Regarding Sexual Abuse, it is known that this happens not only with children from disadvantaged families, but also with children from families not economically so debilitated as the former ones.

For every child killed, there were another three injured, debilitated or psychologically scarred. His delegation therefore welcomed the appointment of the Special Representative of the Secretary General for children in armed conflict.

Afghanistan remains the world s fifth poorest country and its biggest opium producer, with a weak central state that is further debilitated by warlordism and the Taliban insurgency. There are many reasons for this outcome, but at least some of the blame lies with the European Union.

There are many reasons for this, ranging from the rather debilitated state of multilateral governance to the urgency of domestic issues currently commanding national policymakers attention. But there is also something else at work The causes of today s predicament are difficult to comprehend and counter effectively.