Sample Countries - by Targeted News Service

AFGHANISTAN TO HOLD FIRST CONFERENCE ON REGIONAL ECONOMIC COOPERATION

Copyright © HT Media Ltd. 2005

KABUL, Afghanistan, Dec. 5 - The government of Afghanistan issued the following news release:

The Islamic Republic of Afghanistan will hold its First major Conference on Regional Economic Cooperation on Sunday, 4th of December for two days at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan.

The Regional Economic Cooperation conference will be jointly chaired by the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan and the United Kingdom as the current President of the G8.

The participants include the six neighboring countries of Afghanistan plus India, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan. The participant countries will be represented at ministerial and senior official level.

The conference offers an exceptional opportunity for the region to enhance security and promote economic development. The conference will also focus on economic cooperation in areas of concern to the countries of the region which includes electricity and energy generation, transport, transit trade promotion and opportunities, border management, investment and improvement of the business climate.

Office of the Spokesperson
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
December 1, 2005.

More information about the conference is available at: http://www.afghanistan-mfa.net/RECC/index.html.

NEW ZEALAND WELL PREPARED IN THE EVENT OF AVIAN INFLUENZA PANDEMIC

Copyright © HT Media Ltd. 2005

WELLINGTON, New Zealand, Dec. 22 -- The government of New Zealand issued the following news release:

The State Services Commission (SSC) is working with other government agencies to ensure that New Zealand is well prepared in the event of an Avian influenza pandemic.

The SSC is involved in the all-of-government planning for the pandemic, working closely with ODESC (Officials Committee for Domestic and External Security), the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet, the Ministry of Health and the Intersectoral Pandemic Group.

The SSC will be providing advice in the first quarter of 2006 around the implications of a pandemic for public servants and their work. This advice will deal with general issues applicable across the State sector and will continue to be updated as required. Individual agencies will still need to consider what specific issues a pandemic could present for them and how they might address these.

The all-of-government web portal, www.govt.nz, has links to all of the government information published on agency websites, including:

* Information about the pandemic risk and the all-of-government planning exercise to meet it on the Ministry of Health's website[1]

* The Ministry of Economic Development has published a Business Continuity Planning Guide to assist in the preparation of effective business continuity plans

* The Department of Labour is currently preparing practical workplace-related information in order to provide guidance to employers and employees on employment matters, and additional information on business continuity planning and workplace health and safety guidance

* The Treasury is considering measures to mitigate the economic shock from an influenza pandemic, and to encourage a rapid recovery. They are also looking at more specific issues with significant economic or fiscal implications, as well as working with other central agencies to coordinate the all-of-government effort.

[1]http://www.moh.govt.nz/pandemicinfluenza

[2]http://www.med.govt.nz/irdev/econ_dev/pandemic-planning/index.html

[3]http://dolhealthandsafety.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/dolhealthandsafety.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=279&p_created=1129584853&p_sid=hU8IzhSh&p_lva=&p_sp=cF9zcmNoPTEmcF9zb3J0X2J5PSZwX2dyaWRzb3J0PSZwX3Jvd19jbnQ9MTA4JnBfcHJvZHM9MjUsMCZwX2NhdHM9JnBfc

[4]http://www.treasury.govt.nz/pandemic/

KING ABDULLAH, OTHER OIC LEADERS OFFER 'DHUHR' PRAYER IN 'AL-HARAM'

Copyright © HT Media Ltd. 2005

MAKKAH, Saudi Arabia, Dec. 8 -- The government of Saudi Arabia issued the following news release:

The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz, and other leaders of member states of the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) and heads of participating delegations of the Third OIC Extraordinary Summit, performed "Dhuhr" (noon) prayer in "Al-Haram" in the Holy City of Makkah.

Following the prayer, they resumed the deliberations of the third closed-door session of the Summit, which began this morning.