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 [...]
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 [...]
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. [...]
Fighting between Sudan's army and SPLM-North rebels has forced 80,000 people from Blue Nile state to seek refuge in neighbouring South Sudan. The UN's refugee agency is providing humanitarian assistance to refugees arriving in Jammam camp. A young mother from the Blue Nile state shares her struggle to survive with her family. Dianne Penn has [...]
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 [...]
