Darfur as well as access for peacekeepers and aid agencies to those in need were among the issues discussed on September 27 during the latest talks between the United Nations, the African Union and the Sudanese government.

The meeting of the Tripartite Mechanism on the UN-AU Mission in Darfur (UNAMID), held at UN headquarters in New York on the sidelines of the annual high-level general debate of the General Assembly, follows months of resumed clashes, attacks on peacekeepers and aid workers, and restrictions on humanitarian access to civilians, especially internally displaced persons.

The Under-Secretary-General for Field Support, Susanna Malcorra, said that a joint action plan has been developed among the parties to address all of the pertinent issues, and a mechanism set up to have monthly meetings.

While acknowledging that there is still work to do, she said today's meeting covered all questions pertaining to security and access. "We are moving and things are starting to improve."

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The coming months will be critical for Myanmar as it prepares to stage the first national elections in two decades, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said, calling on the country's authorities to make sure the polls are as inclusive, participatory and transparent as possible.

Speaking after a high-level meeting of the Group of Friends on Myanmar on September 28, Mr. Ban said participants "expressed their encouragement, concerns and expectations regarding the current process," which are supposed to culminate in elections on November 7.

Participants at the New York meeting, held at the level of foreign minister, discussed ways to intensify joint efforts to help Myanmar's government and people "achieve a successful transition towards a credible civilian and democratic government," Mr. Ban told journalists.

The Group of Friends also called on authorities to take steps to release all political prisoners, including the opposition leader and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi.

"This is essential for the elections to be seen as credible and to contribute to Myanmar's stability and development," the Secretary-General said.

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A new United Nations report showing significant progress in improving access to HIV/AIDS services in 37 developing countries offers realistic hope for the achievement of universal access, a UN official responsible for battling the pandemic has said.

Towards Universal Access, produced by the World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), and the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) and released on September 28, assesses progress in 144 low- and middle-income countries.

It finds that 15 countries were able to provide more than 80 percent of HIV-positive pregnant women with the services and medicines needed to prevent mother-to-child transmission, while 14 countries provided HIV treatment to more than 80 percent of their HIV-positive children. An additional eight countries have achieved universal access to antiretroviral treatment for adults.

The report's findings include: 5.25 million people had access to HIV treatment in low- and middle-income countries last year, accounting for 36 percent of those in need - an increase of more than 1.2 million people over 2008.

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