Elections in Cote d'Ivoire

The Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Cote d’Ivoire, Y. J. Choi, met with President Laurent Gbagbo on December 6 to discuss the implementation of the Ouagdougou Peace Agreement. Also present at the meeting was Boureima Badini, the Representative of the Facilitator of the Ivorian dialogue. Choi said at the end of the meeting that the discussion placed particular emphasis on preparations for general elections expected to take place in 2008. He said he left encouraged by the President’s plans to realize various programmes provided for in the additional protocols to the Ougadougou Agreement which were signed on Novermber 28th between the President and former rebel leader and Prime Minister Guillaume Soro. Choi reaffirmed the UN’s support to the peace process in Cote d’Ivoire.
http://www.onuci.org/archives/communiques/onuci_411_e.htm

Vaccinations for Women and Children

UNICEF is launching a large-scale immunization campaign for some 47,000 children under five and 56,000 women who live in camps for the internally displaced. The campaign is starting this week in camps for internally displaced people.

With 95 percent of children under 5 having never been immunized, Somalia has some of the worst health and social indicators for children in the world. The UNICEF effort will complement ongoing campaigns to deliver clean water and sanitation, build schools and improve health services. The approach is cost effective. UNICEF and WHO believe that they can reach 3.5 million children and women in the next two years for as little as US$ 15 per person per year.

http://www.unicef.org/media/media_42064.html

Millions of "Green Collar" jobs

The UN Environment Programme reports that environmental sustainability could potentially create millions of new “green collar” jobs – in fields like construction, sustainable forestry, agriculture, engineering and transportation.

http://www.unep.org/Documents.Multilingual/Default.asp?DocumentID=523&ArticleID=5717&l=en

Good News on Growth

A basic principle guiding NGI’s work is that processes of growth and prosperity rest to a large degree on positive attitudes. Positive thinking yields positive outcomes; negative thinking begets negative outcomes. We think positively. And so even as we abhor the sham, bigotry, inequality, waste, and conflict around the world, we also know that people are creating good stories with their lives. There is plenty of “Good News on Growth” out there, typically buried deep within the bad news. This blog is devoted to finding and reporting that Good News. Please share your good news!