A packed UN Security Council has been hearing calls for support of an Arab League plan to resolve the unrest continuing for 10 months in Syria. The Security Council has been unable to come up with a solution to the ongoing crisis. Senior leaders including the Arab League Secretary General, the US Secretary of State, [...]
The solution to the crisis in Syria is not similar to the one used to end the political upheaval in Libya last year, according to the United States Secretary of State. Hillary Rodham Clinton spoke as the Security Council held a high-level debate on Tuesday afternoon to consider a plan proposed by the League of [...]
2011 has been the deadliest year for Africans crossing the Mediterranean to flee to Europe, according to the UN's refugee agency. UNHCR estimates that more than 1,500 people drowned or went missing while attempting to cross the sea. The actual number of deaths at sea may be even higher, the agency adds. Jocelyne Sambira reports. [...]
Authorities in Somalia have been urged to take urgent measures to investigate the murder of a journalists working for a private radio and television network in the country. The call has come from the head of the United Nations cultural agency (UNESCO), Irina Bokova, who condemned the killing of Hassan Osman Abdi on Saturday. Derrick [...]
Political parties in Senegal have been urged by the United Nations Secretary-General to pave the way for transparent, credible and peaceful elections. In a statement issued on Tuesday, Ban Ki-moon said he is concerned about the upsurge of tensions in the West African country ahead of the presidential elections scheduled for 26 February. The Secretary-General [...]
Former Haitian leader Jean-Claude Duvalier could only face trial for financial corruption charges during his regime and not human rights violations, a move which concerns the UN Human Rights Office. Spokesman Rupert Colville said local and international human rights groups have well-documented evidence that torture, rape and extrajudicial killings occurred during Mr. Duvalier's regime. Charles [...]
1. Four Kenyans to stand trial at ICC for post-election violence 2. UN Human Rights chief expresses disappointment at continued detentions at Guantanamo Bay 3. Piracy off the coast of Somalia can be eradicated, says new Sceretary-General of IMO 4. Record number of African migrants crossed the Gulf of Aden & Red Sea in 2011 [...]
1. Ban Ki-moon takes his ” sustainable energy for all” agenda to Middle East 2. UNICEF seeks to improve education for children in Asia 3. Health facilities ransacked in Jonglei State of South Sudan 4. Insecurity curbs relief aid to Somali refugee camps in Horn of Africa 5. Restrictions imposed : Sudanese government “severely impedes ” [...]
More than 3,000 Iranian exiles who have been at a camp in north-eastern Iraq are to be relocated to a new site, according to a United Nations spokesman. In December last year, the United Nations and the Iraqi government signed an agreement to relocate the Iranians from Camp Ashraf, which is now called Camp New [...]
1. The people of Fiji are set for the "full enjoyment of fundamental human rights" according to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. It follows the lifting of the Public Emergency Regulations on the Pacific island which restricted the right to public meetings and a free media. 2. Guruh Riyanto interviewed Project Officer International [...]
Mozambique has been hit by floods that have killed 40 people and affected 117,000 others, according to the UN humanitarian agency (OCHA). OCHA says there were two tropical storms between 18 and 26 January in Zambezia province that caused the flooding. Charles Appel reports. The UN humanitarian agency (OCHA) says Tropical Cyclone Funso, a category [...]
A new team has been recruited to help countries around the world combat wildlife crime and illegal trade valued at approximately $10 billion a year. The team is working under CITES, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora which is administered by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP). The three-member [...]
As the United Nations Security Council prepares to discuss a plan to resolve political unrest in Syria, the UN Secretary-General says he hopes its members will reflect the wishes of the international community. The Arab League has proposed the plan under which President Bashar al-Assad has to relinquish power to allow a transition to democracy [...]
The United Nations Human Rights Office (OHCHR) has expressed concern over reports from Haiti that former President Jean-Claude Duvalier may not tried for human rights violations that took place during his time in office. OHCHR says the former President may only face charges of financial corruption. UN Human Rights Chief ,Navi Pillay, says there was [...]
More than 1,500 African migrants died while attempting to cross the Mediterranean Sea to Europe in 2011, according to the UN refugee agency UNHCR. It’s the highest number of fatalities in the region since 2006. UNHCR says the crisis in Libya and Tunisia pushed the number of migrants crossing by sea to a record 58,000. Sybella Wilkes from UNHCR [...]
World food prices fell in the last three months of 2011, but they're still 24 per cent higher than they were in 2010. That's according to the World Bank which released its latest Food Price Watch report on Tuesday in Washington DC. And while the trend in some parts of the world is positive, there [...]
Global food prices declined by 8 per cent during the last quarter of 2011 according to figures released by the World Bank. Better than expected production in countries including China, India and Russia brought the cost of food down. However, prices remain high and volatile with average prices for 2011, 24 per cent higher than [...]
A United Nations independent expert on the situation of human rights in Myanmar is starting a six-day visit to the Asian country on Tuesday. Tomás Ojea Quintana, who is visiting Myanmar at the invitation of the government, has said his mission is taking place at what he has described as "an important moment in the [...]
Senior government leaders, including the United States Secretary of State, the Prime Minister of Qatar and the Secretary-General of the Arab League are attending a Security Council meeting on Syria on Tuesday. Morocco, which is a non-permanent member of the Security Council, has tabled a draft resolution, to endorse a plan proposed by the Arab [...]
A major diplomatic effort is due to get underway at the UN Security Council on Tuesday to try to stop an ongoing conflict in Syria. The UN estimates up to 5,000 people have been killed in a struggle to oust incumbent president Bashar al-Assad. Senior government leaders from across the world are descending in New [...]
The United States says it strongly supports the recommendation to keep 7,000 United Nations peacekeepers in South Sudan. The Security Council established the UN mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) in 2011 to help the newly independent country to consolidate peace and security and to create conditions for development. South Sudan continues to face inter-ethnic violence [...]
A group of global policy makers examining ways to combat challenges such as climate change, water scarcity and human consumption patterns, has presented its findings to the UN Secretary-General. Ban Ki-moon received the report by the High Level Panel on Global Sustainability in Ethiopia's capital, Addis Ababa, on Monday. The report—"Resilient People, Resilient Planet"—says that [...]
National reconciliation is "the most important factor" to guarantee political stability in Libya, according to the Secretary-General of the United Nations. Ban Ki-moon spoke to reporters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia during the Summit of the African Union on Monday. He said he had an in-depth discussion with the Prime Minister of Libya. "What I emphasized [...]
A new initiative has been launched in London to improve the lives of 1.4 billion people around the world who are affected by neglected tropical diseases. The diseases, such as leprosy, guinea worm, river blindness and dengue fever, affect poor people in Africa, Asia and Latin America. Charles Appel reports. The initiative to eliminate or [...]
Exposure to radiation and the health effects caused by the accident at the Fukushima plant in Japan in March last year are being assessed at a meeting that started in Vienna on Monday. The weeklong meeting of the UN Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation (UNSCEAR) is being attended by 60 international experts. [...]
A new course for sustainable development is needed to strengthen economic growth while protecting the planet. That's according to the United Nations Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon who received a report from his high level-panel on sustainable development in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on Monday. The panel is co-chaired by President Jacob Zuma of South Africa and [...]
It's 2012 and still roughly 800 million people in Asia and the Pacific lack access to electricity. Meanwhile, two billion people in the region still use wood, charcoal or other traditional fuels for heating and cooking. The UN Development Programme (UNDP) says there's a clear link between poor access to modern energy sources and poverty. [...]
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Contraceptives have really empowered women, giving them the freedom to choose if and when to get pregnant. To ensure that methods like birth control pills, implants or injectable contraceptives are being used safely, many countries follow WHO's birth control guide. But a recent study by a leading medical journal, The Lancet, now suggests that hormonal [...]
The peace process in Afghanistan has to be promoted and led by the Afghan authorities, according to the new UN envoy to the country. Ján Kubiš recently arrived in the Afghan capital and has been given the task of helping the country make the transition to a peaceful democratic nation. As Charles Appel reports, security [...]
The United Nations Children's Fund UNICEF is appealing for 1.28 billion US Dollars to assist vulnerable children in more than 25 countries. UNICEF estimates that over 50 million children worldwide will require some form of humanitarian assistance as a result of conflicts and natural disasters. Somalia, which faces both drought and civil war, will be UNICEF's [...]
The status of over 700,000 South Sudanese living in Sudan remains unclear as the deadline set by the Sudanese government for those wishing to return to the south approaches. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) says the South Sudanese living in the north have up to April 8 to go back home or apply to [...]
Iran is yet to demonstrate that its nuclear energy programme was genuinely for peaceful purposes, according to the United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki Moon. The Secretary General said the latest assessment by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) indicates the possibility of Iran's nuclear programme having a military dimension. Speaking in Davos Switzerland, the Secretary General called [...]
A documentary film celebrating the life of the late Jewish prodigy, Petr Ginz, murdered during the Holocaust, will soon go global. Using Petr's art and writings, The Last Flight of Petr Ginz will help teach teenagers worldwide about how destructive hatred and prejudice are. Nazism led to the extermination of 6 million Jews in [...]
•The world needs to create 600 million new jobs over the next decade, according to the International Labour Organization. In its latest report on global employment trends, the ILO says Africa has had high economic growth rates over the years. However, it adds, that has not created quality jobs. Four Kenyans to face trial at [...]
After 17 years, the United Nations flag is flying again in the Somali capital of Mogadishu. The United Nations Political Office for Somalia on Wednesday officially relocated from the Kenyan capital, Nairobi to Mogadishu. The United Nations says the move shows its strong commitment to work with the Somali people and their leaders to build [...]
Syrian authorities have been urged investigate the murder of a Red Crescent official in Syria and to bring the perpetrators to justice. The call has come from United Nations Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon following the killing of Dr. Abd-al-Razzaq Jbeiro, Secretary-General of the Syrian Arab Red Crescent on Wednesday. Mr. Ban has said he is deeply [...]
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Resolving the humanitarian challenges in Côte d'Ivoire is critical for the country's development. That's the assessment of Catherine Bragg, the UN Deputy Emergency Relief Coordinator, who briefed journalists in New York on Tuesday following her recent three-day mission to the West African nation. She said more than two million Ivoirians remain highly vulnerable nine months [...]
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Thirty-four people including two women have been executed in Iraq, according to the UN Office for Human Rights (OHCHR). The executions took place on January 19. The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay, said it was disturbing that there were so many executions on a single day. Ms Pillay says there were documented cases [...]
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The UN has said it is disappointed that the Guantanamo Bay detention facility remains open, three years after the US government ordered its closure. UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay said suspects are being detained in clear breech of international law. The High Commissioner said Guantanamo detainees should be charged and prosecuted or set free. Rupert [...]
Four Kenyans are to stand trial for crimes against humanity before the International Criminal Court(ICC). The four include Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta, Head of the civil service Francis Muthaura, legislator William Ruto and Radio Journalist Joshua Sang. The four are alleged to bear the heaviest responsibility for the 2008 post election violence in which [...]
Increased anti-piracy measures by shipping companies and the intervention by navies have led to a drop in the number of successful pirate attacks off the coast of Somalia in 2011. But, according to the UN's International Maritime Organization (IMO) around 200 seafarers are still being held hostage by Somali pirates. The London-based organization's new Secretary-General, [...]
Piracy off the coast of Somalia can be eradicated according to the new Secretary-General of the UN's International Maritime Organization (IMO). Around 200 seafarers are still being held hostage by Somali pirates on eleven ships off the coast of Somalia. But the number of successful attacks has dropped. IMO chief, Koji Sekimizu, says the pirates [...]
An archive of interviews with some of the personalities behind crucial moments in UN history is now available online. The Oral History Collection Website features nearly 200 interviews recorded over the past 25 years with former UN Secretary-Generals, diplomats, journalists, and others who witnessed events ranging from the founding of the United Nations to conflicts [...]
Developing countries should prepare for further downside risks, as Euro Area debt problems and weakening growth in several big emerging economies are dimming global growth prospects, says the World Bank in the newly-released Global Economic Prospects (GEP) 2012. Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), in particular,are expected to grow 3.6 percent in 2012, and 4.2 [...]
The Caribbean maintained a growth rate in tourist arrivals of 4% in 2011. This, as International tourist arrivals grew by the just over 4% in 2011 to 980 million, – a year characterised by a stalled global economic recovery, according to the latest UNWTO World Tourism Barometer. With growth expected to continue in 2012, at [...]
Aid agencies in north-east Afghanistan are finding it hard to deliver food and medical supplies to villagers trapped by heavy snowfall and landslides, according to OCHA, the UN's humanitarian agency. So far, 29 people are reportedly dead and 40 others are injured. Jocelyne Sambira reports. Heavy snow and avalanches in Afghanistan's remote and mountainous province [...]
A record number of African refugees made the perilous journey across the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea in 2011. The UN refugee agency (UNHCR) says despite increased insecurity in Yemen, 103,000 people—mostly Ethiopians and Somalis—risked their lives in the crossing. This represents a 100 per cent increase over 2010 figures. Dianne Penn reports. Duration: [...]
North Korea has been described as a humanitarian basket case by a senior UN official. The isolated Asian country has recently undergone a change in leadership with the international community hoping that it will open up and address human rights issues. The UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the country, Marzuki [...]
Spain has been told it needs to reconsider its tight immigration polices which have been put in place since 2008 following the global economic crisis. In the 1990's Spain facilitated migration, especially from Latin America, to meet its needs for unskilled workers for the booming construction industry as well as domestic and elderly care services. [...]
The new leadership in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) has been urged to resolve long-standing human rights issues including access to food. The country has recently undergone a change in leadership with the international community hoping it will be more open. Speaking at the end of an official trip to Japan UN Special [...]
The number of people affected by inter-ethnic violence in Jonglei state in South Sudan has doubled, according to the UN Humanitarian Coordinator there. Lise Grande says the violence hasn't stopped in Jonglei where 120,000 people may need relief assistance. Charles Appel reports. The UN Humanitarian Coordinator for South Sudan, Lise Grande, says fighting between Lou [...]
The number of African migrants travelling by sea to Yemen reached record levels in 2011 according to the UN Refugee agency UNHCR. 103,000 people made the perilous journey, more than double the previous year. At least 130 people are known to have drowned. With over 76,000 registrations, Ethiopians now make up the majority of those [...]
Over 100,000 civilians have been forced out of their homes in parts of eastern Democratic Republic of Congo following renewed clashes between government troops, rebel groups and local militia. The UN refugee Agency UNHCR says the clashes are reported to have begun in November last year. In Walikale and Masisi territories in North Kivu province, [...]
Talks on the reunification of the island of Cyprus are due to get underway on Monday with hopes that an agreement can be reached between the two rival communities. Ethnic strife between the Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots engulfed the Mediterranean island in 1974. The UN has been trying to mediate a solution for over [...]
An agreement over the future reunification of Cyprus could move a step closer at talks that are due to get underway on Monday outside New York City. Cyprus has been divided since 1974 with Turkish Cypriots controlling the northern third of the island and the Republic of Cyprus composed mostly of Greeks Cypriots in the [...]
• Africa's economy continues to grow strongly defying the global trend according to a United Nations economic report. The World Economic Situation and Prospects report for 2012 is forecasting up to six percent growth across the continent over the coming year. This is much better than countries in the developed world. Eastern and Southern Africa [...]
Over the past six years there has been a rise in the number of think tanks in developing countries, including some African nations. And although their number is still relatively small, the analysis and research they provide on key issues, including national security, help governments and civil society in formulating policies. James G. McGann heads [...]
The surge of peaceful protests around the world has presented a challenge to the UN's rule of law, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said. Mr. Ban Ki-moon was speaking at a Security Council debate on the rule of law and transitional justice in conflict and post-conflict settings. For societies traumatized by years of fighting and gross [...]
Tanzania has submitted an application to add 150 miles to the 200 miles of the area that is under its control in the ocean. Under the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of Sea, a coastal state is entitled to make such a claim in order to exploit natural resources including fish, minerals and [...]
The lack of energy access and its impact on health, education and income continue to be a significant cause of chronic poverty, according to a new UN report. A review of 17 projects across the Asia and Pacific region has shown that energy access alone is not enough. Jocelyne Sambira reports. Services that combine access [...]
An explosion at a refugee camp in Somalia's capital, Mogadishu, on Thursday has killed up to 7 people according to initial reports. The blast came just hours after the UN had escorted a group of local and foreign journalists to view a feeding centre there. So far, no one has claimed responsibility. Dianne Penn spoke [...]
Eastern and Southern Africa is making good progress in fighting HIV and AIDS, but challenges still remain. That's according to the United Nations Joint Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS). UNAIDS says that three quarters of the 34 million people living with HIV in the world are in Eastern and Southern Africa. Daniel Dickinson reports. Duration: 2’26″
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More needs to be done to reduce new infections in Africa's Eastern and regions, according to Dr Sheila Tlau, Regional Director for East and Southern Africa at the United Nations Joint Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS). Dr. Tlau told reporters in Geneva on Thursday that three quarters of the 34 million people living with HIV in [...]
Côte d'Ivoire still needs considerable humanitarian assistance nine months after the end of the post-election violence that displaced tens of thousands of people…that's according to the UN Speaking at the end of a 3 day tour of the country, Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, Catherine Bragg said the volatile western and south-western regions have the [...]
The government of South Sudan is being urged by the UN to deploy more troops in key areas in Jonglei state to avert further violence and stop the bloodshed. Scores of civilians have been killed but the exact number of casualties is still unknown. Jocelyne Sambira reports. The "chain of retaliatory attacks" between the rival [...]
The United Nations is calling for continued support to humanitarian operations in the Horn of Africa despite the difficulties in delivering aid to those affected especially in Somalia. Speaking in Geneva, UN Humanitarian Coordinator for Somalia, Mark Bowden said although half a million Somalis have been saved from the brink of starvation, four million are [...]
A bomb exploded at a feeding centre in the Somali capital Mogadishu following a visit by a group of UN officials and journalists. Initial reports say 7 people were killed, according to Ari Gaitanis of the UN's humanitarian agency, OCHA. The visit marks six months since a famine was declared in parts of Somalia on [...]
A rich collection of interviews covering 25 years of the United Nations' history has been made available to the public on a website. An official launch of the website is taking place at the UN headquarters on Thursday. The Library's Oral History collection is made up of close to 200 interviews covering major events since [...]
The international community is making progress on protecting people from genocide and other crimes. That's according to the UN Secretary-General's Special Adviser on the Responsibility to Protect. Edward Luck says the agreement signed by heads of state and government in 2005 has made a difference. Daniel Dickinson has been talking to Mr Luck about the [...]
Preparations are under way to feed 3.5 million vulnerable people in Yemen in 2012. The World Food Organization (WFP) is scaling up its assistance to respond to the growing needs in a country caught in the midst of a full-fledged humanitarian crisis. Food and fuel prices are soaring and there's been a breakdown in social [...]
If Gaza is to come off its dependence on humanitarian aid, there has to be economic development, said Valerie Amos, the United Nations Emergency Relief Coordinator. On Wednesday, Ms. Amos briefed the Security Council on the humanitarian situation in the occupied Palestinian territory. She spoke about the impact of continued settlement activity in the West [...]
Pakistan peacekeepers serving in Darfur in Sudan are being hailed for their community outreach efforts. The troops, stationed in West Darfur with the United Nations African Union mission in Darfur or UNAMID, kept the peace, but also worked on building roads, schools, sinking wells. They also provided medical services to local populations. Their tour of [...]
Earthquakes were the biggest killers in natural disasters last year, according to a report published on Wednesday. According to statistics released by the UN, there were 302 major disasters in 2011. The disasters last year claimed the lives of approximately 30,000 people, affected 206 million people and inflicted economic damages worth $366 billion. Derrick Mbatha reports. [...]
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An increasing amount of economic data is being published which is showing that economic global recovery is faltering at least in the developed world. On Wednesday the World Bank lowered its growth forecast for 2012 to 5.4 percent for developing countries and 1.4 percent for high-income countries. The International Monetary Fund is predicting strong growth [...]
Recent global events in Syria and South Sudan have highlighted the importance of finding better ways to protect human life during mass atrocities, according to the UN. A conference is being held in New York bringing together global policy makers to discuss the challenges in preventing and halting violence. Jocelyne Sambira reports. Delegates, policy experts [...]
Nearly 30,000 people were killed by natural disasters in 2011, according to the UN office for disaster risk reduction UNISDR. The earthquake in Japan and subsequent tsunami alone killed close to 20,000 people. Worldwide, over 200 million people were affected by the 302 disasters recorded during the year. For the second year running earthquakes and [...]
The global economy has entered a dangerous phase and could be on the brink of a new recession, the World Bank has warned. In its latest bi-annual report on the global economy, the Bank says the financial turmoil has spread both to developing and high income countries. An escalating debt crisis in Europe and weak [...]
Scholars, policy makers and former United Nations officials are gathering in London on Wednesday to mark the 70th anniversary of the Declaration by United Nations. The declaration in January 1942 was agreed by 26 nations which fought against Germany, Italy and Japan during the Second World War. It called for an end to totalitarianism and [...]
The UN is marking the 70th anniversary of a crucial diplomatic initiative during the Second World War that inspired the very foundation of the organization. Known as the 1942 UN Declaration, the document was signed by 26 governments, including the US, the UK, the Soviet Union and China. The allies came together to end the [...]
People who gather in large crowds run a higher risk of catching communicable diseases, especially if that crowd is made up of people from different countries or cultures. The UN's World Health Organization says these so-called "mass gatherings" can pose a risk to the health of a country….depending on what surge capacity the country has; [...]
A Chicago native has been appointed to head the World Food Programme for the next five years. United Nations Secretary-General Ban-Ki moon and José Graziano da Silva the Food and Agriculture Organization made the announcement on Tuesday. As the former US representative to FAO, Ertharin Cousin has been a tireless advocate for world's poorest. With [...]
Aid is urgently needed in Sudan's Southern Kordofan and Blue Nile states, to avoid a stage four emergency, which is one step short of a full scale famine. US Representative to the UN, Susan Rice issued this warning at a press briefing shortly after a Security Council meeting on Sudan on Tuesday. The Government of [...]
The new United Nations envoy for Afghanistan has arrived in the capital Kabul at a time when the country is undergoing a period of transition. Afghanistan has begun the transfer of security responsibilities from the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force to Afghan forces, and assuming greater ownership of its development agenda. Ján Kubiš, the Special [...]
Challenges remain on the humanitarian front in Côte d'Ivoire, one year after the post-electoral crisis. That's according to the Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Deputy Emergency Relief Coordinator, Catherine Bragg, who is in the country for a three-day visit. So far, over half a million people displaced by the post-electoral violence in Côte d'Ivoire [...]
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Palestinian refugees in Gaza and the West Bank continue to depend on outside help to survive. The UN Agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) has appealed for just over $300 million to continue its projects in the territories. UNRWA says three years after the end of a sustained Israeli attack on Gaza, the humanitarian needs of [...]
Africa's economy continues to grow strongly defying the global trend according to a United Nations economic report. The World Economic Situation and Prospects report for 2012 is forecasting up to six percent growth across the continent over the coming year, much better than countries in the developed world. Patrick Maigua asked Taffere Tesfachew the Director [...]
An emergency appeal worth over US $300 million has been launched to help Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency, UNRWA. Three years after the end of the Gaza war, the humanitarian needs are widespread and acute, says UNRWA. And despite an easing of access, Gaza [...]
The world economy is on the brink of another major downturn, warns the United Nations 2012 World Economic Situation and Prospects report. The report says that global economic growth started to decelerate in mid-2011 and is estimated to have averaged 2.8 per cent over the last year. Persistent high unemployment, the debt crisis in Europe [...]
Major sports events, music festivals, and other crowded venues could be potential breeding grounds for disease, the World Health Organization has warned. It says gatherings of large numbers of people can increase public health risks. Temperature-related illness and dehydration are common causes of illness during mass gatherings. More serious cases like outbreaks of respiratory disease, [...]
Thirty three unaccompanied children who fled into Tunisia from Libya are to be resettled in Norway, by the UN Refugee agency UNHCR. The children are mainly from Somalia, Sudan, Ethiopia and Eritrea. UNHCR says most of the children fled Libya at the height of war. Adrian Edwards from UNHCR says some of the children were [...]
Experts from around the world are meeting at the Food and Agriculture Organization's headquarters in Rome, Italy on Tuesday for a three day discussion on global hunger. The main issues to be addressed are advances in measuring food and nutrition security and evaluating the impacts of anti-hunger policies. Ahead of the meeting, a special session [...]
Millions more people are going to suffer from noncommunicable diseases such as diabetes and heart attack, according to the World Health Organization, (WHO). This warning has come from WHO Director-General, Dr. Margaret Chan, who says that governments need to provide adequate finance and implement workable policies in public health. Derrick Mbatha reports. Duration: 1’53″
United Nations Secretary-General is calling on Syrian President Assad to stop killing his own people. He delivered the message at a conference in Beirut on reforms and transitions to democracy in the Arab world. Mr. Ban told the gathering that the wave of uprisings across North Africa and the Middle East sparked by Tunisia's revolution [...]
A thorough investigation into how a cruise ship ran aground off the coast of Italy needs to be carried out, according to a senior United Nations official. Six people reportedly died and at least 16 are missing after the hull of the cruise ship was torn open. A total of 4,200 passengers and crew were [...]
Myanmar is being urged to release all remaining political prisoners after a significant number of them were granted amnesty last week. Among those freed were prominent opposition figures and individuals. Derrick Mbatha reports. Tomás Ojea Quintana, the UN Special Rapporteur on the human rights situation in Myanmar, is calling on the Myanmar government to release [...]
Progress towards building peace in West Africa has been described as "tenuous" by the top United Nations envoy in the region. Said Djinnit the head of the United Nations Office in West Africa briefed the Security Council on the situation in West Africa on Monday. The region has had its share of conflicts and crises [...]
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Three countries in Africa and Asia are participating in a project aimed at helping them transition to a so-called "climate-smart" approach to agriculture. The Food and Agriculture Organization or FAO and the European Union announced their new $US 6.72m initiative on Monday. Jocelyne Sambira has more. Farmers in Malawi, Vietnam and Zambia are introducing new farming [...]
Bomb attacks in Nigeria and the potentially volatile situation in Guinea-Bissau after the death of its President, pose new security threats in the West African region. A recent bombing campaign by Boko Haram, a terrorist group in Nigeria, has claimed the lives of dozens of civilians. The concerns were highlighted in the Secretary-General's report on [...]
Economic growth in Africa is getting a boost from the IT sector according to one young entrepreneur from Kenya. Kariuku Gathitu is the founder of Zege Technologies, a software company specializing in mobile money transfers. He's bringing banking services to millions of Africans through their mobile phones….giving people access to money, which in turn is [...]
International tourism is expected to reach the one billion mark in 2012 despite the challenging global economic conditions, according to the United Nations' World Tourism Organization. The Spain-based agency says that contrary to previous years, growth was higher in advanced economies than in emerging ones. Charles Appel reports. Global tourism has hit new levels [...]
Renewable energy has an important role to play in beating extreme poverty, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon told participants at an international renewable energy forum. Mr. Ban made the remark in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, ahead of a World Future Energy Summit that opens on Monday. The 84 members, including the European Union, of the International [...]
The threat posed by noncommunicable diseases to public health worldwide is far greater than had been previously estimated, according to the World Health Organization(WHO). WHO Director General Dr Margaret Chan says the growing prevalence of obesity is a warning signal that bigger health problems could be on the way. Speaking in Geneva, Dr Chan said [...]
Breaking the silence surrounding the issue of violence against women has been one of the greatest achievements of the UN Trust Fund to End Violence against Women. That's according to the President of the grant-making body, Meryem Aslan. According to the UN, one out of three women globally has suffered violence at least once in [...]
Women's groups in Azerbaijan are fighting back against property developers who are being accused of forcing women out of their homes. Many residential properties have been declared too dirty or too old to live in, but many women say they are being driven out against their will. Now, they're being given the opportunity to defend [...]
NAR: Haiti is experiencing one of the largest cholera epidemics in modern history. Eliminating cholera from the island of Hispaniola will require dramatic improvements in water and sanitation services. PAHO/WHO, CDC and UNICEF are suggesting four concrete steps to continue saving lives and reducing disease in Haiti and the Dominican Republic. While the international community [...]
Thursday 12 January marked the second anniversary of the powerful 7.0 earthquake that devastated Haiti, killing more than 200,000 people including more than a hundred UN staff. In a message marking the occasion, the Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon recalled that two years ago today, Haiti confronted a national disaster that shook the country … and our [...]
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Violence in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo perpetrated by armed groups and the military continues to affect the civilian populations, and in particular the youth. Sexual violence is still a big problem, and many children are often forced to fight for rebel groups. To protect them, the UN Children's Fund, UNICEF, has set up [...]
An estimated 26 million children who are out of school in the Asia and Pacific regions are to benefit from an initiative by the United Nations Children's Fund UNICEF to improve access and quality of education in the region. The Schools for Asia programme is aimed at helping the most marginalized, excluded and vulnerable children, [...]
• The Kenyan police are being assisted by the United Nations to boost security in the Dadaab camp for Somali refugees in north-eastern Kenya. The UN refugee agency, UNHCR says there's a climate of fear in the camp following the killing of a Somali refugee leader last month. Dadaab currently shelters over 460,000 mainly Somali [...]
Haitian patient is treated in Korean-run hospital in Leogane. Haiti is still struggling to rebuild homes and lives following the devastating earthquake which hit the country two years ago this week. Over 200,00 people were killed and more than 300,000 injured in the earthquake. The UN peacekeeping force in Haiti, MINUSTAH has played a central [...]
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The on-going sectarian violence aimed at civilians in Nigeria could constitute crimes against humanity, according to the UN Human Rights Chief Navi Pillay. Ms Pillay is appealing to political and religious leaders in Nigeria to speak out against the violence. The High Commissioner said the violence, carried out by the Boko Haram sect and other groups was a [...]
As the new chair of the Group of 77 and China, Algeria has vowed to combine efforts with developed countries to resolve the financial crisis. The G 77 is a bloc of developing countries including China, whose goal is to advance their economic well-being. The group was established in 1964 by 77 states, but presently includes [...]
News and features from United Nations Radio.
News and features from United Nations Radio.
Haiti still faces major humanitarian needs two years after the devastating earthquake, according to United Nations Humanitarian agencies. Over 520,000 people are still living in camps for displaced persons, down from a peak of 1.5 million people in the immediate aftermath of the earthquake. Aid agencies say the drop in the number of people [...]
News and features from United Nations Radio.
Leaders of the Greek and Turkish Cypriot communities are meeting in Nicosia on Monday as part of diplomatic efforts to reunify the island of Cyprus. Cyprus has been divided between the two communities since 1974 after a military coup d'état by groups who favoured union with Greece prompted Turkey to send troops to the island. [...]
The creation of jobs in Haiti is being seen as a key element in the recovery of the Caribbean island, two years after it was devastated by an earthquake. Over 200,000 people were killed when the earthquake struck on January 12th 2010. The United Nations supported Haiti through the immediate crisis and the reconstruction that [...]
China has reported that a man has died after contracting bird flu also known as the H5N1 virus. The Chinese Ministry of Health told the World Health Organization (WHO) that a 39 year-old male from Guangdong Province developed symptoms on 21 December. WHO says the death brings the number of people killed by bird flu [...]
A growing number of women are facing exploitation on the streets of Mexico City one of the world's largest cities that's according to organizations in the Central American country that are working to protect women from prostitution and homelessness. More and more young people, especially women, are ending up on the streets of the metropolis. [...]
In many parts of the world, flower growers struggle to make a living, but in Japan the industry is well literally blooming. One farmer's collective in northern Japan has discovered new and creative ways to prosper and their ingenuity is fast becoming a model for growers worldwide. Pat Duffy has this report. Duration: 2’41″
A terrorist bombing on Friday in the Syrian capital of Damascus, which left many dead, has been condemned by the United Nations chief. UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon said he was "gravely concerned" by the deteriorating situation in Syria. More than 5,000 people have been killed in the Middle Eastern country since March following a popular [...]
NARRATOR: 2011 was a year of several transitions in Haiti – a political transition; and a year of transition from humanitarian to recovery and reconstruction phases, according to UNDP Associate Administrator Rebecca Grynspan. She told a teleconference just days before the 2nd anniversary of the devastating earthquake in Haiti that it’s been a major challenge [...]
Women around the world are acting with dignity and determination to overcome the abuses that they frequently face. That's according to the UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon, who has been discussing the challenges the world body faces in 2012. He said the establishment last year of the new agency UN Women showed the United Nations is [...]
Women around the world are acting with dignity and determination to overcome the abuses that they frequently face. That's according to the UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon, who has been discussing the challenges the world body faces in 2012. He said the establishment last year of the new agency UN Women showed the United Nations is [...]
A "massive" emergency operation has been launched in South Sudan following inter-ethnic violence in Jonglei state. The Government of South Sudan declared the area a disaster zone after 6000 Lou Nuer youths went on a rampage attacking rival Murle people. Around 60,000 people are now in need of humanitarian aid. Donn Bobb asked the United [...]
Authorities in Yemen are being urged by the United Nations human rights chief not to give amnesty to people who have committed human rights violations. Scores of people have been killed in the uprising following demands for the resignation of President Abdullah Saleh in the Arabian Peninsula country. Charles Appel reports. Navi Pillay says she's [...]
The number of executions for crimes committed in Saudi Arabia last year has increased three-fold compared to 2010, according to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, (OHCHR). Saudi Arabia uses the death penalty for a wide range of offences, including murder, drugs offences and witchcraft. OHCHR says it's also concerned [...]
Assistance to nearly two million people displaced by violence in northern Uganda is coming to an end, the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) announced on Friday. For five years, UNHCR has been helping people who were displaced by fighting between the Ugandan Army and the rebel Lord's Resistance Army (LRA). They lived in 251 camps [...]
People around the world and especially in Asia, have high expectations that the United Nations can help to tackle global problems including climate change. That's what United Nations Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon has said as he started his second five-year term this month. He said that during his first term in office, he visited a number [...]
People around the world and especially in Asia, have high expectations that the United Nations can help to tackle global problems including climate change. That's what United Nations Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon has said as he started his second five-year term this month. He said that during his first term in office, he visited a number [...]
One point two million children are returning to school in Libya on Saturday, according to the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF). Schooling was disrupted by the uprising and fighting that led to the overthrow of Libyan children Muammar Qhadafi last year. Marixie Mercado is a UNICEF spokesperson. "On Saturday, over 1.2 million children return to [...]
Authorities in Saudi Arabia have been urged to restrict the use of the death penalty. The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) says it's alarmed by the increase in death penalty sentences in 2011. According to human rights watchdog organizations there were 27 executions in 2010 which rose to over [...]
• South Africa is emphasizing the importance of closer cooperation between the United Nations and regional organizations to solve global problems. Ambassador Baso Sangqu has described 2011 as an "extremely dramatic" year. South Africa has assumed the rotating presidency of the Security Council for January. Pneumonia vaccine to reach "every child in every village" in [...]
The rate of return of people to cities in Libya that were affected by the conflict to overthrow the al-Qadhafi regime last year has been described as "impressive" by a senior United Nations envoy. Georg Charpentier, the UN Secretary-General's Deputy Special Representative to Libya made the comment after visiting three cities on Tuesday and Wednesday. [...]
Ethnic tensions have been rising in the town of Moyale in northern Kenya following an increase in clashes between rival ethnic groups over the past few months. The Borana and Gabra communities are fighting over land for grazing, as well as livestock. The northern region of Kenya has experienced prolonged drought, but in the past few weeks [...]
More than 40 people have died in inter-ethnic violence in the town of Moyale in northern Kenya, according to a spokesman for the United Nations humanitarian agency (OCHA). The agency says that there are frequent revenge attacks between the Borana and Gabra communities. Matthew Conway, spokesman for the Regional Office of OCHA in East Africa [...]
The poorest women in Liberia, are being given cash handouts as a first step to getting out of poverty. It's estimated that almost half of the population in the West African country are living in poverty…that's despite years of economic growth there. The amount of money the poorest people receives is relatively low…just $25 a [...]
Security is being reinforced in a town in South Sudan that was attacked by a group of 6000 armed men. Pibor town, which is home to the Murle ethnic group was targeted over the weekend by men from the Lou Nuer tribe as part of ongoing tribal rivalries. The South Sudanese army has sent reinforcements [...]
Two people have died in China and Egypt of bird flu or avian influenza. The Chinese Ministry of Health informed the World Health Organization (WHO) of a 39 year-old male from Guangdong Province who developed symptoms on 21 December. He was admitted to a hospital and died on 31 December. In Egypt, the Ministry of [...]
One million players have registered for an online game that is helping to fight hunger around the world, according to the United Nations food agency. The World Food Programme (WFP) says that players of Freerice.com have already donated nearly 100 billion grains of rice. Charles Appel has more. Freerice.com was launched in 2007 to [...]
South Africa is emphasizing the importance of closer cooperation between the United Nations and regional organizations in order to solve global problems. Ambassador Baso Sangqu has described 2011 as an "extremely dramatic" year with changes in the Arab World and ongoing crises in other parts of the world. South Africa has assumed the rotating [...]
People who fled ethnic violence in the town of Pibor in the Jonglei State of South Sudan are returning to their homes, according to the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS). Earlier this week South Sudanese soldiers of the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA) fired on armed youth from the Lou Nuer ethnic group [...]
Malnutrition levels are on the increase in two troubled Sudanese states according to the United Nations humanitarian chief. The humanitarian situation in Southern Kordofan and Blue Nile, has worsened following ethnic fighting and the disruption of the planting of crops in 2011. Poor rainfall and the shortage of food stocks have led to a doubling [...]
The announcement by Fiji that it will lift the state of emergency imposed in 2009, has been welcomed by the UN Secretary-General. Ban Ki-moon said it was a "positive step" towards restoring constitutional order in the South Pacific archipelago. Prime Minister Josaia Bainimarama took power in a coup d'état in 2006. Last year, during an [...]
Ban Ki-moon has begun his second term as Secretary-General of the United Nations by pledging to harness "the strong power of partnerships" to respond to the planet's biggest challenges, such as tackling climate change, combating poverty and empowering women and girls. In an interview today with the UN News Centre and UN Radio to mark [...]
Thirty-five new schools built by the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) have been opened in three districts in Pakistan that were hit by a monsoon in 2010. UNICEF has welcomed the opening of the schools in the Southern Punjab region which are now attended by 4,500 children. Daniel Dickinson reports. The floods that devastated Pakistan from [...]
Political parties in Iraq have been told they need to work together in the "spirit of partnership" to resolve their differences. The withdrawal of the last United States troops in December, has led to mounting political and sectarian tensions in the Middle Eastern country. A series of bomb blasts at various locations in Baghdad in [...]
Saudi Arabia is being urged to cut back on the use of the death penalty as a punishment for crimes. Although the death penalty is not illegal in international law, the Middle Eastern country does use it as punishment for a wide range of offences including murder, adultery and witchcraft. Death penalty sentences have increased [...]
The United States has announced an initial contribution of $55 million to the United Nations Relief Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) for this year. The funds will help provide critical services in the areas of health, education and humanitarian assistance to five million Palestinians in Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, the West Bank and Gaza. The United [...]
Thousands of people who fled ethnic violence in the town of Pibor in the remote state of Jonglei in South Sudan will need massive assistance in the weeks to come. That's the assessment of the UN Humanitarian Coordinator for South Sudan, Lise Grande who was part of a humanitarian delegation that has gone to the [...]
The humanitarian aid effort has been stepped up in two towns in South Sudan towns which were attacked by a group of armed youth. Pibor town and Likuangole, home to the majority Murle ethnic group were attacked by 6000 men from the Lou Nuer tribe during the past 10 days. They have since withdrawn but [...]
The United Nations needs to strengthen its relationship with regional organizations in resolving conflicts around the world. That's the view expressed by Ambassador Baso Sangqu of South Africa as it takes over the presidency of the Security Council for the month of January. Ambassador Sangqu says while it is the primary responsibility of the United [...]
The 2011 United Nations Day Concert was held at the United Nations General Assembly hall on the 27th of October 2011 and was made possible through the generosity of the Government of Mongolia. The concert features the Horse-head Fiddle Ensemble of Mongolia and the Mongolian National Academic Ensemble of Folk Song and Dance. Mr. Kiyo [...]
Israeli and Palestinian negotiators have been commended by United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon for meeting in the Jordanian capital Amman on Tuesday. Palestinian chief negotiator, Saeb Erekat met with his Israeli counterpart Yitzhak Molcho in the presence of the UN Special Coordinator, Robert Serry and envoys of the Middle East Quartet. The Quartet comprises the [...]
The price of food around the world is set to remain high and volatile according to the new chief of the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). José Graziano da Silva said FAO will increase its support to a number of poor countries which are suffering most from the volatility. They include countries in Asia, [...]
People living in a town in Jonglei state in South Sudan are facing what's been described as a grim humanitarian situation, following an attack by a group of armed youth. Around 6000 fighters from the Lou Nuer ethnic group attacked Pibor town which is largely inhabited by the Murle tribe. It's thought the Louer Nuer [...]
Two thirds of people with schizophrenic disorders in developing countries don't receive care from formal mental health services, according to a study published by the World Health Organization (WHO) on Tuesday. The study was conducted in 50 low and middle income countries between 2005 and 2010. WHO says that 24 million people around the world [...]
President Salva Kiir of South Sudan has been urged to address the root causes of the conflict between rival ethnic communities in Jonglei State. In a telephone conversation with President Kiir on Monday the UN Secretary-General Mr. Ban expressed his appreciation for the leader's efforts to resolve ongoing tensions between the two communities. Charles Appel [...]
Fighting hunger in Africa will remain a top priority for the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), according to its new chief. In his first press conference after taking over as the new Director-General of FAO, José Graziano da Silva said he will focus on the total elimination of hunger and undernourishment around the [...]
Actor Charles Boyer discusses the cruelties of war, highlighting the urgency for peace in troubled areas such as Korea, India, Iraq, Germany and Syria, and giving a voice to soldiers and civil society. Duration: 30′ Language: English Genre: Report 1953
The United Nations needs to adapt to the changes in the 21st century in order to effectively tackle global problems, according to United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. Mr. Ban is starting his second-five year term this month having been elected unopposed in June last year. He says the United Nations is going to face a number [...]
The United Nations Secretary-General has committed to making a success of what he described as a "seemingly impossible job". Speaking as he began his second five-year term as the chief of the UN, Ban Ki-moon said the challenges faced by the UN and its 193 member states could be overcome if the UN was more [...]
2012 is likely to provide another year of challenges for the United Nations as it faces up to everything from keeping the peace in countries wracked by conflict to combatting hunger in the developing world, and ensuring nuclear safety. Daniel Dickinson presents this preview of the UN in 2012 Duration: 10'
Nuclear safety and the outcome of the democracy movements sweeping across the Arab world are expected to be the focus of attention in 2012 for many journalists working at the United Nations. Correspondents from around the world follow global events from the headquarters of the UN in New York. Paolo Mastrolilli is one of them. [...]
A lack of trust between Sudan and the recently independent South Sudan could provide a potential flashpoint for trouble in 2012…that's according to the head of peacekeeping at the United Nations. Herve Ladsous says the United Nations will be keeping a close eye on developments there and in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. And [...]
