As part of his efforts to promote the post 2015 sustainable development agenda, UN General Assembly President John Ashe has called on UN Member States to increase their commitment to HIV/AIDS initiatives and to reduce the onerous health costs of medication, while boosting financial flows to HIV/AIDS programmes. In a message for World AIDS Day [...]
Laboratory investigations have confirmed the presence of the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) in three camels in Qatar, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced on Friday. The camels were part of a herd of 14 animals with which two human cases had contact, the agency notes. These results demonstrate, for the first time, that [...]
CARICOM States, like many developing countries, have been unable to reap the full benefits from the current multilateral trading system due largely to the longstanding, systemic imbalance in the international economy. That's what Barbados' delegate Ms. Kereeta Whyte told a meeting of the Open Working Group on Sustainable Development during discussion on the Macroeconomic Policy [...]
St. Kitts- Nevis was among the Caribbean States in Warsaw, Poland calling on developed nations to honour their commitment to promote action on climate change. The Permanent Representative of St. Kitts-Nevis Ambassador Delano Bart says this year's Conference of the Parties (COP) has been marked by a natural disaster tragedy in The Philippines, noting that [...]
NAR: This is not a time for backsliding, but a time for ramping up and enhancing commitment to tackle climate change and increase funding to deal with climate change related events. That's what The Bahamas' Minister of Environment Kenred Dorsett told the High-level meeting of the UN Climate Change Conference in Warsaw, Poland. He said [...]
Closer cooperation, economic integration and accelerated connectivity, are amongst the most important regional tools available to address persistent and emerging cross-border development challenges, the United Nations said in Bangkok, Friday at a meeting of the Council of Heads of Government of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO). A key focus of the meeting is to discuss [...]
Ten years ago, health experts pledged to give people living with HIV in resource-poor countries greater access to life-saving anti-retroviral treatment by 2005. At the time, only about 300,000 people worldwide, most of them in Brazil, had access to these medicines at a cost of about $10,000 a year per patient. Although nearly 10 million [...]
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South Sudan has carried out at least four executions since the beginning of November, according to reports received by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR). Two men convicted of murder had been hanged in Juba on 12 November and two others in Wau on 18 November. More than 200 individuals were [...]
Sunday's observance of World AIDS Day takes place against a backdrop of remarkable progress towards zero new HIV infections, zero discrimination and zero AIDS-related deaths, the International Labour Organization (ILO) Director-General Guy Ryder says in a message. He says rapid expansion of access to antiretroviral treatment is one of the most outstanding achievements. Yet, such [...]
2.8 million out of the 5.6 million Filipino workers who have either temporarily or permanently lost their livelihoods as a result of Typhoon Haiyan were working in the service sector. That according to the latest ILO estimates which noted that over one third, or 1.8 million, were in agriculture and around 15 per cent in [...]
On the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, the UN Secretary-General has called on the international community to support a two-State solution for Israel and the Palestinian Authority, to bring about an end to the conflict. The annual Solidarity Day observed 29 November, coincides with the adoption of a resolution on the partition [...]
Members of the Security Council have expressed "outrage" at the shelling on 28 November of the Embassy of the Russian Federation in Damascus, Syria, calling it a "heinous terrorist act," according to a statement issued from UN Headquarters in New York. The mortar attack left one person dead and 9 others injured. The Council members [...]
Great progress has been made to prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV, with more than 850,000 new childhood infections averted between 2005 and 2012 in low- and middle-income countries, according to a new report out on Friday by the UN children's agency (UNICEF). However, the new 2013 Stocktaking Report on Children and AIDS raises the alarm [...]
For nearly 30 years, the United Nations has observed 29 November as the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People. The date was chosen for its meaning and significance to Palestinians as it was on that day in 1947 that the UN General Assembly adopted what came to be known as the Partition Resolution [...]
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) is calling for global concerted efforts to address the situation of migrants attempting life-threatening journeys across seas and deserts in the hope for a better life. IOM says the death this week of 30 Haitian migrants off the coast of The Bahamas was yet another stark reminder that the [...]
![Syrian children outside their UNHCR tent at Jordan's Za'atri refugee camp. [Photo: UNHCR/M. Abu Asaker]](http://www.unmultimedia.org/radio/english/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/syrianchildren.jpg "syrianchildren")
Syrian refugee children in Lebanon and Jordan face a bleak future with many being pushed into early employment to provide for their families or recruited into the ranks of armed groups, according to the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR). A survey of Syrian refugee children in the two countries found many are suffering from psychological [...]
Activist worldwide launched 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence on November 25, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. Each day represents a key fact regarding violence against women which will be highlighted during the international campaign ending on December 10, International Human Rights Day. As part of ongoing efforts to [...]
Although the remote Pacific island nation Nauru is so small it does not have an official capital, some of the world’s biggest problems such as dealing with the effects of climate change can be found within its 21 square kilometres. Amina Mohammed, the UN Secretary-General’s Special Advisor on Post-2015 Development Planning, who recently visited the [...]
Production of staple foods in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea(DPRK) has increased for the third year running, but many households still remain food insecure, according an assessment done by two United Nations agencies. The joint Crop and Food Security Assessment Mission by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and World Food Programme(WFP) indicates that [...]
Yemen has admitted being in violation of the international Mine Ban Treaty which prohibits the use ,stockpiling, production and transfer of landmines. The International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL) says forces loyal to the government of Yemen laid thousands of antipersonnel mines in 2011 in at least two locations and which resulted in at least [...]
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This Thursday, 28 November, is Thanksgiving Day, a national holiday in the United States. It's a time when families gather to express gratitude for the many blessings they have received. No doubt retailers, both brick-and-mortar stores and online, give thanks for the Friday and Monday after Thanksgiving. "Black Friday" and "Cyber Monday," as they are [...]
The audiovisual history of the Palestine refugees has now been made available in the modern media era through the digitization of the United Nations relief and works agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) film and photo archive. UNRWA photographers and filmmakers are the main contributors to this collection, spanning from the aftermath of the 1948 mass [...]
South Sudan continues to confront pressing challenges which include addressing inter-communal violence and human rights abuses by the security forces. However, Hilde Johnson, head of the UN mission in the country (UNMISS), believes the world's youngest nation is at a crossroads and that there are signs of hope. In a briefing this month to the [...]
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has called on all sides in Thailand to exercise the utmost restraint, refrain from the use of violence and to show full respect for the rule of law and human rights. In a statement issued on Wednesday by his Spokesperson, Mr. Ban Ki-moon said he is concerned by the rising political [...]
Members of the UN Security Council have issued a unanimous and clear message in support of Yemen's ongoing political transition process and the Yemeni Government's efforts to reconstruct the economy and safeguard security, including the National Dialogue Conference. The President of the Security Council in November, Ambassador Liu Jieyi of China, read the statement to [...]
Up to 3,000 Eritreans are leaving their country each month to escape human rights violations perpetrated by the government and its security agencies, according to a United Nations human rights expert. Sheila Keetharuth, the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Eritrea is urging the Eritrean Government to stop human rights violations. UN [...]
The United Nations and the World Bank announced on Wednesday a concerted effort by governments, international agencies, civil society and the private sector to scale up efforts to provide sustainable energy to all. Launched two years ago, the initiative seeks to achieve three goals by 2030: universal access to modern energy, doubling energy efficiency, and [...]
The World Health Organization (WHO) on Wednesday issued new guidelines for treating children under five with severe acute malnutrition. According to the agency, there are almost 20 million children under-five years of age worldwide who have severe acute malnutrition. WHO says "severe acute malnutrition is when children suffer severe wasting that may or may not [...]
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Immediate assistance from the international community for Philippine farmers is critical to avoid a double tragedy befalling rural survivors of Typhoon Haiyan, according to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). And the UN food agency is calling on the donor community to urgently step forward and provide more than $11 million to get money [...]
An auction organized by (RED), a group started by rock star Bono and Bobby Shriver to fight AIDS, has raised $46 million for the Global Fund to invest in their programs. The Global Fund is an international financing institution that fights AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria. The sale, held in New York on 23 November, offered [...]
Music star David Guetta is behind some of the hottest songs played in clubs and at parties worldwide. Collaborating with singers and rappers, he has produced hits such as 'I Gotta Feeling' by the Black Eyed Peas. The French DJ is helping the United Nations and its partners to raise money for humanitarian emergencies, such [...]
Despite China’s rapid advancement towards a green economy, the country is facing significant environmental and social challenges that must be addressed if it is to achieve its sustainable development goals. That according to a joint report released this week by China’s Ministry of Environmental Protection (MEP) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). The report, [...]
Building a more resilient Asia-Pacific is the key focus of a three-day meeting that began Wednesday at the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) in Bangkok, Thailand, bringing together senior government officials from more than 25 countries. In opening remarks, UN Under-Secretary-General and ESCAP Executive Secretary Dr. Noeleen Heyzer, acknowledged [...]
The World Health Organization (WHO) has issued new treatment guidelines for children under-five who have severe acute malnutrition. Close to 20 million children worldwide are suffering from the condition. Severe acute malnutrition is when children suffer severe wasting that may or may not be accompanied by swelling of the body from fluid retention. Now, children [...]
Austrian actor Oscar Homolka narrates this introduction to “an international effort on behalf of all human beings” – World Refugee Year. Language: English Genre: Drama 1959 Duration: 28’17″
Pope John XXIII, Queen Juliana of the Netherlands, President Yitzhak Ben-Zvi of Israel, President Mario Echandi of Costa Rica and President Theodor Heuss of the Federal Republic of Germany join voices for the refugees. Language: English Genre: Report 1959 Duration: 9’35″
A resolution to protect the right to privacy against unlawful online surveillance has been unanimously approved by the General Assembly's human rights committee. Tuesday's vote follows press reports of electronic surveillance by United States intelligence agencies on foreign governments and businesses, including those of Germany and Brazil which sponsored the resolution. "The resolution states that [...]
Governments worldwide are being advised by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) to make milk and dairy products more accessible to the poor and vulnerable. FAO's latest publication entitled Milk and Dairy Products in Human Nutrition, says these products make for healthy bones and are a vital source of nutrition. However, not everyone is fortunate [...]
The surrender of the M23 and other armed groups in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) brings with it the responsibility to help children reunite with their families, go back to school and aspire to a better future. That's the conclusion reached by the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed conflict, following [...]
The UN refugee agency (UNHCR) says all returns of Somali refugees from Kenya to Somalia should be strictly voluntary as stipulated in an agreement it has signed with the Governments of Kenya and Somalia. UNHCR spokesperson, Adrian Edwards on Tuesday explained that the 10 November Tripartite Agreement set out the legal framework for returns to [...]
A power outage has left 1.7 million residents of Gaza in a dire situation, according to the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the occupied Palestinian territories (oPt). Richard Falk says the situation in Gaza is at a point of near catastrophe, and is calling for urgent action to address it. The [...]
Saudi authorities have decided to deport all migrants from Yemen and Ethiopia who had entered the country illegally, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM). In recent months, scores of migrants had already been sent home, IOM spokesperson Christiane Berthiaume told reporters in Geneva on Tuesday. Over 190,000 Yemeni migrant workers repatriated between June [...]
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As the crisis continues to worsen in the Central African Republic, France is urging the Security Council to act urgently to avert a catastrophe. The political and humanitarian situation in the country took a turn for the worse in December last year when a coalition of rebel forces, known as Séléka, launched attacks and captured [...]
A polio eradication emergency has been declared in all countries of the World Health Organization (WHO) Eastern Mediterranean Region after 17 cases of polio were confirmed in Syria. The cases are due to the wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1), a highly infectious and crippling viral disease, the agency notes. 15 cases had already been reported [...]
Delivering food to survivors remains a priority nearly three weeks after Typhoon Haiyan caused widespread devastation in the Philippines. That's according to the World Food Programme (WFP), which has airlifted tonnes of rice and high-energy biscuits to the country. WFP and other UN agencies and their partners continue to support the Philippine authorities as they [...]
There's a unified view of the need for a UN peacekeeping operation in the Central African Republic (CAR), but the question is when such an operation can be on the ground. That's what the United Nations Deputy Secretary-General told reporters following a Security Council meeting on Monday where he presented a report from a technical [...]
Asylum-seekers transferred from Australia to processing centres at Nauru and in Papua New Guinea (PNG) are living in conditions that do not meet international standards of treatment, according to the United Nations Refugee agency (UNHCR). In a report assessing Australia's asylum policies and practices, UNHCR says the asylum seekers were living in conditions which may constitute [...]
A new law enacted in Egypt to regulate demonstrations is likely to lead to serious breaches of the right to freedom of peaceful assembly, according to the UN Human Rights Office (OHCHR). The law gives wide-ranging powers to local security authorities to ban gatherings and prohibits protesters from conduct that would, among other things, constitute [...]
The Geneva II peace conference for Syria and the interim agreement on Iran's nuclear programme are “positive” steps that will have a “positive” impact on the ground in Iraq and the region. That's what Nickolay Mladenov, the Secretary-General's Special Representative for Iraq, told reporters on Monday following his briefing to the Security Council on the [...]
Match fixing, illegal or irregular betting and other criminal activities affect a number of major sporting events, according to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). This problem is one of the issues that are being discussed at the week-long conference which opened in Panama City on Monday. The meeting has brought together [...]
This year's observation [of the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People] takes place while the renewed round of the Middle East peace negotiations is underway, President of the UN General Assembly Dr. John Ashe told a special meeting marking the occasion. He expressed the hope that the ongoing talks will lead to an [...]
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has called on the Government of Sudan to take swift action to bring perpetrators of Sunday's attack on an African Union- United Nations Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) convoy to justice. A soldier from Rwanda was shot during an attack on the road from Kabkabiya to Saraf Umra in North Darfur by a [...]
The Secretary-General's Special Envoy for the Great Lakes region, has begun a week-long mission to help raise support for peace efforts in the region. Mary Robinson started her tour in Tanzania and will also visit Rwanda, the Republic of Congo, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda. Martin Nesirky, the UN Spokesperson, made the [...]
"Take a stand, speak out and take action every day to end violence against women and girls." That's the call issued by UN Women Executive Director Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka on the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. Ms. Mlambo-Ngcuka says the global response must tackle the root cause of violence against women which [...]
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Sixteen Days of Activism against Gender Violence starts on November 25, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. Each day represents a key fact regarding violence against women which will be highlighted during the international campaign ending on December 10, International Human Rights Day. As part of ongoing efforts to end the [...]
In the Philippines, villagers hit hard by Typhoon Haiyan are getting cash-for-work through debris removal projects organized by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). Local communities started clearing rubble and medical waste, earning much needed income to get back on track after the destruction from the typhoon, while also easing access routes for humanitarian supplies. [...]
The Geneva conference on Syria is a huge opportunity for peace that should not be wasted, the joint UN/League of Arab States' top envoy to Syria said in an appeal to the Syrian Government and opposition. Mr. Lakhdar Brahimi also insisted the parties reduce the violence and release political prisoners ahead of the peace talks [...]
After months of diplomatic efforts, a date has finally been set for an international meeting aimed at ending the violence in Syria. The second Geneva conference will be held in that city on January 22, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon announced on Monday. With Syria the biggest threat to international peace and security, Mr. Ban described [...]
The Syrian Government and opposition will face each other at a negotiating table for the first time since the start of the Syrian conflict. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon made the announcement on 25 November, ahead of the talks scheduled for 22 January in Geneva. Mr. Ban says he expects the Syrian representatives to come to the [...]
More than two million adolescents between the ages of 10 and 19 years living with HIV are not receiving the care and support that they need to stay in good health and prevent transmission, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). WHO says failure to support effective and acceptable HIV services for adolescents has resulted [...]
![Migrants arriving on Italy's Lampedusa Island after crossing the Mediterranean on a dilapidated boat. [UNHCR/F.Noy]](http://www.unmultimedia.org/radio/english/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/unhcr-italy.jpg "Migrants arriving on Italy's Lampedusa Island after crossing the Mediterranean on a dilapidated boat.")
Up to 3,000 Eritreans are leaving the country every month to escape human rights violations perpetrated by the government and its security agencies, according to a United Nations Human rights expert. The Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Eritrea, Sheila Keetharuth, cites the compulsory military service and harsh economic and social conditions many [...]
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is calling on people to wear the colour orange to mark the International Day to End Violence against Women on 25 November. It's also a chance to recommit to preventing and halting all forms of violence against women and girls, he noted. Mr. Ban is asking people to make a special effort [...]
African countries were on Friday urged to do more to boost their manufacturing sectors to create wealth and jobs. The call came from Paul Maseli, of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) at the start of an event to mark Africa Industrialization Day. He said the Day provides an opportunity for Africans "to take [...]
Governments at the UN Climate Change Conference in Warsaw, Poland, on Friday agreed on a set of decisions on ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from deforestation and the degradation of forests. The agreement on the so-called REDD+ initiative is backed by pledges of 280 million dollars in financing from the US, Norway and the [...]
The United States embargo against Cuba has been and continues to be a violation of international law, the Permanent representative of St. Vincent and the Grenadines Ambassador Rhonda King told the General Assembly following an overwhelming vote calling for an end to the embargo. For the 22nd straight year, the United Nations General Assembly voted [...]
Two United Nations agencies have cautioned against complacency as a polio outbreak in the Horn of Africa tapers off. In a joint statement issued on Friday, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) say it has been six months since the outbreak hit the region, affecting some 200 children and adults. [...]
The UN Emergency Relief Coordinator has expressed concern about health risks after Typhoon Haiyan struck the Philippines. Valerie Amos has just returned from the Asian country which she visited twice in the last two weeks to witness the response by the government and relief agencies to the disaster. According to the government, 5,200 people have [...]
A low-cost, pour-flush latrine called "Easy Latrine" has become a hot item in rural Cambodia where UNICEF says less than 1 in 3 people have access to proper sanitation, one of the lowest rates in Southeast Asia. Nearly 70 per cent of Cambodia's rural population, that's roughly 6.4 million people, still practice open defecation as [...]
World Toilet Day, observed on 19 November, aims to improve sanitation access for the more than 500 million women and girls who are forced to use the bathroom outdoors. Experts in public health and child welfare say lack of access to these facilities can be humiliating and even dangerous for women. TV film seeks to [...]
For most of their lives, 12 fishermen in the Aruacottuthurai village, on the Tamil Nadu coast in South India, have lived like 'slaves'. Every one of them was in debt to money-lenders. They in turn had inherited the debt from their fathers, according to Joanne Levitan of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD). In [...]
A partnership to ensure that trade in python skin is more sustainable was announced in Geneva on Friday. It involves the International Trade Centre (ITC), French luxury and retail firm Kering and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Alex Kasterine, the head of the ITC's Trade and Environment Unit says the Python Conservation [...]
Governments need to provide clarity on scaling up the mobilisation of 100 billion USD per year by 2020 to assist developing countries in both adaptation and mitigation, Belize's Minister of Forestry and Sustainable Development Senator Lisel Alamilla told the UN climate change conference in Warsaw. She noted that since 2012, developing countries have had no [...]
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While no single weather event, no matter how severe, can be ascribed solely to climate change, it is clear that global warming resulting from human actions is serving as a trigger for the intensification of such events, St. Lucia's Minister of Sustainable Development, Energy, Science and technology James Fletcher told the 19th global climate conference [...]
The United Nations Trust Fund to End Violence against Women (UN Trust Fund) on Friday announced USD 8 million in grants to 17 initiatives in 18 countries and territories. First-time grant recipients include organizations from Antigua and Barbuda, Mauritania, Myanmar and Kosovo. These new grants are expected to reach 2.3 million beneficiaries between 2014 and [...]
A remote Pacific island nation could be the "litmus test" for global efforts to devise a sustainable development agenda. Although Nauru (population 10,000) is so small it does not have an official capital, some of the world's biggest problems can be found within its 21 square kilometres. Climate change, youth unemployment, obesity and diabetes, are [...]
Overcrowding in prisons is a major problem in all but one of the nine countries that the UN Committee against Torture has been discussing in Geneva, according to its Chairperson. The Committee is charged with monitoring implementation of the UN Convention against Torture adopted by the UN General Assembly in 1984. It has been reviewing [...]
The needs of the people displaced by Typhoon Haiyan that hit the Philippines two weeks ago are shifting to rebuilding, according to the United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR). The agency says people are now asking for shelter material to start rebuilding their lives. UNHCR Spokesperson Barbar Baloch says the agency's workers who visited some remote [...]
Armed groups in the Central African Republic (CAR) have recruited nearly 6,000 children into their ranks, according to the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF). Nearly half of the children have been recruited this year following the ouster of the government in March by rebel groups. UNICEF says the security situation in CAR remains volatile and [...]
President of the United States John F. Kennedy addresses the UN General Assembly for the final time, during the “relative calm” of 1963. Language: English Genre: Speech 1963 Duration 29’05″
For nearly 60 years, the UN Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation (UNSCEAR) has been evaluating the impact of nuclear radiation on the human body. The committee recently released a report on how radiation affects children, citing research ranging from the atomic attacks on Japan during the Second World War to kids who [...]
United Nations officials warned on Thursday that the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip is worsening despite a ceasefire with Israel. They say the ceasefire last year which ended an eight-day clash between Hamas militants and Israel offered a small glimmer of hope to address Gaza's humanitarian needs However, the UN Humanitarian Coordinator James Rawley [...]
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Joint diplomatic efforts by the United Nations and the African Union have ensured cooperation among four African countries affected by the activities of a rebel group out of Uganda. But the UN envoy for the Central African region says the "serious and unpredictable threat" posed by the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) will require sustained international [...]
Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair on Thursday called for mobilization to counter religious extremism which fuels terrorism. Mr. Blair, who now runs the Tony Blair Faith Foundation, spoke at a meeting of the UN Security Council's Counter-Terrorism Committee on Thursday. He said the world is facing "a scourge that has seen innocent lives taken, [...]
A centre to provide climate technology to developing countries is now officially open for business in Copenhagen, Denmark. The announcement was made on Thursday by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) in Warsaw, Poland. One of the core functions of the Climate Technology Centre and Network (CTCN) is to manage and respond to requests from developing [...]
The ozone layer which protects the Earth from much of the sun's destructive radiation is under threat from emissions of nitrous oxide which could nearly double by 2050. This warning comes from the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) in a report issued in Warsaw, Poland during the ongoing conference on climate change. UNEP says that [...]
United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has stressed the importance of building sustainable cities that are resilient to climate change. The Secretary-General spoke at an event on cities in Warsaw, Poland, where he is attending the conference on climate change. He said local mayors, governors and communities have an important role to play in planning for [...]
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The world's poorest countries need to create decent jobs to break the cycle of poverty and avoid social instability, according to the latest report by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD). Forty-nine countries are currently designated by the United Nations as "Least Developed Countries" or LDCs ranging from Afghanistan to Zambia. These [...]
Approximately 4.4 million people remain displaced by Typhoon Haiyan which hit the Philippines two weeks ago and damaged more than one million homes. The United Nations humanitarian agency (OCHA) says these figures come from the government of the Philippines. UN Associate spokesperson, Farhan Haq says access and logistics continue to improve, but debris clearing operations [...]
There is progress in the efforts against the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) which continues to terrorize civilians in Central Africa. That's what Ambassador Abou Moussa, the head of the UN Office in Central Africa (UNOCA) told the Security Council during a briefing on Wednesday. The LRA, which operated in Uganda and South Sudan in the [...]
As the world marks Universal Children's Day – the anniversary of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child – UNICEF is urging a much stronger light be shone on the millions of children in every country and at every level of society who are victims of violence and abuse that continue to go [...]
The final list of candidates for Afghanistan's 2014 Presidential and Provincial Council elections was announced Wednesday by the Independent Election Commission (IEC) of Afghanistan. And the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) has welcomed the announcement and the timely completion of the adjudication of complaints by the Independent Electoral Complaints Commission (IECC). The Secretary-General's [...]
Political instability, transnational crime, terrorism and extremism continue to plague Central Africa, according to the top United Nations envoy in the region. Ambassador Abbou Moussa, the head of the United Nations Regional Office for Central Africa (UNOCA) briefed the Security Council on Wednesday. He said instability in the Central African Republic is having security and [...]
Progress on climate finance is crucial for fuelling confidence in the negotiations on climate change. That's what United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said on Wednesday in remarks at a Ministerial meeting on Climate Finance taking place in Warsaw, Poland. Secretary-General Ban warned that "climate change is the greatest single threat to peace, prosperity and sustainable [...]
Deadly attacks against a police station north of the capital Mogadishu on Tuesday have been strongly condemned by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. According to reports, members of the al-Shabaab Islamist extremist group blew up the gates and entered the police compound where they killed police officers. In a statement issued by his spokesperson late on [...]
New HIV infections are on the rise in Eastern Europe, Central Asia, the Middle East and North Africa, according to the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS). The organization says the upward trend is mainly being fuelled by discrimination and inadequate access to essential HIV services amongst some of the high risk groups such as men [...]
Twelve days after one of the most powerful typhoons ever recorded made land fall in the Philippines, relief efforts have gathered pace, according to the UN Emergency Relief Coordinator Valerie Amos. She said many of the logistical hurdles that hampered the response in the first days – roads clogged by debris, fuel shortages and lack [...]
An estimated 6,000 people have fled their homes in Qarah, Syria to eastern Lebanon to escape violence, according to the United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR). The agency says humanitarian partners have been on the ground in Lebanon since last Friday working with the Ministry of Social Affairs and local authorities to cope with this influx. [...]
"We have to be realistic and we cannot afford to ignore the harsh realities that the climate change challenge brings to the overall task of sustainable development for all", President of the UN General Assembly John Ashe told the High-Level segment of the UN Conference on Climate Change in Poland Tuesday. He warned that we've [...]
The members of the Security Council have strongly condemned the terrorist attacks against the embassy of Iran in Beirut, Lebanon on Tuesday. An al-Qaida-linked group has claimed responsibility for the attack which killed 23 people and wounded more than 140 others in the vicinity. In a statement issued on Tuesday, Council members reaffirmed that terrorism [...]
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An estimated 13 million people have been affected by super typhoon Haiyan and four million displaced, according to the latest figures published by the Philippines government. The UN humanitarian agency, OCHA, shared those figures as it presented a "humanitarian snapshot" of the Philippines on a map. The agency said the vast majority of people affected [...]
As the international community rallies to help the victims of Typhoon Haiyan's fury, 13 million people in other parts of the Philippines are still trying to rebuild their lives shattered by earlier disasters in this densely populated Southeast Asian nation. Before the typhoon, the country was still recovering from the 7.2 magnitude earthquake that happened [...]
More than 2.5 billion people worldwide do not have access to adequate sanitation, something which directly affects their health, hygiene and human dignity. On World Toilet Day, observed 19 November, the United Nations is reminding the world how this affects more than individuals. Dianne Penn reports. Duration: 3’04″
Deep concern is being expressed over a number of violent incidents in Libya that have left more than 40 people dead and hundreds of others injured. The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights says these are the bloodiest incidents the Libyan capital, Tripoli, has seen since the end of the 2011 conflict. Spokesperson [...]
The Israeli-Palestinian talks have reached "a delicate moment" according to the head of the United Nations Department of Political Affairs. In his briefing to the Security Council on Tuesday, Jeffrey Feltman said when intensive Israeli-Palestinian negotiations resumed earlier this year, tensions were expected to be along the way. Nobody, Mr. Feltman told the Council, predicted [...]
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Tuesday called for urgent action to tackle global warming that is causing climate change. The Secretary-General spoke at the start of the high-level segment of the climate change conference taking place in Warsaw, Poland. He reminded participants that scientific data shows that human beings are responsible for climate change. Secretary-General [...]
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has strongly condemned the terrorist bombing near the Iranian embassy in the Bir Hassan neighbourhood of Beirut on Tuesday which killed at least 23 civilians, including reportedly one Iranian diplomat, and injured over a hundred others. In a statement through his Spokespersons' office, the Secretary-General calls on all in Lebanon to recognise [...]
Thousands of survivors of Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines remain displaced, according to the United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR). The Agency says the people from Tacloban and other affected areas are believed to have left their home areas in search of family and assistance in surrounding areas or as far away as Cebu and Manila. [...]
There's been a call for action to ensure that everyone has access to sanitation and toilets. United Nations Deputy Secretary-General, Jan Eliasson in a message to mark World Toilet Day on 19 November, says it is time "to break the taboo around this life and death subject." The United Nations estimates that 2.5 billion people [...]
Over 2.5 billion people lack the benefits of adequate sanitation, with devastating consequences, in particular for the well-being, health, education and empowerment of women and girls worldwide, according to the United Nations. Furthermore, over 800,000 children under five die each year from diarrhea and countless others fall seriously ill often with long term health and [...]
The UN Security Council has renewed authorization for member states and regional organizations to cooperate with the Somali government in fighting piracy and armed robbery off the coast of Somalia. The Council took the decision in a unanimous resolution adopted on Monday. Ambassador Liu Jieyi of China, the Council President for this month, says the [...]
The joint African Union-United Nations Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) facilitated the travel of the governor of Sudan's Central Darfur to the town of Um Dukhun where two ethnic groups clashed in the past weeks. The fighting between Salamat and Misseriya in Um Dukhun reportedly left about 100 people dead and dozens more injured, as well [...]
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The UN Agency assisting Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) is increasingly concerned at the continued prevention of access for desperately needed humanitarian assistance to Palestinian civilians in Yarmouk. A statement from the agency says the Syrian authorities and all concerned parties have the power to allow UNRWA to deliver safely humanitarian assistance into Yarmouk, to ease the [...]
The United Nations independent expert on the right to freedom of opinion and expression has urged the Italian government to democratize the media. Speaking at the end of a seven day visit to Italy, Frank La Rue said this could be done by allocating the concession of broadcasting frequencies in a fair manner. He also [...]
South Sudan is at a crossroads with the fledgling government struggling to expand and extend its authority, the head of the UN mission in the country (UNMISS) told the Security Council on Monday. Hilde Johnson detailed pressing issues facing the world’s youngest nation, including insecurity and human rights abuses by ill-disciplined security forces. Dianne Penn [...]
Foreign medical teams have arrived in typhoon-affected areas in the Philippines to assist national health authorities dispense basic health services for the survivors, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). There are 12 medical teams on the ground already and another 19 teams are expected to arrive on Monday, said WHO spokesperson Tarik Jasarevic. Speaking [...]
“I am truly overwhelmed and humbled. No words can adequately express my feelings”, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said Monday in remarks at the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp in Poland. He asked: How can a state and individuals be so cruel and use systematic brutality against humanity? He pointed out that over the years, he has seen many [...]
The continuing inter-communal violence in South Sudan's Jonglei State is threatening the government's effort to bring stability to the state. That warning came from Hilde Johnson, the head of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) during her briefing to the Security Council on Monday. Ms Johnson said "the world's youngest nation still travelling [...]
Disease surveillance teams are on the ground in the Philippines to monitor the situation and prevent any possible outbreaks of diseases, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). The agency says national health authorities are doing all they can to ensure that basic health services are available and the people injured during the typhoon receive [...]
Baltic States have been commended by the United Nations Secretary-General for the progress they have made in using technology for development and in empowering women. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon spoke at a press conference in Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania, as he wrapped up his visit to the Baltic States on Monday. He said he has [...]
The United Nations stands ready to continue to support democratic progress and prosperity in the Maldives, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said in welcoming the conclusion of the country's run-off presidential elections. In a statement issued on Sunday by his spokesperson, Mr. Ban said "Once again, the people of the Maldives have turned out to vote in [...]
Although logistical challenges persist, more food is arriving each day in areas in the Philippines that were hit by Typhoon Haiyan, according to the World Food Programme (WFP). The agency reports that food for more than 700,000 people has been dispatched to affected communities. This includes items such as family food packs containing rice, plus [...]
The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) has welcomed the adoption on 5 November of the first resolution on people with albinism by the main regional human rights body in Africa. Albinism, a genetic condition found in all races, is characterized by a deficit or complete lack of melanin in the skin, [...]
The head of the joint mission that's overseeing the destruction of chemical weapons in Syria will be returning to the country shortly for further talks with the authorities. Sigrid Kaag, Special Coordinator of the Joint Mission of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) and the United Nations made the announcement in a [...]
The Security Council on Friday failed to adopt a resolution for the International Criminal Court (ICC) to defer the trials of Kenyan leaders for one year. The African Union had requested the Council to adopt a resolution to postpone the trials of President Uhuru Kenyatta and Deputy President William Ruto. They face charges before the [...]
Young girls in northern Ethiopia can now fetch water without fear of getting raped or abducted. The construction and rehabilitation of water points by UNICEF, the European Union (EU) and other partners, is making their lives easier. Five years ago, it would take three full hours to collect unclean water from a river after walking [...]
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Airports have been reopened, transport has resumed and countries are coming forward with aid a little over a week after Typhoon Haiyan destroyed parts of the central Philippines. That's what representatives of United Nations agencies in Geneva told reporters on Friday as they shared details of the ongoing rescue operations. The number of people affected [...]
Mia Farrow, world renowned American actress and Goodwill Ambassador for the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) visited the Central African Republic recently. She travelled to one of the villages in the north-western region of the country where more than 40,000 people have been displaced by recent violence. Although there is a transitional government entrusted with restoring [...]
The UN Human Rights Office has welcomed the French government's swift condemnation of what it described as a racist attack on the country's Justice Minister Christiane Taubira. This week, a magazine published the minister's picture with the caption "Cunning as a monkey, Taubira gets the banana back." Although the magazine stated these were just common [...]
With negotiations on a global climate change treaty currently underway in Poland, a UN independent expert is calling for governments to make concrete funding commitments to tackle the effects of climate change. Virginia Dandan, UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights and International Solidarity, urges ministers to clarify what resources would be forthcoming when they meet [...]
Three hundred and forty-seven million people worldwide have diabetes and the World Health Organization (WHO) projects that it will be the 7th leading cause of death in 2030. Diabetes is a chronic disease that occurs when the pancreas cannot produce enough insulin, or when the body cannot effectively use the insulin it produces, resulting in [...]
The UN refugee agency (UNHCR) is calling on countries to protect asylum-seekers, including Syrians escaping the crisis in their homeland. This follows reports that some European Union states have been denying entry to asylum-seekers or even turning them back. The agency says such practices could place these people at further risk and expose them to [...]
One week after Typhoon Haiyan devastated the Philippines, the full extent of the disaster is becoming increasingly clear, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Friday. The agency reported that humanitarian hubs have been established in at least seven of the hardest-hit provinces and that aid is beginning to reach people in need. However, WHO [...]
As United Nations agencies scale up their relief efforts in the typhoon-hit regions of the Philippines, a major fuel shortage is hampering efforts to reach millions of affected people with humanitarian aid. UN agencies say although aid is now arriving in the country, moving it to those in need is taking longer than expected due [...]
Relief efforts continue in the Philippines where UN agencies and their partners have been rushing in personnel and supplies in the wake of Typhoon Haiyan, one of the most powerful storms on record. The UN has launched a $300 million appeal to assist the more than 11 million survivors. UN court rules in favour of [...]
NARRATOR: Every year for the past 22 consecutive years, CARICOM Member States gathered in the General Assembly to sound their voices with many others of the opposition to the United States imposition of the economic, commercial and financial embargo against the Republic of Cuba. St. Kitts-Nevis' Representative Ambassador Delano Bart noted that for 53 years, [...]
NARRATOR: The founding of the OAU preceded by a decade the establishment of our own Caribbean Community in 1973, the representative of Guyana Ambassador George Talbot told the UN General Assembly. Speaking on behalf of CARICOM during discussion on the New Partnership for Africa's development, Ambassador Talbot said that not long after that, the 1975 [...]
NARRATOR: Jamaica attaches great importance to the vital work of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in fostering nuclear safety and security and promoting peaceful uses of nuclear technology. It's representative Ambassador Courtnay Rattray told a meeting of the General Assembly on the report of the International Atomic Energy Agency that the Agency’s practical and [...]
Three hundred and forty-seven million people worldwide have diabetes and the World Health Organization (WHO) projects that it will be the 7th leading cause of death in 2030. Diabetes is a chronic disease that occurs when the pancreas cannot produce enough insulin, or when the body cannot effectively use the insulin it produces, resulting in [...]
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The Prosecutor at the International Criminal Court (ICC) is strongly urging the Libyan authorities to surrender the son of the country's former leader who is wanted for crimes against humanity. Fatou Bensouda briefed the UN Security Council on Thursday on the case of Saif Al-Islam Gaddafi and another senior official charged with crimes committed in [...]
The money spent by companies around the world on branding is more than what they invest in research and development, according to the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). The agency on Thursday issued its second World Intellectual Property Report titled Brands: Reputation and Image in the Global Marketplace. The report offers fresh data, analysis and [...]
The UN Security Council has welcomed the recent announcement that an armed group in the Democratic Republic of the Congo would end its months-long rebellion in the eastern part of the country. In a statement on Thursday, Council members said the 19-month-long insurgency by the M23 group had resulted in a significant number of deaths, [...]
UN Humanitarian Coordinator Valerie Amos is appealing for a sustained and collective international response to help people affected by the deadly typhoon which hit the Philippines nearly a week ago. Amos was in the Philippine capital, Manila, on Thursday where she highlighted the need for continued support to survivors of Typhoon Haiyan. Although UN agencies [...]
With diabetes on the rise globally, the UN Secretary-General is calling on countries to foster sustainable food production and consumption and for people everywhere to minimize their risk of getting the disease. In a message on World Diabetes Day, observed this Thursday, 14 November, Ban Ki-moon says these moves can contribute to better living for [...]
Radiotherapy is one of the essential components of treatment for many forms of cancer. But the technology and resources needed to treat the disease are expensive. For many developing countries access to radiotherapy equipment is limited or non-existent. Many cancer patients living in these countries either pay a large sum of money to get treated [...]
"Rising from Ashes" a documentary film about the Rwandan cycling team was screened at the United Nations on Tuesday. Members of the team include survivors of the 1994 genocide, in which Hutu extremists reportedly killed approximately one million people, mainly Tutsis and moderate Hutus. The coach of Team Rwanda is Jock Boyer, the first American [...]
UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador Mia Farrow today pleaded for urgent action to stem violence in the Central African Republic that is taking a heavy toll on the civilian population, especially women and children. Speaking in Geneva after a week-long visit to the country, Ms Farrow described the Central African Republic as a place with the [...]
The UN mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) has helped redeploy 200 police officers to areas liberated from the M23 rebel group. That information comes from UN spokesperson Martin Nesirky in a briefing to journalists in New York on Wednesday. Nesirky says the head of MONUSCO, Martin Kobler, told the press on [...]
A preparatory meeting for next year's Second International Conference on Nutrition began on Wednesday at the headquarters of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in Rome, Italy. Presentations and meetings over the next three days are expected to help set the stage for discussions between high level delegates participating in next year's event. International [...]
The UN envoy for the Middle East Peace Process held separate meetings on Wednesday with Israeli and Palestinian officials on the issue of settlements in the West Bank. UN Special Coordinator Robert Serry said he understood from his discussions with Israel that the decision to plan a large number of settlement units has been stopped. [...]
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The year 2013 is currently on course to be among the 10 warmest years since modern records began in 1850, according to the United Nations weather agency. The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has issued its provisional report on the Status of Global Climate in 2013 to coincide with the conference on climate change taking place [...]
As aid trickles in to survivors of Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines, people are doing what they can to survive, according to the UN Refugee Agency's Representative, Bernard Kerblat. Tacloban city in Leyte province, one of the hardest-hit places, has no electricity, according to Mr. Kerblat, therefore only military aircrafts can land at the airport, [...]
Opium poppy cultivation in Afghanistan reached a record high in 2013, according to a survey released on Wednesday by the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the country's Ministry of Counter Narcotics. It finds cultivation rose by 36 per cent this year and that production reached 5,500 tonnes, an increase by nearly half [...]
Although personnel and supplies from the World Health Organization (WHO) and its partners are getting into the Philippines, the agency says reaching those in need remains a challenge. WHO on Wednesday reports that teams of emergency responders have been positioned or are en route to areas hardest hit by Typhoon Haiyan, which has affected more [...]
Even though the world produces enough food for all, more than 840 million people still go hungry, the head of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said on Wednesday. José Graziano da Silva was speaking in Rome at the opening of a three-day meeting on transforming food systems for better nutrition organized by FAO [...]
The UN Development Programme (UNDP) and Motorola Company have launched an initiative to use information technology to promote human development. Known as Mobiles for Human Development, it's aimed at making governments aware of the potential of innovators, particularly in Africa, to use mobile technologies to address development issues. To find out more about the initiative, [...]
The year 2013 is currently on course to be among the top ten warmest years since modern records began in 1850, according to the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). In its latest Provisional State of the Climate report, WMO says the global warming trend continues to be sustained by increased atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide [...]
Fourteen countries have been elected new members of the UN Human Rights Council. This follows a secret ballot in the UN General Assembly on Tuesday. Joining the Geneva-based Council are Algeria, China, Cuba, France, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, the Maldives, Mexico, Morocco, Namibia, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, the United Kingdom and Viet [...]
The UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) is expressing outrage following recent deadly attacks on schools in and around the Syrian capital, Damascus. UNICEF says five children were reportedly killed and 11 injured in their classrooms when their school, located in a suburb of the capital, was hit by shells on Monday. That same day, four children [...]
Secure access to natural resources like land, water supplies, fisheries and forests, is seen as a key condition to improving food security for the world's poorest, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization. For example, 70 per cent of female agricultural workers in developing countries, often have no or very limited access to resources, the [...]
The Security Council has voted to increase the number of troops serving with the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM). In a unanimous decision on Tuesday, the Council authorized the African Union to raise the mission's force strength from just below 18,000 to more than 22,000 uniformed personnel. The AU troops have been supporting Somali [...]
The UN humanitarian community is appealing for $300 million to provide life-saving aid to people of the Philippines affected by typhoon Haiyan. The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Aid (OCHA) made the announcement on Tuesday in the capital, Manila. According to government figures, an estimated 11.3 million people have been affected by the disaster [...]
Insecurity is a shared challenge that obstructs social and economic development in every country in Latin America, says a new UN Development Programme (UNDP) report launched in New York on Tuesday. But the Regional Human Development Report (HDR) 2013-2014 says crime control measures alone are insufficient; noting that the most effective way to reduce citizen [...]
Citizens in countries of Latin America don't feel safe because of crime, including robberies and murder, according to a report issued by the UN Development Programme (UNDP) on Tuesday. The Regional Human Development Report (HDR) 2013-2014 is titled "Citizen Security with a Human Face: evidence and proposals for Latin America". It says insecurity is a [...]
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Thousands of people in Viet Nam escaped the wrath of Typhoon Haiyan thanks to preparedness and mitigation measures implemented by the authorities, the United Nations office in the country reports. The typhoon, which slammed the Philippines on Friday, also hit parts of north and central Viet Nam before weakening and changing course. In a statement [...]
Although pneumonia deaths are preventable, more than a million children still die from the disease each year, according to experts in child welfare and global health. The GAVI Alliance, the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the World Health Organization (WHO) say pneumonia is responsible for nearly one-fifth of child deaths globally. This Tuesday, 12 November, [...]
The World Health Organization (WHO)is sending experts to the storm raved regions of the Philippines to help in the restoration of health care services. WHO says many health facilities were damaged or completely destroyed, while those still able to operate are severely stretched with medical supplies in very short supply. Field hospitals with medical teams [...]
The UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) is deeply saddened by the devastating impact of typhoon Haiyan which hit an important part of the Visayas region in the Philippines. UNWTO Secretary-General, Taleb Rifai said "Our thoughts at this difficult moment are with the families and friends of the victims and all those suffering in this tragic [...]
The United Nations has appealed for $301 million to provide humanitarian assistance to typhoon hit regions of the Philippines. Nearly 11 million people have been affected by the storm which has also displaced about 700,000 people. UN agencies in the affected regions says urgent supplies of food, clean water, shelter and medicines are needed. UN [...]
The UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) is mobilizing support to the Philippines in the wake of Typhoon Haiyan, which tore through the country causing severe damage to the fisheries and agriculture sectors, in addition to massive loss of life. FAO Director-General José Graziano da Silva said Tuesday "The super typhoon Haiyan has left a [...]
The United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) needs more than $40 million to continue its work for this year. That's what Filippo Grandi, the UNRWA Commissioner General says in his annual report to the General Assembly's Committee that deals with political and decolonization issues. Mr. Grandi tells UN Radio's Reem Abaza that he reported [...]
Five envoys from the international community have expressed their dismay at the lack of agreement in talks between the government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the rebel group M23. In a statement on Monday, the envoys say they regret that the Kampala Dialogue could not be concluded that evening. The talks, named [...]
A severe lack of funding is hampering the humanitarian response in Syria, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon told the General Assembly on Monday. He reported that half the Syrian population—more than nine million people—need humanitarian assistance, and the situation continues to deteriorate rapidly and dramatically. "I will be organizing a High-Level Pledging Conference for Syria in [...]
UN Emergency Coordinator Valerie Amos will be in the Philippines on Tuesday to launch a humanitarian action plan for the country as it recovers from the devastation caused by Typhoon Haiyan. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon made the announcement during an informal briefing to the General Assembly in New York on Monday. He added that the [...]
Somali refugees in Kenya who wish to return to their homeland are the beneficiaries of an agreement signed on Sunday by a UN agency and the two countries. The agreement between the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) and the governments of Kenya and Somalia sets no timelines for returns but defines the roles and responsibilities of [...]
The United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR) and the governments of Kenya and Somalia on Sunday signed an agreement on the return of Somali refugees from Kenya. Kenya is hosting more than 470,000 Somali refugees, the majority of whom are in the large Dadaab refugee camps complex in the north-east of the country. According to UNHCR, [...]
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The capacity of the police to fight crime in South Sudan has been enhanced with the graduation of the first group of trainees in fingerprinting. The United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), the UN Development Programme (UNDP) and the Directorate of Criminal Investigation organized a specialized training on finger print science. A select 39 [...]
Billions of people could face serious health implications if the global shortfall in healthcare workers is not addressed, a new United Nations report warns. The report, released on Monday by the World Health Organization (WHO), finds that the world will be short of 12.9 million healthcare workers by 2035, with sub-Saharan Africa being most affected. [...]
Despite obstacles including airport closures and downed bridges, UN agencies are rushing emergency assistance to the Philippines as it continues to emerge from Typhoon Haiyan. That's according to the UN Humanitarian Affairs Office (OCHA) which reports that local officials say the death toll could reach as high as 10,000 in the worst-affected areas alone. OCHA [...]
The International Court of Justice (ICJ) has ruled in favour of Cambodia in a longstanding dispute with Thailand over a centuries-old Hindu temple. In a judgment issued on Monday, the court said Cambodia has sovereignty over the territory surrounding the Temple of Preah Vihear, located near the border with Thailand. Cambodia became independent in 1953, [...]
Food aid, medical equipment and emergency health kits, are just some of the relief items coming in for the people affected by the deadly Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines. That's according to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). Jens Laerke, the Agency's spokesperson, says some of the big United Nations [...]
The situation in the Philippines is being described as "devastating" and "shocking" by top World Food Programme (WFP) officials on the ground. Many cities across the central part of the country sustained heavy damages by the typhoon which packed winds of around 315 km/h. WFP spokesperson, Elizabeth Byrs, says humanitarian workers are racing against the [...]
The latest round of global climate talks opened on Monday in Poland's capital, Warsaw. The two-week conference marks the 19th meeting of countries party to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), which aims to prevent "dangerous" human interference with the climate system. In her opening remarks, UNFCCC Executive Secretary Christina Figueres told participants [...]
The UN atomic energy watchdog and Iran have signed an agreement aimed at strengthening dialogue and cooperation in relation to the country's nuclear programme. The framework for cooperation signed on Monday by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and Iran seeks to ensure the exclusively peaceful nature of the country's nuclear programme by resolving all [...]
United Nations agencies have been stepping up their support to the Philippines in the wake of a deadly typhoon which has caused widespread devastation. The World Food Programme (WFP) says nearly 10 million people have been affected by Typhoon Haiyan, with approximately 400,000 displaced and living in shelters. WFP spokesperson in Geneva, Elizabeth Byers, told [...]
The top UN Humanitarian official has expressed extreme sadness by the reports of loss of life and terrible scenes of devastation caused by Typhoon Haiyan/Yolanda in the Philippines. A statement from Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Valerie Amos, says there are varying estimates of the number of people killed, including at least 1,200 according to the [...]
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is deeply saddened by the extensive loss of life and the serious damage to homes and infrastructure in the Philippines as a result of the devastating Typhoon Haiyan, ( known locally as Yolanda). A statement from the Spokesperson’s Office, the Secretary-General offers his sincere condolences to the people and Government of the [...]
The World Food Programme (WFP) top officials in the Philippines have described the damage caused by Typhoon Haiyan as devastating and are appealing form support to help met the needs of people made homeless by the 300 kilometre per hour winds and torrential rain. ” The devastation we saw in Tacloban on Saturday was shocking”, [...]
The visit this week by a high-level delegation of development officials to four West African countries was a reflection of the international community's commitment to the Sahel region, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said on Friday. Mr. Ban and World Bank President Jim Yong Kim headed the mission, which included representatives of the African Union, the [...]
Overhaul of the Security Council must include streamlined working methods and a broader, more representative membership that reflected geopolitical realities and prepared the body to fulfil its mandate of maintaining global peace and security, said delegates as the General Assembly during its debate on Council reform. Guyana's representative, George Talbot, speaking on behalf of the [...]
Reinstating the state authorities in the liberated areas of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) should be the country's main priority, a senior UN official announced on Friday. Martin Kobler, the Special Representative of the Secretary General in the DRC, has just ended a two-day visit to the eastern part of the country. During [...]
There's a need to urgently address the "dire" situation in the Central African Republic (CAR), a senior UN official said on Friday. The Under Secretary-General for Political Affairs, Jeffrey Feltman, delivered this statement on behalf of the Secretary-General, in the capital of Bangui. Mr. Feltman is attending a meeting organized by the International Contact Group [...]
![Children form a line outside the school at Za'atari camp in northern Jordan. [Photo: UNICEF/Simon Ingram]](http://www.unmultimedia.org/radio/english/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/syriachildrenline-1.jpg "syriachildrenline 1")
Two UN agencies are spearheading a campaign to protect millions of children in Syria and the Middle East against polio. The World Health Organisation (WHO) and the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) are working to reach 20 million children in a region which has not seen the disease for nearly a decade. A recent outbreak of polio [...]
China has promised to be transparent, and remain fair and impartial, as it presides over the Security Council for the month of November. Ambassador Liu Jieyi, Permanent Representative of China to the United Nations, held a press briefing to talk about the programme of work his country would pursue during its leadership of the Council. [...]
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The United Nations and its partners in the Philippines are supporting the Government in assessing the damage that is being caused by what has been described as a monster typhoon. Typhoon Haiyan known locally by a harmless sounding name, Yolanda, made landfall in Guiuan on Samar Island at 4:30 a.m. and is reported to be [...]
A commitment to improving air connectivity through a closer coordination of tourism and aviation policies to ensure the sustained growth of the tourism sector and of air transport has come out of the annual UN World tourism Organization (UNWTO) & World Travel Market (WTM) Ministers´ Summit in London, on Tuesday 5 November 2013. Critical issues [...]
The UN Human Rights office is warning of the potential for new conflict in the Central African Republic, where a rebel coalition known as Séléka seized power in March of this year. The concern follows recent violence, including deadly clashes last month between ex-Séléka forces and self-defence militias in the town of Bouar, which is [...]
The leadership in Unity State, South Sudan can be an inspiration and role model for future generations. That's what Ameerah Haq, the United Nations Under-Secretary General for the Department of Field Support, said on Friday, during an assessment mission to the region. In Bentiu, the capital of the oil-rich region of Unity State, Ms. Haq [...]
In Yemen, the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) has recorded more than 62,000 arrivals by sea, so far this year, according to Spokesperson Adrian Edwards. He says UNHCR remains concerned about the very high numbers of people who are risking their lives by making this perilous journey from the Horn of Africa. He says Yemen has [...]
![Internally displaced persons in the Central African Republic [Photo: OCHA/Laura Fultang]](http://www.unmultimedia.org/radio/english/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/car.jpg "car")
The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay is warning that a deteriorating cycle of violent attacks and reprisals in the Central African Republic risks plunging the country into a new conflict. Human rights office Spokesperson Rupert Colville noted that two weeks ago, self-defence militias, known as anti-Balaka, attacked and occupied a town called [...]
China has promised to be transparent, and remain fair and impartial, as it presides over the Security Council for the month of November. Ambassador Liu Jieyi, Permanent Representative of China to the United Nations, held a press briefing to talk about the programme of work his country would pursue during its leadership of the Council. [...]
The United Nations Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) has announced the selection of the Monrovia Fostering Innovative Sanitation and Hygiene (FISH) project as one of the 17 Lighthouse Activities to be showcased at the November 2013 UN Climate Change Conference in Warsaw, Poland. Lighthouse Activities projects are selected based on their innovative and transformative qualities, [...]
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has noted Burkina Faso’s progress in achieving the Millennium Development Goals, and in particular in reducing poverty and accelerating growth. During a meeting with Burkina Faso's President Blaise Compaoré, the Secretary-General and the President exchanged views on the situation in Mali. The Secretary-General commended Burkina Faso for assisting thousands of Malian refugees. [...]
A United Nations Disaster Assessment and Coordination team has been deployed in the Philippines to support local authorities with rapid needs assessment in the wake of destruction caused by Typhoon Haiyan. Initial estimates indicate that the super typhoon has ripped roofs off housing, uprooted trees and affected businesses, but the full extent of the damage [...]
Over 20 million children in seven countries and territories in the Middle East are to be vaccinated against polio following an outbreak in Syria. The World Health Organisation (WHO) and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) are leading the vaccination campaign. An outbreak of polio in parts of north eastern Syria has left 10 children paralyzed. [...]
Financial resources remained the "lifeblood" to meeting development goals, the General Assembly President John Ashe told the Assembly's Economic and Financial Committee as it concluded its general debate on sustainable development. He told the Committee that its deliberations had the potential to strengthen both the economic and environmental pillars of sustainable development and contribute to [...]
As a Small-island developing State (SIDS), Jamaica fully supports the advancement of the sustainable development agenda in relation to SIDS, as embodied in the Barbados Programme of Acton (BPoA) and the Mauritius Strategy for the Further Implementation of the Programme of Action for the Sustainable Development of SIDS (MSI). That's what Jamaica's Permanent Representative Ambassador [...]
NAR: Climate change is the result of the actions of human beings and what we are witnessing with respect to the changes in the climate system is unprecedented in human history. That's the assessment of the Inter-governmental Panel n Climate Change (IPCC). And according to the Deputy Permanent Representative of Barbados Ambassador Juliette Riley, as the [...]
It's time to move from words to action, the Secretary-General told Government officials in N'Djamena, Chad, on the last leg of his trip to the Sahel region, according to André-Michel Essoungou, a UN official travelling with him. Mr. Ban has received wide support from the Sahel countries for his strategy to put the region back [...]
African countries are once again asking to be "fully represented" in all decision making organs of the United Nations, including the Security Council. That's the message Sierra Leone's Permanent Representative to the United Nations delivered on behalf of the Africa Group on Thursday, in the General Assembly. The debate focused on the question of equitable [...]
Substantial progress has been made after an agreement was reached by the Colombian Government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), regarding FARC's future in national politics. That's according to Farhan Haq, UN Deputy Spokesperson, quoting the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Colombia, Fabrizio Hochschild. The issue of FARC's political participation is the [...]
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Remittances sent by relatives and friends abroad are a lifeline for millions of people in Somalia. But the African Union and the UN report that many people were fearful when Barclays, a major international bank, threatened to cut service to the biggest money transfer firm in the country. Dianne Penn reports. Duration: 3’28″
The UN Secretary-General and the president of the World Bank this week led a delegation of international development leaders to Africa's Sahel region. Donn Bobb reports on one initiative launched early on in their mission which will boost support to women and girls. ILO skills training programme gives Bangladesh garment workers a new lease on [...]
The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) expects there will be less volatility in the price of commodities such as wheat and rice. An FAO report released on Thursday finds that food commodity markets are set to be more balanced this year and also in 2014, as compared to recent years. The report says the prices [...]
The Secretary-General is on his way to Chad, the fourth stop of his historic tour to the Sahel region of Africa, after a short visit to Burkina Faso, where he held discussions with Government Officials. Mr. Ban is leading a power team of development leaders, including the President of the World Bank, representatives of the [...]
The United States has given a boost to the legally-binding global treaty on mercury pollution after signing and ratifying it, according to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). The Minamata Convention on Mercury, named after a city in Japan where thousands of people were poisoned by mercury in the mid-20th century, has now been signed [...]
Food commodity markets are becoming more balanced and less price volatile than in recent years thanks to improved supplies and a recovery in global inventories of cereals, according to FAO’s Food Outlook report published Thursday. The sharp increase in 2013 cereal production mostly stems from a recovery of maize crops in the United States and [...]
The number of trade agreements that include labour provisions has increased significantly over the past two decades, according to a new report by the International Labour Organization (ILO). The report on the Social Dimensions of Free Trade Agreements says there has been a substantial growth in the number of trade agreements featuring labour-related measures since [...]
For most of the year, the water in Bangladesh is undrinkable or even suitable for crops, according to the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF). The agency reports that when it is not raining, rivers in the coastal region become full of sea water and the ground water is also heavily saline. UNICEF has teamed up with [...]
Although an agreement between the Government of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and the M23 rebels has been worked out, the situation is still complex. That's what Liu Jieyi, China's permanent representative to the United Nations, told reporters in New York on Wednesday, following a Security Council meeting on the DRC. China is also [...]
The General Assembly has adopted a resolution calling on countries to observe a global cease-fire before, during and after the 2014 Olympic Games. The Olympic Truce would start in February, one week before the 22nd Olympic Winter Games, and run a week after the closing of the 11th Paralympic Winter Games, in March. The resolution [...]
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has promised Members of the National Assembly of Niger to help accelerate the country's ambitious agricultural transformation plan, called the 3N Initiative or "Nigeriens Feeding Nigeriens". Mr. Ban is in Niger along with four other top officials from the World Bank, the African Development Bank, the African Union Commission and the European [...]
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The amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere reached a new record high in 2012, according to the United Nations weather agency. The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) in its annual Greenhouse Gas Bulletin says between 1990 and 2012 there was a 32 per cent increase in the warming effect of global climate. It says this [...]
Environmental crime is on the rise and has now become one of the most profitable forms of organized crime, the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) warned on Wednesday. Wildlife crime, like elephant and rhino poaching, is estimated to be worth $10-20 billion dollars annually, the agency notes. Illegal logging, the dumping of industrial waste and illegal [...]
Only a few years ago, the state of Madhya Pradesh in central India was plagued with high infant and maternal mortality rates. Thanks to innovative health centres, neo-natal care units, call centres and ambulances, the statistics have turned around. The UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) reports that today, eight out of 10 women in Madhya Pradesh [...]
Bangladesh's sentencing of 152 paramilitary personnel to death, for crimes committed during a mutiny, "fell far short of international human rights standards, according to the spokesperson for the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR). A hundred and sixty-one people were also given life sentences for their involvement. Ravina Shamdashani said the crimes [...]
UN Human Rights High Commissioner Navi Pillay is alarmed at the death sentences imposed on 152 paramilitary officers in Bangladesh on Tuesday. The officers of the Bangladesh Border Guards were convicted of crimes including murder and sexual assault during a mutiny in February 2009. Another 150 were given life sentences. Although the crimes committed during [...]
Natural resources such as forests, wildlife, water sources and agricultural lands continue to be exploited and degraded during armed conflict, threatening long-term peace and security. That's what United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said in a message marking International day for Preventing the Exploitation of the Environment in war and Armed Conflict. He said strengthening natural [...]
People in Syria affected by the conflict will be getting life-saving food assistance following China's recent contribution of $2 million towards the World Food Programme's (WFP) emergency food assistance programme. The programme currently supports four million conflict-affected people inside Syria. Jocelyne Sambira has more. China's contribution will enable WFP to purchase 2,000 tons of bulgur [...]
The amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere reached a new record high in 2012, continuing an upward and accelerating trend which is driving climate change, according to the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). In its annual Greenhouse Gas Bulletin WMO says between 1990 and 2012 there was a 32 per cent increase in the warming [...]
Ensuring that women have better access to and control of natural resources such as land, water, forests and minerals can improve the chances of long-term peace and recovery in war-torn countries, according to a new report released by the United Nations on Wednesday. The report by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) says women in conflict-affected [...]
Responding to Niger's "Call to Action" for improvements in women's reproductive health and girls' education, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and World Bank Group President Jim Yong Kim pledged Wednesday to strongly support the initiative and to invest $200 million in a new regional project aimed at improving the regional response to maternal and reproductive [...]
Workers who survived the deadly Rana Plaza garment factory collapse in Bangladesh in April are being trained so that they can find new jobs. The project, which is sponsored by the International Labour Organization (ILO) is one of the initiatives stemming from the tragedy in which more than 1,000 people were killed. Dianne Penn reports. [...]
The M23 rebel group has announced the end of its insurgency that began in April 2012, against the Government of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), according to the UN Deputy Spokesperson. Farhan Haq also said the DRC Government has agreed to end combat and complete steps agreed to as part of the Kampala Dialogue. [...]
In 2003, African leaders established the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) to improve their performance by voluntarily allowing monitoring of how they are governing. Its thematic areas are democracy and good political governance, economic governance and management, corporate governance and socio economic development. Chenor Bah, Campaign Coordinator for Youth Engagement at the Global Business Coalition [...]
Following a series of meetings in Geneva Tuesday between the United Nations, the United States and the Russian Federation to prepare for the second conference on Syria, the Joint Special Representative of the UN and the League of Arab States they've still not been able to do so. “We were hoping that we would be [...]
Progress has been made over the past month with regards to the destruction of Syria's chemical stockpiles, although under very difficult circumstances. That's according to Sigrid Kaag, the Special Coordinator of the Joint Mission of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons-UN (OPCW-UN). Kaag briefed the Council for the first time on Tuesday, sharing [...]
The Secretary-General has called for peace and reconciliation during his short visit to the legendary city of Timbuktu, in Mali, according to the UN Deputy Spokesperson. Timbuktu's cultural heritage is at risk because of prolonged fighting in the area. A suicide attack in September killed two people, injured several others and caused substantial damage to [...]
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Members of Boko Haram, an Islamist militant group operating in northern Nigeria, could be found guilty of "war crimes", a spokesperson for the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) said on Tuesday. In a briefing to the press in Geneva, Cécile Pouilly, condemned last weekend's "atrocious" attack on a wedding convoy in [...]
Verification and functional destruction activities of Syria's chemical weapons have been completed within the deadlines of 27 October and 1 November, respectively, at all 21 sites, except for two which could not be visited due to safety and security reasons. That's what the Director-General of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), Ahmet [...]
The African Diaspora can provide resources to help Africa as it works to improve good governance, according to Dr. James Braxton Peterson, Director, Africana Studies at Lehigh University in the United States told UN Radio recently. Dr. Peterson participated in a recent United Nations meeting on the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM), adopted by African [...]
A call for stronger search and rescue operations has been made by the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) after a boat capsized on 3 November off the western coast of Myanmar. The UNHCR spokesperson in Geneva, Adrian Edwards, told reporters on Tuesday that dozens of people, including women and children, were still missing and feared dead. [...]
The Global Fund and partners have established a new framework to systematically organize the purchase of massive amounts of mosquito nets, anti-HIV drugs and other products that will improve delivery and make significant savings, in a ground-breaking approach to procuring tools to fight AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria. In a first step, the Global Fund will [...]
A warning that if the global community does not immediately embark on wide-ranging actions to narrow the greenhouse gas emissions gap, the chance of remaining on the least-expensive path to keeping global temperature rise below 2°C this century will swiftly diminish and open the door to a host of challenges. The Emissions Gap Report 2013—involving [...]
The UN Secretary-General has arrived in Bamako, the capital of Mali, the first leg of his tour in the Sahel region of Africa. He is travelling with a high-power delegation, including the President of the World Bank, the President of the African Development Bank, the Chairperson of the African Union Commission and the European Union [...]
The UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) is supporting farming families in northern Benin who lost crops, livestock and fishing grounds when the Niger River overran its banks in August, just as many villagers were only barely getting back on their feet from the last floods in 2012. FAO Director-General José Graziano da Silva on [...]
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has reaffirmed his solidarity with the people and Government of Mali and the Sahel and underscored the need for strengthened international cooperation to confront the challenges facing the region. During a meeting with the President of Mali, Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, on the margins of the Regional Ministerial Meeting on the Sahel taking [...]
Over 10,000 people have fled parts of eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo into Uganda following days of fighting between government forces and members of the M23 rebel group, according to the UN refugee agency (UNHCR). The displaced are fleeing into southwest Uganda's Kisoro district. UNHCR staff in the border area say bombs were falling [...]
Chinese Ambassador Liu Jieyi has expressed concern at the current pace of negotiations in convening the Geneva II peace conference on Syria. Ambassador Jieyi told reporters in New York on Monday that "things are not progressing as smoothly as wished". China holds the rotating presidency of the Security Council for the month of November. "We [...]
There's a need for a "robust and binding" international agreement regarding the regulation of private military and security companies, a group of UN independent experts announced on Monday. The UN Working Group on the use of mercenaries was presenting its annual report to the General Assembly. Anton Katz, Chair of the five-member expert group, stressed [...]
Sunday's attack against polling stations in northern Kosovo has been strongly condemned by a senior UN official. Farid Zarif, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General and head of the UN Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK), issued a statement on Monday, calling the attacks "utterly deplorable". The municipal elections were the first to be held [...]
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has gained access to Dammaj, a town in the northern governorate of Sa'ada in Yemen. That's what the UN Deputy Spokesperson, Farhan Haq, told the press in New York on Monday. Dammaj has been the centre of clashes between Houthi and Salafi armed groups for the past [...]
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The International Organization for Migration (IOM) is working to return approximately 40,000 South Sudanese nationals who have been stranded in transit camps in Sudan's capital, Khartoum, for nearly three years. IOM is appealing for $20 million to cover the cost of flights for these people who have been living in makeshift squalid conditions with no [...]
The importance of establishing effective security in countries recovering from conflict was discussed at a special event on "Security Sector Reform" held at the United Nations headquarters on Monday. The event was co-organized by the missions of Slovakia and South Africa the co-chairs of the Group of Friends of Security Sector Reform as well as [...]
The Secretary-General is on his way to Bamako, Mali, where he will start a joint visit to the Sahel with the World Bank, the African Union, the European Union and the African Development Bank. That's according to André-Michel Essoungou, UN public information officer, and a member of the Secretary-General's advance team. Speaking from Bamako, Mali, [...]
An international team of Special Envoys for the Great Lakes region has released a joint statement on Monday, expressing concern about the outbreak of violence in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Fighting resumed last Friday between the M23 Congolese rebel group and Government soldiers. Jocelyne Sambira has more. In the statement, the Special [...]
The World Bank and the European Union have pledged more than $6 billion to boost economic growth in Africa's Sahel region. The announcement comes at the start of a mission to the region led by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and World Bank president Jim Yong Kim. The delegation will be meeting with the leaders of [...]
The socio-economic situation in Portugal has been described as "critical" by the International Labour Organization (ILO) because of "unprecedented levels of unemployment and declining investment." In a new report released on Monday, ILO says additional measures are needed to tackle Portugal's job crisis. Jocelyne Sambira reports. One in seven jobs has been lost in Portugal [...]
UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova has expressed her shock and sorrow over the brutal murder of French radio journalists Ghislaine Dupont and Claude Verlon, who were kidnapped and executed by an armed group near the northern city of Kidal, in Mali on Saturday, 2 November. Mrs Bokova firmly condemned the killings and welcomed the determined response [...]
Two international development agencies have announced major financial pledges to the Sahel region: $1.5 billion from the World Bank Group in new regional investments over the next two years, in addition to significant country programs; and €5 billion ($6.75 billion) from the European Union to six countries in the region over the next seven years. [...]
The last group of Angolan refugees returned home from Botswana this week, according to the United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR). UNHCR says its voluntary repatriation programme for the refugees ended on Thursday with the return of 194 people, closing another chapter in one of Africa's oldest refugee situations. Kisut Gebre Egziabher of UNHCR in Ethiopia, [...]
The Congolese army has driven the M23 rebels out of the few areas they had controlled in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. That's what General Carlos Alberto Santos Cruz, the Force Commander of MONUSCO, the UN mission in the DR Congo told UN Radio on Friday. He said the situation [...]
Caribbean tourism practitioners, policy makers and strategic partners, at the highest levels met in Martinique in mid-October to discuss issues, identify solutions and generally develop courses of action that will benefit the tourism industry in the Caribbean. The Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) State of the Industry Conference is an annual convocation where speakers of international [...]
November is Caribbean Tourism Month. For those in the tourism sector in the Caribbean, the month of November is the eve of the start of the long-anticipated winter season. It is primarily for this reason that November is celebrated each year as Caribbean Tourism Month. The main objectives of Caribbean Tourism Month are: to raise [...]
Developing countries continue to grow in wealth and savings, President of the UN General Assembly Dr. John Ashe told the closing session of the Global South-South Development Expo in Nairobi, Kenya. He said they now hold more than $5 trillion in reserves. Between 1980 and 2010, these countries increased their share of world trade from [...]
Being black and poor in America presents a particular challenge, according to Julia Tripp, a research assistant at the Center for Social Policy (CSP) who also heads up its Constituent Advisory Group of people with a lived experience of poverty. When you're a black woman, the stakes are higher, she added. The National Women's Law [...]
The 2013 UNWTO and WTM Ministers´ Summit at the World Travel Market (WTM) will put a spotlight on the essential connection between air transport and tourism, debating the challenges and opportunities of promoting higher policy coordination between aviation and tourism (London, United Kingdom, 5 November 2013). Tourism Ministers from around the world and private sector [...]
![A Syrian family receives food aid at a WFP distribution point. [Photo: WFP/John Wreford]](http://www.unmultimedia.org/radio/english/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/syriafamily.jpg "syriafamily")
The humanitarian community in Syria has been able to expand its efforts and deliver aid to areas that were previously inaccessible. A large number of civilians are trapped in cities and towns, cut off from access to basic services because of the fighting, according to the World Food Programme (WFP). The agency has just finalized [...]
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The United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR) on Friday said it has received worrying reports that more people are leaving on smugglers' boats from the Bay of Bengal. The agency says this could signal the start of the annual sailing season when thousands of desperate people from Myanmar's Rakhine state risk their lives on rickety boats [...]
United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and the President of the World Bank Dr. Jim Yong Kim will travel to the Sahel region of Africa next week. The announcement was made by the two leaders at a joint press conference on Friday in which the head of the World Bank participated via video link. Secretary-General Ban [...]
Every year, more than seven million girls in poor countries are giving birth before they turn 18, according to a new report by the UN Population Fund. UNFPA's flagship report, The State of the World Population 2013, puts a particular emphasis on girls 14 and younger who are at higher risk for maternal death and [...]
The 2013 Global South-South Development Expo that concluded in Nairobi, Kenya on Friday has been a success, says John Ashe, the President of the United Nations General Assembly. More than $450 million was pledged between investors, green businesses, governments and other parties at the week-long event attended by hundreds of participants. UN General Assembly President [...]
Starting this month, people in Somalia will again experience one of the simple joys in life: getting a letter from a loved one abroad. The Universal Postal Union (UPU) announced that beginning this Friday, international mail service will officially resume in the country which has been isolated from the global postal community for more than [...]
Sound water management holds the key to building resilience in Africa’s Sahel and can free rural communities from the vicious cycle of weather-related food security crises that have plagued the region over recent years. That according to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Director-General José Graziano da Silva. He told a high level meeting on [...]
Despite challenges in reaching some parts of Syria, the World Food Programme (WFP) has been able to distribute food to areas that were inaccessible for many months. That's what WFP spokesperson, Elisabeth Byrs told reporters in Geneva on Friday. She said the agency has finalized its food distribution for the month of October, reaching close [...]
The prevalence of HIVAIDS amongst people aged 50 years and over is on the rise worldwide, according to a new study released by UNAIDS, the Joint UN Programme on HIVAIDS. The study says 3.6 million people aged 50 years and over are living with HIV, the majority of them 2.9 million in the developing world. [...]
Senior government representatives from 16 Asia-Pacific countries wrapped up a three-day meeting in Bangkok this week that focused on regional cooperation related to environment and development. Convened by the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) from 29-31 October, the third Session of the Committee on Environment and Development reviewed the [...]
