11-12-07, 12:04 pm

United Nations, Nov 12 (Prensa Latina) The United Nations will start its work in the plenary of the General Assembly this week by discussing a report on enlargement of the Security Council.

For years, the issue has sparked heated debate, as opinions differ on how to democratize the high UN body and achieve equitable representation.

The right to veto, enjoyed by five countries in their capacity as permanent members (the US, China, France, Britain and Russia) has also been a cause of friction.


The complex scene around the future of the Security Council has led diplomats here to think there is still a long way before it is solved.

A discussion of funds for gender equality has also been scheduled for Monday within the Second Commission of the General Assembly as a follow up of the Monterrey Consensus.

Also this week, the Security Council is expected to hold consultations on the Great Lakes region and on the tense situation between Ethiopia and Eritrea, following reports about a military buildup in their common border.

Other activities include a symposium on the food system in Africa and its interaction with health and nutrition, as well as a panel on climatic change as part of strategies for sustainable development.

On Wednesday, Secretary General Ban Ki Moon is expected to travel to Tunisia and Spain, after visiting Argentina, Chile and Brazil.

The South Korean diplomat is scheduled to inaugurate an international conference against terrorism in Tunisia on Thursday.

World Food Program's Executive Director Josette Sheeran is expected to visit Mali and Senegal this week to attract world attention on emergencies in this area.

Also on Thursday, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations is expected to present in Rome its report on the state of food and agriculture in 2007.

From Prensa Latina