Ban Ki-moon The Rio+20 conference has ended, but the work begins now. That is what UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon told heads of state and government on Friday at the closing ceremony for the three-day event in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. He said the Rio+20 outcome document, 'The Future We Want,' will guide the world on [...]
Governments, companies, universities, other institutions and UN agencies, have pledged more than $500 billion to support sustainable development programmes around the world. The announcement was made in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Friday the final day of the Rio+20 conference. Sha Zukang, Secretary-General of the conference, said these commitments will be the legacy of the [...]
A centre to study sustainable development will be one of the legacies of the Rio+20 conference, according to the UN Development Programme (UNDP). Rio+Centre, the World Centre for Sustainable Development, was launched on Friday and will facilitate research, in addition to promoting international debate. Brazil's Environment Minister, Izabella Teixeira, and UNDP Administrator Helen Clark, addressed [...]
When migrants are detained in irregular situations, liberty is the rule and detention the exception, says the annual report of the UN Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants. François Crépeau, in his report to the Human Rights Council, said immigration detention should never be mandatory or automatic, but a measure of last resort, [...]
"The Rio+20 Conference is about making and delivering commitments. The Conference is a real success," says Sha Zukang, the Conference's Secretary-General, in an exclusive interview with UN Radio. He said more than 500 concrete commitments have been registered at the Conference, from governments, business and industry, financial and intergovernmental institutions, the UN system, civil society [...]
The joint UN Arab league Special Envoy for Syria wants the world to raise the pressure on the country to end the conflict and he says Iran must be involved. Kofi Annan held a news conference Friday in Geneva where he also said he is trying to gather world ministers together for a contact group [...]
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon says he's encouraged by the strong political commitment to the Rio+20 Outcome Document. His comments come as the UN Conference on Sustainable Development is coming to an end in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The Secretary-General tells UN Radio’s Maha Fayek that the document puts "all of us on a sustainable path". [...]
There are more than 43.7 million refugees and internally displaced people around the world according to the UN's refugee agency and Afghans make up the largest group of those refugees 2.7 million. On 20 June World Refugee Day was observed and a new campaign was launched to bring attention to the issue. UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador [...]
Egypt in recent months has experienced a number of upheavals and challenges. Now, as the country transitions to democracy following its presidential election, Shahira Amin, a journalist and consultant to UN Women, asked some Egyptian women what the future holds for them and what they would like to see. Raising Awareness for Cervical Cancer in [...]
The Joint Special Envoy for Syria says it is time for countries of influence to raise the level of pressure on Syria and the rebel groups to end the killing and start talking. Kofi Annan told a Geneva press conference Friday that he has been in intensive consultations with a number of ministers and officials [...]
The UN refugee agency, UNHCR, is concerned about the fragile security situation in the areas affected by the recent violence in Rakhine State in Myanmar. Although the situation appears calm, UNHCR says it is still getting reports of violence and new displacements. Adrian Edwards is the UNHCR Spokesman: “What is also worrying is that in [...]
Healthy and productive oceans can not only provide livelihood to millions, but can also benefit clean industries and businesses. That's what UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon told a meeting on oceans at the Rio+20 Conference on Sustainable Development on Thursday. The Secretary-General said the blue world of oceans can boost the green economy of the [...]
A humanitarian crisis is unfolding among tens of thousands of Sudanese refugees who have crossed into Southern Sudan and Ethiopia according the UN refugee agency UNHCR. Nearly over 200,000 Sudanese refugees who have fled fighting in the Blue Nile State are now being accommodated in refugee camps in South Sudan and Ethiopia. UNHCR says humanitarian [...]
The number of people killed in the latest wave of violence unleashed on churches by the Boko Haram group in Nigeria, has risen to over 100 according to the UN Office for Human Rights (OHCHR). At least 30 of victims were killed in the subsequent retaliation by Christian youths who set up check points. The [...]
The deployment of United Nations humanitarian workers in Syria is on hold as a result of the deteriorating security situation in the country. The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs OCHA, says UN agencies are looking for alternative methods for delivering assistance including establishing partnerships with local relief organizations. Earlier this month, [...]
This week, the United Nations has been marking "World Refuge Day", which is observed 20 June. In honour of the day, an event was held at UN headquarters in New York sponsored by the UN refugee agency, UNHCR. Highlighted at the event were two sisters who were once refugees from the Democratic Republic of Congo. [...]
