LATEST NEWS
At UN, Somali Minister outlines country’s ongoing transformation; urges new partnerships
Tackling climate change is ‘global responsibility of our time,’ Dominica Foreign Minister tells UN Assembly
Niger tells Assembly UN alone can solve its problems of climate change, migration, poverty and terrorism
At UN, Eritrea’s Foreign Minister says peace deal with Ethiopia ends ‘dark chapter,’ paves way for development
Regional, global solidarity indispensable to achieve sustainable development, says Lao PDR minister
UN remains only forum that can bring global solutions to global problems, Senegal tells Assembly
Global order ‘under assault,’ Pakistan Foreign Minister tells UN Assembly
Burundi should no longer be on UN Security Council’s agenda, says Foreign Minister
Trust with US must be built before Korean Peninsula can be reunited, DPRK insists at UN
‘We cannot abandon’ rules-based world order, Singapore urges in UN speech
LATEST NEWS
‘Lack of trust’ among nations threatens progress, rules-based order, Suriname Minister tells UN
Philippines successfully ‘salvaging’ itself from becoming ‘a Narco State’, Foreign Minister tells Assembly
Help Pacific ‘Ocean of Peace’ live up to its name, Papua New Guinea’s Foreign Minister tells UN
At UN, Syria slams US for ‘supporting terrorism’, thanks Russia for cooperation
India ‘will not let you fail’ to reach Sustainable Development Goals, Foreign Minister tells UN
UN Chief praises efforts to reduce tension on Korean Peninsula
Massive earthquake in Indonesia leaves hundreds dead: UN chief ‘deeply saddened’
Embrace migrants, value their contributions, urges Lesotho Prime Minister at UN Assembly
We stopped migration with a €1billion border fence – Hungarian Minister tells General Assembly
Humanity has ‘no choice’ but to unite in the face of global threats, Chadian minister underscores at UN Assembly
LATEST NEWS
Standing together to oust terrorists, Iraqis prevented a ‘historic catastrophe’ from occurring, Minister tells UN Assembly
At UN Assembly, Saudi Minister highlights his country’s efforts to further international peace
Libya calls for more international support, coordinated through the United Nations
On Day four of UN Assembly debate, leaders from vulnerable island States turn out in force to plead for climate action
Myanmar ‘resolutely rejects’ ICC ruling on Rakhine; voices ‘serious concerns’ over UN human rights report
Malaysian Prime Minister paints dismal world picture, underscores need for UN reform
Path to solving global challenges ‘is clear;’ it will take a strong UN to lead the way, Denmark tells General Assembly
‘Crisis of multilateralism’ makes world’s ills appear ‘irresolvable’, German Foreign Minister tells UN Assembly
Russia’s Lavrov denounces from UN podium West’s ‘brute force’ pursuit of domination
Uphold UN Charter, reject unilateralism, declares Cambodia’s Prime Minister
LATEST NEWS
‘Not in my backyard’ attitude will not resolve crises – Greek Prime Minister
UN officials urge support as Darfur attempts to ‘turn the page’ from conflict to peace
UNGA meeting spotlights the ‘press behind bars’, as experts denounce record number of jailed journalists
At UN, China says it will not be ‘blackmailed’ or yield to trade pressure
Unfair, misapplied global policies stack odds against island States, Saint Lucia tells UN Assembly
South Sudan’s ‘relentless conflict’ leaves almost 60 per cent suffering desperate food crisis
Address shared challenges by supporting ‘collective efforts’ and reform, Albania’s President says at UN
Conflict can lead to positive change, ‘if we learn from it’, South Sudan tells UN Assembly
Pacific Islands on the front line of climate change: UN chief
Access to legal abortion services needed, to prevent 47,000 women dying each year - UN rights experts
LATEST NEWS
Violence and displacement in Ebola-hit DR Congo threatens humanitarian response
Fresh peace deal, commitment to multilateralism, open ‘new chapter’ in Ethiopia Foreign Minister tells UN
On day three, of UN Assembly debate, Israel and Palestine put sharp focus on complexities thwarting peace
Bangladesh ‘disappointed’ at lack of progress in alleviating plight of Rohingya, Prime Minister tells UN Assembly
Now is the time for cooperative leadership, not nationalist rhetoric, Spain’s Prime Minister says at UN
At UN, Himalayan nations, at forefront of climate impact, outline threats to their unique ecosystems
More unity, ‘collective action’ needed to maintain international order, EU leader tells UN Assembly
‘We do not need superheroes,’ the world expects its leaders to tackle global ills, Indonesian vice-president tells UN
At UN, Jamaica urges partnerships to tackle climate impacts, economic fragility in small islands
At UN, St. Vincent and Grenadines’ Prime Minister eschews ‘illiberal intolerance,’ calls for global cooperation; multilateralism
LATEST NEWS
UN News Daily Guide: debate continues, ‘soft power’ for peace, protecting minorities and the press
Donors come to UN agency’s aid with extra $118 million to help Palestine refugees
At UN Assembly, Israel’s Netanyahu claims Iran harboring secret nuclear site
New Zealand Prime Minister calls any breakdown of multilateralism ‘catastrophic’
Human rights ‘success stories’ shared at the UN to serve as example, and inspire others
President of former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia denounces move to change country’s name
Sierra Leone’s President ‘optimistic’ about country’s new direction as key reforms enacted
Chronic illnesses: UN stands up to stop 41 million avoidable deaths per year
World leaders commit to continue UN fight against sexual exploitation and abuse
Haitian President at General Assembly calls for essential development aid as UN mission shifts away from peacekeeping
LATEST NEWS
‘Jerusalem is not for sale’ Palestinian President Abbas tells world leaders at UN Assembly
Cyprus President urges collective leadership to address ‘root causes’ of world’s crises
‘Path to peace’ on Korean Peninsula only possible through diplomacy and full denuclearization: US tells Security Council
Reject passivity and embrace ‘responsibility for our future,’ Lithuania’s President tells UN Assembly
Security, human rights, political upheaval in war-torn Central African Republic, focus of key Friday meeting at UN
Deputy UN chief hails ‘political courage’ of Latin American countries ‘to confront and end femicide’
World Tourism Day: harnessing new technologies to transform travel
Maduro ‘brings the truth’ about Venezuela to UN Assembly; says he is ready to meet US President Trump
On day two of UN General Assembly’s annual debate, it’s multilateralism all the way
From UN Assembly podium, Central African Republic leader appeals for lifting arms embargo
LATEST NEWS
Colombian President calls for international support to ensure success of ‘fragile’ peace process
UN News Daily Guide: health focus, youth and tech for development, gender violence, water in Mongolia
Africa’s voice must be heard, says Eswatini leader, calling for UN reforms to make continent key player in peace and security
UK’s May stresses global cooperation at UN General Assembly
In UN address, Ukraine President denounces Russia's ‘aggressive expansionist policies’
Yemen in the grip of war imposed by Iran-backed militia, country’s President tells UN assembly
UN chief celebrates spirit of hope in Mali, calls for greater international support
Korean Peninsula entering ‘era of peace and prosperity,’ Republic of Korea President tells UN
Governments urged to ‘do the hard work’ to better manage global migration
Capitalism’s greed fomenting terrorism, hurting sustainable development, asserts Cuban President
LATEST NEWS
Liberia is a UN peacekeeping success and country is grateful for support, President Weah tells world leaders
In UN address, Afghan leader lays out vision of peaceful, prosperous State in talks with Taliban
At UN, Pacific Island leaders warn climate change poses dire security threat to their fragile countries and marine resources
At UN Assembly, Mali’s president gives heartfelt thanks for UN’s help in bringing stability
Lebanon’s President says country is working towards stability, but weighed down by ‘neighborhood crises’
UN hails Human Rights Declaration as tool for conflict and poverty prevention
UN’s Guterres on climate change: ‘We need to do more and we need to do it quicker’
Fight against ‘vicious’ tuberculosis epidemic drastically underfunded: UN deputy chief
Debt-fuelled ‘economic sugar-rush’ in US spells danger, despite world growth: UN trade report
‘We all need to see the bigger picture;’ cooperation is the key to making the world better for all, Estonia tells UN Assembly
LATEST NEWS
At UN Security Council, world leaders debate Iran, North Korea sanctions and non-proliferation
Shun unilateral action, embrace multilateralism, Namibian President urges at UN Assembly
Time has come to rid the world of nuclear weapons, UN officials stress
DR Congo President, in UN speech , vows ‘peaceful and credible’ elections by year end
At UN Assembly, Japanese Prime Minister defends free trade
Climate change and multilateralism figure high on first day of UN General Assembly debate
Dialogue and multilateralism key to tackling global challenges France’s Macron says at UN, urging leaders not to accept ‘our world unraveling’
No country can solve its challenges ‘in isolation,’ Gambia President tells UN Assembly
Developing countries ‘losing out’ in a world not governed by laws, Egyptian President says at UN Assembly
Nigerian President calls for global action on climate change, Lake Chad crisis
UN Photo/Manuel Elias
‘Old forms of intolerance are being rekindled,’ unilateralism re-emerging, Brazil warns at UN Assembly
25 September 2018
UN Affairs
The first Head of State to address the seventy-third general debate of the United Nations General Assembly, Michel Temer, President of Brazil, denounced the rising tide of isolationism, intolerance and unilateralism that was challenging international order.
UN Photo/Cia Pak
US President Trump rejects globalism in speech to UN General Assembly’s annual debate
25 September 2018
UN Affairs
Taking the podium of the United Nations General Assembly, the world Organization that embodies greater global cooperation, United States President Donald Trump told scores of Heads of State and Government on Tuesday that his country rejects the ideology of globalism, both generally and in relation to international justice and the migration crisis.
UN Photo/Cia Pak
At UN Assembly, Ecuador pledges support for world’s ‘abandoned people’ and persons with disabilities
25 September 2018
UN Affairs
Taking the podium at the United Nations General Assembly’s annual debate, Lenin Moreno Garces, President of Ecuador, opened his address stressing that the principal of “cause and effect” can provide an opportunity for societies to change their circumstances.
© UNHCR/Sufyan Ararah
Increasing hostilities in Libya taking heavy toll on civilians, warns UN relief official
25 September 2018
Humanitarian Aid
The top United Nations relief official in Libya has voiced deep alarm at the humanitarian impact of increasing hostilities in Tripoli, which has led over two days to the deaths of 11 people, most of them civilians, and the wounding of 18 others.
UN Photo/Cia Pak
‘Multilateralism is the only answer to the challenges we face,’ UN Assembly President tells world leaders
25 September 2018
UN Affairs
With a call to multilateralism and shared work towards sustainable development and equality for all, María Fernanda Espinosa formally inaugurated the seventy-third general debate of the of the United Nations General Assembly.
WHO/Twitter
Ebola-hit DRC faces ‘perfect storm’ as uptick in violence halts WHO operation
25 September 2018
Health
A "perfect storm" of active conflict and traumatized communities in Ebola-affected areas of eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) could enable the deadly disease to spread, but there are “no plans” to pull UN workers out of the country despite concerns for their security, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Tuesday.
UN Photo/Cia Pak
World needs commitment to rules-based order, Secretary-General Guterres tells UN Assembly
25 September 2018
Peace and Security
Facing a world where trust – trust in national institutions, trust among States and trust in the rules-based global order – is at a breaking point, Secretary-General António Guterres set the stage for the 73rd general debate of the United Nations with a call to rebuild solidarity, repair broke trust and reinvigorate the spirit of multilateralism.
UN Photo/Evan Schneider
‘Surge in financing’ needed to transform the world: UN chief
24 September 2018
SDGs
A “surge in financing and investments” is needed to achieve the 2030 Agenda, the United Nations plan of action agreed by Member States, to transform the world, the Secretary-General said on Monday.
UN Photo/Rick Bajornas
UN News Daily #UNGA Guide: General Debate kicks off, peacekeeping, human rights for all and South-Sudan
24 September 2018
UN Affairs
On the occasion of the 73rd General Assembly, the UN is hosting a plethora of events with some of the world’s most prominent leaders and experts, to set the pace on dozens of critical global topics. To help you navigate and make sure you don’t miss out on anything important, here’s the second of our daily UN News guides to what’s going on.
Video screen capture
'Humanity cries for justice', ICC President says, underscoring importance of Criminal Court
24 September 2018
Law and Crime Prevention
Amidst a slew of high-level events at United Nations Headquarters in New York on Monday, Judge Chile Eboe-Osuji, President of the International Criminal Court (ICC) underscored in an interview with UN News that “humanity cries for justice,” and that “no country can do it alone.”
UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe
Private business must be a ‘driving force’ for securing peace, curbing climate change: Guterres
24 September 2018
SDGs
The rate of sustainable development is “too slow” and private business has a major role to play in speeding it up, while also slowing the runaway pace of climate change that threatens the entire world with catastrophe, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres said Monday.
OCHA/Muath Algabal
Yemen: amid major roadblocks, an ‘unprecedented’ response to an unprecedented tragedy
24 September 2018
Humanitarian Aid
Despite continuing challenges in Yemen, the United Nations and partners have provided a robust humanitarian response to the world’s largest humanitarian crisis, thanks to major donor support. However, as the situation continues to worsen for civilians across the country, aid agencies warned on Monday that international aid efforts must be sustained to avoid a major catastrophe and called for a political end to the conflict.
UN Photo/Mark Garten
Youth2030: UN chief launches bold new strategy for young people ‘to lead’
24 September 2018
Economic Development
The United Nations Secretary-General launched a new partnership strategy with the world’s 1.8 billion young people on Monday, to help put “their ideas into action”.
UN Photo/Manuel Elias
Maldives: UN hails peaceful elections, as opposition wins out
24 September 2018
Peace and Security
The United Nations on Monday commended “the commitment” to democracy in the Indian Ocean republic by voters in the Maldives, after opposition leader Ibrahim Mohamed Solih defeated incumbent Abdulla Yameen in Sunday’s presidential elections.
UN Photo/Cia Pak
At UN, countries pledge to be guided by Mandela’s legacy in working for a better world
24 September 2018
Peace and Security
The United Nations General Assembly on Monday honoured Nelson Mandela with a pledge to build a just, peaceful and prosperous world and to revive the values for which the former South African President and anti-apartheid campaigner stood.
UN Photo/Mark Garten
Global spotlight on world drug problem ‘is personal’ for many families, says UN chief
24 September 2018
Health
The United Nations focused a global spotlight on the world-wide drug problem during a high-level counter-narcotics event on Monday in which Secretary-General António Guterres flagged that this “is personal.”
© UNICEF
Yemen: Tackling the world’s largest humanitarian crisis
24 September 2018
Humanitarian Aid
With three-quarters of the population requiring some form of basic assistance to survive, the humanitarian crisis in Yemen, now in its fourth year, has reached unprecedented levels of need. On Monday, ahead of the United Nation’s 73rd General Assembly high-level debate, a special eventwill focus on the humanitarian response across the country, its major achievements and its daily challenges, in an attempt to galvanize more international support.
UN Photo/Rick Bajornas
UN News Daily #UNGA Guide: Mandela Peace Summit, Global Goals, Youth and Yemen
24 September 2018
UN Affairs
As the United Nations enters its biggest weeks of the year with a plethora of events, speakers and leaders’ meetings, UN News will be preparing a daily guide to help you navigate what’s going on and keep abreast of the world-changing decisions that are made in the hallways of UN headquarters in New York.
UN Photo/Cia Pak
Financing the 2030 Agenda: What is it and why is it important?
24 September 2018
UN Affairs
António Guterres launches his strategy to finance the 2030 Agenda to put the world on a more sustainable path, this 24 September, ahead of the General Assembly’s annual general debate.
UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe
UN chief condemns attack in south-west Iran which killed dozens
23 September 2018
Peace and Security
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres condemned the terrorist attack on Saturday in Iran’s southwestern city of Ahvaz which reportedly left dozens dead and injured, including children.
UN Photo/Loey Felipe
Deaf advocate voices importance of sign languages as UN marks first commemoration
23 September 2018
Culture and Education
Nyle DiMarco is just a foreigner speaking a different language. That’s how the actor, model and advocate introduces himself to people who have not met a deaf person before.
Audio - 7'16" Playlist
UNHCR/Tarik Argaz
UN chief 'alarmed' by violations of UN-backed ceasefire in Libya
22 September 2018
Peace and Security
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres stated on Friday that he is “alarmed by the increasing number of violations of the ceasefire” in the capital of Libya, Tripoli, which has led to the death of dozens of civilians.
UNICEF/Basha
As Yemen conflict rages, ‘all too abundantly clear’ millions of civilians are the ones losing – UN relief chief
21 September 2018
Humanitarian Aid
Raising the alarm over the rapidly deteriorating humanitarian situation in Yemen, the top United Nations relief official on Friday underscored the need for all parties to avoid further military activity around Hudaydah port – the vital lifeline through which food and fuel flows into the war-torn country.
UN Photo/Evan Schneider
Guterres hails late Viet Nam President as ‘Friend of the United Nations’
21 September 2018
UN Affairs
On behalf of United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, his spokesperson, Stéphane Dujarric, issued a statement on Friday, expressing the UN chief’s sadness over the passing of Viet Nam President Tran Dai Quang.
UN Photo/Mark Garten
Ferry tragedy takes lives in Tanzania, Guterres offers condolences, support
21 September 2018
UN Affairs
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres issued a statement of condolence and solidarity after a passenger ferry capsized on Lake Victoria, in Ukurewe district of Tanzania.
UN Photo/Ariana Lindquist
Afghanistan: Short-term emergency can ‘derail’ years of progress, warns UN official
21 September 2018
Humanitarian Aid
Even though Afghans today have better prospects for a semblance of peace than at any time in the past few years, immediate risks facing the country can seriously jeopardize progress and derail aspirations for a peaceful, secure and prosperous Afghanistan, a senior United Nations official warned on Friday.
© UNICEF/Mark Naftalin
DR Congo: Amid renewed risk of spread, Ebola virus leaves over 150 children orphaned or unaccompanied
21 September 2018
Health
New Ebola virus hotspots in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) are threatening progress made in tackling the deadly disease and increasing its risk of spreading, the World Health Organization (WHO) warned on Friday.
UN Photo/Kim Haughton
‘Faith and inspiration’ of late Kofi Annan needed now more than ever – UN chief Guterres
21 September 2018
UN Affairs
At the United Nations General Assembly in New York, Secretary-General António Guterres on Friday led tributes to former UN chief Kofi Annan, who died on 18 August at the age of 80.
UN Photo/Mark Garten
Peace is at risk and violated in many places, but ‘we will not give up,’ says UN chief Guterres
21 September 2018
Human Rights
On Friday, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres cited the strong correlation between the International Day of Peace and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights as a basis for peace.
WHO/Sergey Volkov
Alcohol abuse kills three million people a year, most of them men – WHO report
21 September 2018
Health
More one in 20 deaths in 2016 – 3 million people, mostly men – were caused by harmful use of alcohol, according a report released on Friday by the World Health Organization (WHO).
Audio - 5'2" Playlist
UNHCR/Yorgos Kyvernitis
Vulnerable children face ‘dire and dangerous’ situation on Greek island reception centres, UNICEF warns
21 September 2018
Humanitarian Aid
Overcrowding in Greek island reception centres for refugees and migrants has made conditions for children there increasingly “dire and dangerous”, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said on Friday, warning that “severe emotional distress” affects many and that self-harm is a “possibility”.
UN Photo/Mark Garten
Remembering Kofi Annan
20 September 2018
UN Affairs
From 1997 to 2005, Kofi Annan, the late United Nations Secretary-General, championed everything from stronger human rights and peacekeeping operations around the world, to revitalizing the UN itself by insisting on creating a new dynamic deputy chief role, an effective ethics office and the mantra of zero tolerance for sexual exploitation.
UN Photo/Kim Haughton
Restore hope that peace will come to the Middle East, UN negotiator urges Security Council
20 September 2018
Peace and Security
Negative humanitarian, security and political developments in Gaza outweigh any positive news concerning the search for peace in the Middle East, the United Nations negotiator for the process has said, urging the international community to help restore hope that a solution to the Israel-Palestine conflict can be found.
UN Photo/Cia Pak
Adjust UN force in Abyei to current realities, peacekeeping chief urges Security Council
20 September 2018
Peace and Security
Amidst an increase in criminal activity in the Abyei area, which is contested by Sudan and South Sudan, the United Nations top peacekeeping official on Thursday called for deployment of additional police units, to enhance the UN’s focus on maintaining law and order there, and furthering peace between local communities.
UN Photo/Manuel Elias
UN chief seeking ‘renewed commitment’ to global rules and values, as world leaders head to New York
20 September 2018
UN Affairs
UN chief António Guterres on Thursday called for a “renewed commitment to a rules-based global order” and to the organization he leads, highlighting his key themes for discussion during the High-Level week of the General Assembly, beginning on Monday.
UNDP/S. Omer Sadaat
Globally, youth are the largest poverty-stricken group, says new UN report
20 September 2018
Economic Development
Half of all people living in poverty are younger than 18 years old, according to estimates from a new report released on Thursday by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and partners.
Nonie Reyes / World Bank
Conflicts and extreme climate change threatens access to food in 39 countries – UN agriculture report
20 September 2018
Humanitarian Aid
Unrelenting conflict and rapid climate change is continuing to reshape agriculture across the world, and contributing to major food shortages across 39 countries, which continue to rely on help from the United Nations to meet their food needs, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said on Thursday.
UNICEF
Idlib deal could save three million ‘from catastrophe’ says UN chief, as militants are urged to lay down arms
20 September 2018
Peace and Security
A deal reached between Russia and Turkey to create a demilitarized buffer zone protecting citizens “from catastrophe” in Syria’s Idlib region is a welcome development, UN Secretary-General António Guterres said on Thursday, before urging all parties to make a “strong commitment” to it.
UN Photo/Kim Haughton
6 things to know about the General Assembly as UN heads into high level week
20 September 2018
UN Affairs
Every year, in September, global leaders and change-makers gather at United Nations Headquarters in New York for two weeks, to discuss the burning issues of our time and set the global agenda for the year ahead. The 73rd session of the UN General Assembly opened this week and the body’s annual high-level segment – formally known as the ‘general debate’ – begins on Tuesday, 25 September, where every country’s leader gets to address the world.
Inter-Korean Summit Press Corps
It’s ‘time for concrete action’ says UN chief, welcoming inter-Korean agreement
20 September 2018
Peace and Security
The United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, on Thursday welcomed the outcome of the third inter-Korean summit this year, and the “important agreements” contained in the Pyongyang Joint Declaration, issued by the leaders of the two Koreas.
World Bank/Yosef Hadar
Indigenous peoples ‘lag behind on all social and economic indicators’: UN deputy human rights chief
19 September 2018
Human Rights
Progress that destroys traditional culture, language, land and human heritage “is not development, but willful destruction”, the UN Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights said on Wednesday, in defence of indigenous peoples everywhere.
UNICEF/Hakim George
A third of world’s out-of-school youth live in conflict, disaster-affected countries: UNICEF report
19 September 2018
Human Rights
Childhood is a time for growth, a time for school. But conflict or disaster are depriving 104 million young people between the ages of five and 17 of that foundation, according to a new study by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).
WFP/Marco Frattini
Yemen: ‘Time is running out’ to head off devastating famine, warns UN food agency chief
19 September 2018
Humanitarian Aid
As conflict continues to rage in Yemen, leading to widespread economic hardship and a rampant inflation, the World Food Programme (WFP) is sounding the alarm over soaring food prices that are affecting millions of Yemenis.
UNMISS/Isaac Billy
South Sudanese soldier who shot UN peacekeeper on Saturday, will face court martial: UN mission chief
19 September 2018
Peace and Security
The South Sudanese soldier who shot and wounded a UN peacekeeper on Saturday is facing a court martial, said David Shearer, head of the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), during a press conference in the capital, Juba.
UNMISS\Nektarios Markogiannis
Make the guns fall silent. ‘Immediately and everywhere': South Sudan envoy
18 September 2018
Peace and Security
Warring parties in South Sudan must demonstrate their willingness to a peaceful end to their conflict by “making their guns fall silent. Immediately and everywhere,” said Nicholas Haysom, outgoing UN Special Envoy for Sudan and South Sudan, on Tuesday.
UN Photo/Loey Felipe
Bring the United Nations closer to the people, urges Assembly President in her inaugural speech
18 September 2018
SDGs
The new session of the United Nations General Assembly opened on Wednesday with its President pledging to use her year in office to bring the world body closer to the people and strengthen their sense of ownership and support for the UN.
UNHCR/A. d'Amato
Eritrea: Peace deal prompts hope of internal reforms, to improve fundamental human rights
18 September 2018
Human Rights
The peace agreement between Eritrea and Ethiopia has raised hopes that improving human rights will be front and centre on Eritrea’s path forward, according to a United Nations Special Rapporteur on Tuesday.
WFP Photo Library
Agreement over buffer zone to spare civilians in Syria’s Idlib welcomed by top UN officials
18 September 2018
Humanitarian Aid
The agreement between Turkey and Russia to create a demilitarized buffer zone protecting civilians living in Idlib, Syria, has been welcomed by United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres and the world body’s humanitarian chief, who called on all warring parties and countries supporting them to make it effective.
© UNICEF/Ilvy Njiokiktjien
UN tuberculosis summit ‘historic opportunity’ to put response ‘back on track’: new WHO report
18 September 2018
Health
Countries are not doing enough to end tuberculosis – the world’s deadliest infectious disease – by 2030, warned the World Health Organization (WHO) on Tuesday, at the release of the latest Global Tuberculosis Report.
Audio - 7'34" Playlist
UNICEF Mozambique/Sergio Fernandez
Kenya makes progress in supporting people with albinism, but ‘much remains to be done’ says UN expert
18 September 2018
Human Rights
Despite improvements for persons with Albinism in Kenya who have historically suffered attacks and discrimination, a United Nations expert has signaled that “much remains to be done”, especially when it comes to accessing equal treatment under the law.
UN Photo/Evan Schneider
UN chief welcomes meeting between leaders of Djibouti and Eritrea
18 September 2018
Peace and Security
The United Nations Secretary-General, António Guterres, has welcomedthe meeting between the Presidents of Djibouti and Eritrea, held on Monday in Saudi Arabia, as “yet another step in the consolidation of recent peace and security gains in the Horn of Africa region”.
© UNICEF/UN0157446/Ayene
Somewhere, every five seconds, a child under 15 dies – new UN report
18 September 2018
Health
Around 6.3 million children under the age of 15, died from mostly preventable causes last year, the equivalent to one child dying every five seconds, according to a new report compiled by a group of United Nations agencies. Newborn babies account for half of the deaths.
UNICEF/UNI152469/Dragaj
‘Time for important decisions,’ head of UN in Afghanistan tells Security Council
17 September 2018
Peace and Security
With parliamentary elections one month away and a major ministerial conference planned for November in Geneva, the United Nation’s Special Representative for Afghanistan briefed the Security Council on Monday, noting that “preparations are on track” but that many challenges lie ahead, including increased security concerns.
UN Photo/Manuel Elias
In a complex world, ‘we need to take the right road’: outgoing General Assembly President
17 September 2018
UN Affairs
The outgoing UN General Assembly President, Miroslav Lajčák, called on the global community on Monday to remain steadfast in support of multilateralism, reiterating that it is the only way to address the complex and growing challenges facing the world.
NASA Earth Observatory/Lauren Dauphin
UN chief concerned over havoc of Typhoon Mangkhut in the Philippines
17 September 2018
Humanitarian Aid
Secretary-General António Guterres said on Monday that he was saddened by the “loss of life and extensive destruction” caused by Typhoon Mangkhut across the Philippines.
UN Photo/Loey Felipe
Signs that North Korea is ‘maintaining nuclear weapons programme’ – UN political affairs chief
17 September 2018
Peace and Security
There are signs that North Korea (formally known as the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, or DPRK), is “still maintaining and developing its nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programmes”, Rosemary di Carlo, United Nations political affairs chief, told the Security Council on Monday.
©FAO/Cristina Aldehuela
Sustainable farming, ‘key’ to world free of hunger, malnutrition, says UN agriculture chief
17 September 2018
Climate Change
There will be “no sustainable future without eradicating poverty and hunger,” the United Nations agriculture agency chief spelled out on Monday, launching the Food and Agriculture Organization’s (FAO) latest flagship publication, on the world’s Agricultural Commodity Markets.
OCHA/Yasmina Guerda
Top UN official in Nigeria condemns killing of abducted aid worker; calls for immediate release of two others
17 September 2018
Humanitarian Aid
The UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria, Edward Kallon, condemned on Monday the killing of an aid worker who had been held captive by a non-state armed group in north-east Nigeria since March.
UN Photo/Manuel Elias
INTERVIEW: ‘Dare to deliver’ more for the world, underscores General Assembly President
17 September 2018
SDGs
In June, the 193-member United Nations General Assembly, elected Ecuadorean Foreign Minister María Fernanda Espinosa Garcés, the President of its 73rd session. Ms. Espinosa is only the fourth woman to hold that position in the history of the world body, and the first woman ever from the Latin America and the Caribbean region to preside over the Assembly.
UN Photo/Mark Garten
Keeping order in the General Assembly: The strange saga of how a Viking gavel was broken, then lost, then carved again
17 September 2018
UN Affairs
If you’re a keen observer of the United Nations General Assembly, you may have noticed the body’s President wields a very unusual looking gavel. It is a gift from Iceland, and there’s a very interesting story behind it.
UNMISS/Isaac Billy
Human Rights Council hears plea to protect victims of ‘brutal’ sexual violence in South Sudan
17 September 2018
Human Rights
The plight of South Sudan’s women and girls “should no longer be ignored”, UN investigators told the UN Human Rights Council on Monday, citing the disturbing testimonies of sexual abuse victims who have been treated by soldiers and militias as the “spoils” of the more than five-year conflict.
UNRWA
Senior UN official calls on Israel to stop demolition of Palestinian village in the West Bank
17 September 2018
Human Rights
The United Nations Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, Nickolay Mladenov, expressed concern on Monday “at the intention of the Israeli authorities to demolish the Bedouin village of Khan Al-Ahmar/Abu Al-Helu” in the West Bank, where 181 Palestinians currently live, more than half of whom are children.
UNFCCC
Saudi Royal Protocol
‘Wind of hope’ blowing through Horn of Africa says UN chief, as Ethiopia and Eritrea sign historic peace accord
16 September 2018
Peace and Security
There is a powerful wind of hope blowing across the Horn of Africa region, said UN chief António Guterres on Sunday, in Saudi Arabia to witness the signing of a peace agreement between Ethiopia and Eritrea, ending decades of simmering conflict.
More than 65 million ‘low-carbon jobs’ can be created by 2030: UN-backed Climate Summit urges action ‘to the next level’
16 September 2018
Climate Change
New UN-backed commitments to take action against the damaging effects of climate change, could result in $26 trillion in economic benefits worldwide, and help create 65 million new “low-carbon jobs” by 2030 – the deadline for the realization of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
NASA
Now is a ‘pivotal time for climate action’ says UN chief, looking to ozone layer gains
16 September 2018
Climate Change
With record-breaking heat once again enveloping the earth this year, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres said it was also “a pivotal time for climate action”, marking the International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer, on Sunday.
UN Photo/Eric Kanalstein
South Sudanese government must bring soldiers under control, urges UN mission chief, as peacekeeper is shot and injured
15 September 2018
Peace and Security
A “lack of command and control” on the part of South Sudan’s government, just days after signing a new peace agreement to end years of brutal civil conflict, is one of the factors which led to the shooting of a United Nations peacekeeper on Saturday, the UN mission chief in the country has said.
UN Photo/Eric Kanalstein
Democracy ‘showing greater strain’ than at any time in decades, UN chief
14 September 2018
Human Rights
Tackling economic and political inequality is at the root of strengthening democratic institutions at a time when they are under huge strain, said United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres on Saturday, marking the official International Day of Democracy.
UN News/Elizabeth Scaffidi
INTERVIEW: I’ve been listening, and problem-solving ‘all my life’ says new UN Ombudsman
14 September 2018
UN Affairs
With only eight days on the job so far, Shireen Dodson, the new United Nations Ombudsman, brings with her a wealth of experience dealing with people from all walks of life, including setting up the first-ever Ombudsman office for the US State Department.
FAO/Andrew Esiebo
‘Shadow’ of persistent inequality is growing, key UN human development report reveals
14 September 2018
SDGs
While health, education, and income levels have improved overall across the globe, “wide inequalities” both among and within countries, are casting a shadow on sustained human development, a new United Nations report shows.
Audio - 13'8" Playlist
UNICEF/Mark Naftalin
DR Congo: new cases of deadly Ebola virus, as UN steps up response
14 September 2018
Health
In eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), the UN has stepped up community-based efforts to tackle Ebola disease, following confirmation that the virus has reached the city of Butembo, near the Ugandan border, where it has claimed three lives.
© UNICEF
Yemen: mortar attack on UN food silo ‘could affect vital aid deliveries to millions’
14 September 2018
Humanitarian Aid
Fighting in the Yemen port city of Hudaydah which has damaged a World Food Programme (WFP) storage facility, threatens to hamper efforts to feed millions of people in the war-torn country, it said on Friday.
UNVMC
Security Council extends mandates of UN peace operations in Libya, Colombia through next September
13 September 2018
Peace and Security
By unanimous agreement on Thursday, the Security Council extended the mandates of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) and the Organization’s Verification Mission in Colombia.
UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe
Somalia’s destiny lies in the hands of the people, highlights outgoing UN envoy
13 September 2018
Peace and Security
Despite remarkable achievements in Somalia in the recent past, structural challenges remain and continue to undermine the country’s security and political stability, the United Nations envoy for the country has warned.
UNMISS\Nektarios Markogiannis
Landmark South Sudan deal offers hope, but trust ‘still lacking’ between parties – UN envoy
13 September 2018
Peace and Security
Rebuilding trust and overcoming suspicion will be key to ensure the success of Thursday’s landmark peace agreement between the South Sudanese Government and main political opposition, the top United Nations official in the country has said.
UNDP Rwanda/ Alice Kayibanda
FROM THE FIELD: Rwanda’s Green Villages benefit poorest
13 September 2018
Economic Development
An innovative approach to supporting the poorest and most vulnerable in Rwanda, is helping to address environmental problems and achieve ambitious development goals there, according to the UN Development Programme, UNDP.
UN Photo/Mark Garten
Scourge of genocide remains a ‘threat and a reality’ today: UN human rights chief
13 September 2018
Human Rights
Genocide remains a “threat and a reality” in the 21st century, UN rights chief Michelle Bachelet said on Thursday, in an appeal to States to do more to act on the “warning signs” that often precede grave violations of international law.
UN Photo/Ben Malor
Former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan laid to rest in Ghana; Guterres hails ‘exceptional global leader’
13 September 2018
UN Affairs
Like few today, former United Nations Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, could “bring people together, put them at ease, and unite them towards a common goal”, said the current UN chief, António Guterres on Thursday, speaking at his predecessor’s funeral in Ghana.
Audio - 6'4" Playlist
UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe
Blockades ‘expose’ the innocent, to the ‘ravages of economic war’ - UN sanctions expert warns
13 September 2018
Human Rights
Economic sanctions must not be allowed to degenerate into blockades which “expose people to the ravages of economic war in peacetime” said the UN independent expert on the effects of sanctions on human rights.
FAO/Alessandro Stelzer
South-South Cooperation Day focuses in on sustainable development, a ‘new phase of cooperation’
12 September 2018
SDGs
As part of the 40th anniversary of the International Day for South-South Cooperation, the United Nations drew together on Wednesday, more than 100 best-practices developed in the countries of the Global South, which embody the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
UN Photo/Manuel Elias
Artificial Intelligence: a danger to mankind, or the key to a better world?
12 September 2018
Economic Development
Siri, Alexa and Cortana are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to Artificial Intelligence (or A.I.), which is playing an increasingly pervasive role in our lives.
Audio - 6'54" Playlist
Ahmed Dalloul/IRIN
Economy and living standards of Gaza ‘eviscerated’ by crippling blockade – UN trade and development report
12 September 2018
Economic Development
The Occupied Palestinian Territory now suffers the highest unemployment rate in the world, with incomes and agricultural production going down, the United Nations trade and development agency said on Wednesday, noting that women and young people were worst affected, as the Israeli occupation continues.
Audio - 3'7" Playlist
UNMISS
‘Collective endeavour’ needed to strengthen peacekeeping further, says top UN official
12 September 2018
Peace and Security
Highlighting complex and evolving challenges, the head of UN peacekeeping on Wednesday called for heightened vigilance and a more robust response to existential threats against both peacekeepers and those they strive to defend.
National Cancer Institute/Bill Branson
Cancer is a growing global threat and prevention is key, UN study shows
12 September 2018
Health
More than 18 million new cases of cancer are expected this year and it’s estimated that 9.6 million people will die from various forms of the disease in 2018, the UN’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) said on Wednesday.
UNHCR/Antwan Chnkdji
A record one million Syrians displaced over six months, during six key battles: UN investigators
12 September 2018
Peace and Security
All parties to the seven-year Syria conflict and the States that support them should do “everything in their power” to prevent a full-scale military assault on Idlib, a high-level United Nations-appointedpanel of investigators said on Wednesday.
Audio - 4'29" Playlist
Álvaro Navarro/Artículo 66
Alarming level of reprisals against activists, human rights defenders, and victims – new UN report
12 September 2018
Human Rights
An alarming and “shameful” level of harsh reprisals and intimidation against those who cooperate with the United Nations in an effort to uphold human rights, has been revealed by a new UN report launched on Wednesday.
UN Photo/Loey Felipe
Yemen: UN envoy asks Security Council for more support ‘to move back’ to the negotiating table
11 September 2018
Peace and Security
United Nations Special Envoy Martin Griffith told the Security Council on Tuesday that he never expected an easy mission when he convened Intra-Yemeni Consultations in Geneva last week, for which the Houthis delegation failed to show up.
WMO/Olga Khoroshunova
Devastating storms like Hurricane Florence ‘unusual this far north’: UN weather agency
11 September 2018
Climate Change
In another manifestation of extreme weather conditions, hurricanes as strong as the Category 4 storm Florence - barreling towards the coast of the Carolinas in the United States - are rarely seen so far north, the United Nation’s weather agency (WMO) confirmed on Tuesday.
Audio - 7'51" Playlist
Public Domain
‘Vague and over-broad’ laws stifling independent journalism in Myanmar – UN rights report
11 September 2018
Human Rights
Describing the conviction in Myanmar of two Reuters journalists last week as a “particularly outrageous” example of judicial harassment against the media there, “vague and over-broad” laws have made it impossible for the press to do its job in the country, without fear or favour, a new United Nations report has found.
©FAO/Eddie Gerald
Hunger reached ‘alarming’ ten-year high in 2017, according to latest UN report
11 September 2018
Economic Development
With food deprivation on the rise due to conflict and climate change, more people went hungry in 2017 than at any time in the previous decade, according to the latest edition of the UN’s annual multi-agency flagship report on the State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World.
Audio - 7'28" Playlist
UNICEF
Save Idlib from ‘transforming into a blood bath’, UN chief Guterres urges fighters and their allies
11 September 2018
Humanitarian Aid
A full-scale battle for Idlib must be avoided at all costs, the United Nations Secretary-General has stressed, warning that failure to do so would unleash “a humanitarian nightmare unlike any seen in the blood-soaked Syrian conflict” so far.
Audio - 5'7" Playlist
UNAMA/Fardin Waezi
Afghanistan: UN condemns latest school bombings as ‘repulsive acts of terrorism’
11 September 2018
Peace and Security
Amidst mounting concern over what appears to be a pattern of attacks targeting civilians and schools, a series of bombs on Tuesday morning in Afghanistan’s Nangarhar province left more than 21 dead and some 60 others injured, drawing condemnation from the United Nations Assistance Mission in the country (UNAMA).
UNHCR/Mark Henley
Hungarian government ‘fuels discrimination against migrants’, say UN human rights experts
11 September 2018
Migrants and Refugees
New laws in Hungary, and Government attacks on civil society in the country, fuel “hostility, xenophobia, and discrimination against migrants, asylum seekers, refugees and all those trying to provide them support”, say a team of independent human rights expertsmandated by the UN Human Rights Council.
UNHCR/Andrew McConnell
‘More support’ vital to put Afghanistan back on a ‘positive trajectory’ – top UN officials
10 September 2018
Peace and Security
After four decades of conflict and insecurity, and with elections to be held in the coming months against a backdrop of growing humanitarian need, Afghanistan needs more support than ever to tackle its challenges, said the United Nations humanitarian and refugee chiefs on Monday after a joint two-day visit in the country.
World Bank/Philip Schuler
Pervasive corruption costs $2.6 trillion; disproportionately affects ‘poor and vulnerable’ says UN chief
10 September 2018
Law and Crime Prevention
Corruption is present in all countries, “rich and poor, North and South, developed and developing,” United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres told the Security Council on Monday, at a session on tackling corruption for the sake of peace and international security.
UN Photo/Jean-Marc Ferre
New UN rights chief pledges to push back on ‘centuries of prejudice and discrimination’
10 September 2018
Human Rights
The UN’s newly appointed High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet, intends to push back “centuries of prejudice and discrimination” against vulnerable groups including women and the peoples of the Global South, by pushing for more consensus between Member States, she said on Monday.
The Ocean Cleanup/Pierre Augier
‘Great Pacific Garbage Patch’ clean-up project launches trial run: UN Environment
10 September 2018
SDGs
A trial run of an innovative system designed to clean up the world’s seas and oceans, founded by UN Environment Programme (UNEP) “Champion of the Earth” laureate Boyan Slat, has set off from San Francisco, in a bid to begin the removal of the so-called Great Pacific Garbage Patch.
UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe
‘Direct existential threat’ of climate change nears point of no return, warns UN chief
10 September 2018
Climate Change
The world risks crossing the point of no return on climate change, with disastrous consequences for people across the planet and the natural systems that sustain them, the United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres warned on Monday, calling for more leadership and greater ambition for climate action, to reverse course.
Eskinder Debebe
UN condemns ‘cowardly’ attack on Libya’s national oil corporation headquarters
10 September 2018
Peace and Security
The UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) has strongly condemned Monday’s attack on the National Oil Company (NOC) headquarters in Tripoli.
World Bank/Dominic Chavez
800,000 people commit suicide every year: WHO
9 September 2018
Health
Every year, close to 800,000 people commit suicide, the second leading cause of death amongst people aged 15-29 in 2016.
UN Photo/ Jean-Marc Ferré
Egyptian death sentences a ‘gross miscarriage of justice’: UN human rights chief
9 September 2018
Human Rights
An Egyptian court’s confirmation of 75 death sentences on Saturday has been condemned by Michelle Bachelet, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, as being the result of an unfair trial.
UNFCCC
Uneven progress on climate action at Bangkok conference
9 September 2018
Climate Change
Climate change talks wrapped up in Bangkok today, leaving several issues still to be resolved.
UN Photo/Manuel Elias
Madagascar: UN Secretary-General reaffirms support for electoral process
9 September 2018
Peace and Security
The Secretary-General of the United Nations, António Guterres, has welcomed the appointment on 7 September of Rivo Rakotovao, President of the Madagascar Senate, as acting president of the country.
UN Photo/Mark Garten
Horn of Africa: UN chief welcomes Djibouti agreement between Eritrea, Ethiopia and Somalia
8 September 2018
Peace and Security
UN Secretary-General António Guterres has welcomed Thursday's meeting in Djibouti with the foreign ministers of Eritrea, Ethiopia and Somalia with the Djiboutian head of diplomacy.
UNICEF/Alessio Romenzi
Human traffickers in Libya are posing as UN staff, says Refugee Agency
8 September 2018
Peace and Security
The UN Refugee Agency, UNHCR, has called on Libyan authorities to take action against criminals targeting desperate refugees and migrants, amid reports that smugglers and traffickers in the country are impersonating Agency staff.
UN Photo/Manuel Elias
Yemen consultations have started, insists top UN negotiator
8 September 2018
Peace and Security
A positive environment exists for building trust between the opposing parties involved in discussions for a political solution to the Yemen conflict, despite the absence of one of the delegations in Geneva and insecurity on the ground, UN Special Envoy Martin Griffiths said on Saturday.
FAO/Luis Tato
Backed by UN agency, countries set to take on deadly livestock-killing disease
7 September 2018
Health
Gathered at a major United Nations agricultural conference, over 45 countries today pledged to eradicate by 2030 a highly contagious and devastating disease responsible for the death of millions of small farm animals, at cost of more than $2 billion each year.
Photo: UPU
144 years on, Universal Postal Union meets to define its 21st Century role
7 September 2018
UN Affairs
The Universal Postal Union (UPU), one of the world’s oldest international organizations, has met in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa to improve its working practices and define its role in the modern world.
MINUSCA Photo
UN police investigating killing of displaced people in Central African Republic
7 September 2018
Peace and Security
Perpetrators behind the killing of a number of people displaced by conflict in the Central African Republic (CAR) must be brought to justice, the UN peacekeeping operation in the country said on Friday.
Audio - 3'33" Playlist
UN Photo/Loey Felipe
Halt ‘imminent’ executions of Kurdish prisoners, UN experts urge Iran
7 September 2018
Human Rights
Two independent United Nations human rights experts have called on the Iranian Government to halt the execution of three prisoners from the Kurdish community, amid concerns that they did not receive a fair trial and allegations that they were tortured while in detention.
UNICEF/UNI150195/Diffidenti
‘Sanctity of human civilian life’ in Idlib must win out, urges UN Syria Envoy
7 September 2018
Peace and Security
With the ingredients for a “perfect storm” brewing in the Syrian province of Idlib, the international community cannot allow civilians there to succumb to such a fate, the UN Envoy for the country told the Security Council on Friday.
UNMISS/Isaac Billy
‘Children’s crisis’ in South Sudan must be addressed, says top UN official calling for real accountability
7 September 2018
Human Rights
Virginia Gamba, the United Nations Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict, on Friday called for much greater accountability and effort, to prevent grave violations against children across the world’s youngest nation, South Sudan.
UNICEF
WFP and UNICEF prepare for the worst in Syria’s Idlib, as insecurity mars start of another school year
7 September 2018
Peace and Security
Emergency food supplies for hundreds of thousands of people in Syria’s Idlib are “ready for distribution” in the event of mass displacement caused by a full-scale military offensive on the last opposition-held region, the World Food Programme (WFP) said on Friday.
UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe
Security Council must work towards ‘common approach’ as investigations continue into alleged Syria chemical attack
6 September 2018
Peace and Security
Experts continue to gather information related to an alleged chemical weapons attack in Douma, Syria, earlier this year, the UN’s nuclear disarmament chief told the Security Council on Thursday.
UN Photo/Loey Felipe
Russian operatives carried out Salisbury chemical attack alleges UK; accusations part of ‘post-truth world’ asserts Moscow
6 September 2018
Peace and Security
The United Kingdom and Russia traded a volley of words at the United Nations Security Council on Thursday, with the former laying out information which, it alleges, clearly places two Russian military intelligence operatives behind the deadly nerve-agent attack in the English city of Salisbury on 4 March.
UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe
Haiti’s security situation remains ‘fragile’: UN representative
6 September 2018
Peace and Security
Haitian authorities must do more to prepare the Caribbean island nation for the planned withdrawal of the country’s UN peacekeeping mission, Bintou Keita, Assistant Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, told the Security Council on Thursday.
UN Photo/Manuel Elias
INTERVIEW: With ‘many good things’ accomplished, it’s still ‘a work in progress’, says UN Assembly President reflecting on his year in office
6 September 2018
Peace and Security
Last May, the United Nations General Assembly elected Miroslav Lajčák, the Foreign Minister of Slovakia, President of its 72nd annual session, and he formally took up the job on 12 September.
UNDP/Michael Atwood
Caribbean hurricane season ‘will be different this time’
6 September 2018
Climate Change
In September 2017 two category five hurricanes swept across the Caribbean, devastating island communities in the region. In the 2nd part of this special report marking the one year anniversary of hurricanes Irma and Maria hitting the Caribbean, UN News looks at how the UN has responded, helping communities to get back on their feet, and preparing them for the inevitability of more damaging hurricanes in the future.
Inter-Korean Summit Press Corps
UN chief ‘looks forward’ to progress on denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula
6 September 2018
Peace and Security
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has welcomed the North Korean leader, Kim Jong-un’s commitment on Wednesday, to continue working towards the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.
UN Geneva/Violaine Martin
UN Envoy working to ‘overcome obstacles’ barring resumption of Yemen peace talks
6 September 2018
Peace and Security
The United Nations Special Envoy for Yemen met Government representatives on Thursday at the start of what were due to be the first peace talks involving both warring parties to be held in two years, vowing to “overcome obstacles” which have so far prevented the Houthi rebel delegation from showing up.
UNICEF/Adriana Zehbrauskas
Violence at school an ‘unforgettable lesson’ faced by more than half the world’s children: UNICEF
6 September 2018
Culture and Education
Around 150 million school children aged 13-15 are the victims of violence from their peers, says a new report from the UN Children’s Fund, UNICEF.
UN Photo/Eric Kanalstein
Verdict against South Sudan soldiers ‘finally delivers justice’ – UN Mission
6 September 2018
Human Rights
The United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) has applauded the verdict by a military court on Thursday, that found ten government soldiers guilty of murder, rape and other crimes against civilians and journalists at a hotel in the capital Juba, just over two years ago.
UN Photo/Shigeo Hayashi
‘Legally binding’ nuclear-test ban essential to prevent ‘catastrophic impact’ says UN chief
6 September 2018
Peace and Security
On the annual observance of the International Day Against Nuclear Tests, Secretary-General António Guterres has highlighted the “inextricable connection” between testing and eliminating nuclear weapons across the world.
ILO
UN hails ‘ground-breaking’ Supreme Court ruling to decriminalize gay sex in India
6 September 2018
Human Rights
A landmark ruling in India that decriminalizes gay sex has been welcomed as a “ground-breaking decision” by the UN agency leading the fight against HIV/AIDS.
UNAMA/Fardin Waezi
UN condemns deadly twin bombings in Kabul, killing first-responders, sportsmen, journalists
6 September 2018
Peace and Security
The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) condemned an attack on a Kabul sports centre on Wednesday, which killed at least 22 people, including first-responders, sportsmen, and two journalists who were covering the initial bombing for a local news agency. Around 75 others were wounded.
UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe
Runaway climate change still 'a real possibility': UN Secretary-General
5 September 2018
Climate Change
Greater ambition, urgency and action are needed if we are to prevent ever greater climate-related crises, said UN Chief Antonió Guterres on Wednesday, at the launch of the 2018 New Climate Economyreport, at UN Headquarters in New York
Libya has ‘lurched from one emergency to another,’ high-level UN official tells Security Council
5 September 2018
Peace and Security
The status quo in Libya is “untenable,” Ghassan Salamé, Head of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) told the Security Council on Wednesday.
UN Photo/Evan Schneider
Peace must be built ‘block after block’ UN General Assembly President tells key forum
5 September 2018
Peace and Security
Under the theme of charting “A Credible Pathway to Sustaining Peace,” Miroslav Lajčák, President of the 72nd General Assembly, convened this year’s one-day High-level Forum for Member States and others on Wednesday, to further promote a global culture of peace.
UN Photo/Marie Frechon
Albinism: UN official welcomes latest developments in ‘landmark’ Malawi murder case
5 September 2018
Law and Crime Prevention
The top United Nations representative in Malawi is urging the Government to promptly prosecute those allegedly responsible for the death of a young man with albinism whose butchered body was found earlier this year.
UN News/Shymaa El-Ansary
UN media seminar on peace in the Middle East, highlights ‘power of words over weapons’
5 September 2018
Peace and Security
Engaging in debate over how best to advance peace in the Middle East and resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is “a welcome reminder of the power of words over weapons,” said United Nations chief António Guterres on Wednesday.
UN OCHA/Giles Clarke
Major UN push for peace to end Yemen’s ‘hot war’ begins in Geneva
5 September 2018
Peace and Security
Efforts are under way to bring a “flickering signal of hope” to war-weary civilians in Yemen with UN-organised consultations between the Government and the Houthi opposition in Geneva set to begin, the UN’s Special Envoy Martin Griffiths, said on Wednesday.
Artículo 66
Security Council takes up Nicaragua crisis, with some reservations
5 September 2018
Peace and Security
Political turmoil in Nicaragua could pose a threat to the security of countries across Central America, the UN Security Council heard on Wednesday.
UNDP/Zaimis Olmos
In the eye of the Caribbean storm: one year on from Irma and Maria
5 September 2018
Climate Change
“It was angry. That's what it sounded like to me. When the roof came off, there were these horrible screeches, this horrible noise. It was devastating, and we all had to run”.
UN/Jean-Marc Ferré
Burundi: ‘They’re hiding the bodies’ after summary executions, say UN investigators
5 September 2018
Human Rights
Serious rights violations are continuing in Burundi, including summary executions and hate speech at the highest level of government, UN-appointed investigators said on Wednesday.
Audio - 5'35" Playlist
CICIG
Guatemala bars UN anti-corruption investigator from re-entering country
5 September 2018
Human Rights
Guatemalan authorities informed United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres on Tuesday that they have barred Commissioner Ivan Velasquez, of the International Commission against Impunity in Guatemala (CICIG), from re-entering the country.
UN Photo/Mark Garten
UN Chief commends Mauritania for peaceful election process
5 September 2018
Peace and Security
UN Secretary-General António Guterreshas welcomed the “peaceful conduct” of the Mauritanian elections that took place on 1 September.
UNDP/Kairatbek Murzakimov
Inactivity puts physical and mental health of more than 1.4 billion adults at risk, says WHO
5 September 2018
Health
Insufficient physical activity is a leading risk factor for non-communicable disease, negatively impacting mental health and overall quality of life, according to a newly released United Nations health agency study.
Audio - 5'23" Playlist
OCHA/Ivo Brandau
Africa’s Lake Chad Basin: Over $2.1 billion pledged, to provide comprehensive crisis response
4 September 2018
Humanitarian Aid
A United Nations-backed humanitarian conference to raise much needed resources for relief, development and peacebuilding programmes in Africa’s Lake Chad Basin concluded on Tuesday, raising some $2.17 billion in support and about $467 million in concessional loans for the crisis-ridden region.
Italian Coastguard/Massimo Sestini
Major increase in Europe’s refugee and migrant death rate: UNHCR
4 September 2018
Migrants and Refugees
The number of refugees and migrants reaching the European continent is going down, but the rate of fatalities has gone up dramatically, according to a new reportfrom the UN refugee agency, UNHCR
WFP/Hussam Al Saleh
It’s time to apply maximum ‘moral pressure’ to save lives in Syria’s Idlib: UN negotiator
4 September 2018
Peace and Security
All countries with influence over the grinding conflict in Syria should use all the “moral pressure” they can to avoid a full-scale military attack on Idlib, particularly Russia and Turkey, the United Nations top negotiator Staffan de Mistura said on Tuesday.
UNMISS\Nektarios Markogiannis
New home for scores of South Sudan's displaced
4 September 2018
Peace and Security
Nearly 3,500 people displaced by violence in South Sudan have been relocated from a UN-run camp in the capital, Juba, to temporary housing, the organization’s mission in the country, UNMISS, reported on Tuesday.
WHO/Marcelo Moreno
Tobacco control, a ‘major component’ of environmental protection efforts – UN health official
4 September 2018
Health
From deforestation to soil degradation and pollution, tobacco production and its use by consumers, is “tremendously destructive” for the environment, although control measures can help curb its negative environmental effects, including the damaging impact of climate change, the head of the UN tobacco control treaty watchdog – formally known as the Secretariat of the WHO FCTC - has told UN News.
UNHCR/Tarik Argaz
Ceasefire agreement reached in Libyan capital, announces UN mission
4 September 2018
Peace and Security
An agreement on a ceasefire in Tripoli has been reached under the auspices of Ghassan Salame, the top United Nations official in Libya, the Organization’s Support Mission in the country, UNSMIL, has announced.
Simone D. McCourtie / World Bank
With AI, jobs are changing but no mass unemployment expected – UN labour experts
4 September 2018
Economic Development
The rise of frontier technologies like Artificial Intelligence has caused fears of robots taking over blue-collar jobs, but a United Nations expert says humans still have the upper hand given their creativity and ability to form relationships.
IOM Iraq/Sarah Ali Abed
Iraq milestone: Some four million people return home, displacement drops to four-year low
4 September 2018
Peace and Security
For the first time in nearly four years, the number of displaced Iraqis has fallen below two million, according to a new report released on Tuesday by the United Nations migration agency.
Guy Oliver/IRIN
UNHCR calls for action against xenophobic attacks in South Africa
4 September 2018
Migrants and Refugees
Authorities in South Africa are being urged by the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, to act in the wake of recent violence against foreigners in the country, some of which has been deadly.
IOM/Jessica Mamo
Progress made but Lake Chad crisis is not over, says UN relief chief, urging greater support for region
3 September 2018
Humanitarian Aid
Despite improvements in the humanitarian situation in the Lake Chad region, millions continue to remain dependent on lifesaving assistance, the top United Nations relief official said on Monday, urging greater international support for the region to safeguard the progress achieved.
UN China/Zhao Yun
In Beijing, UN chief urges win-win collaboration between China and Africa for ‘the future we want’
3 September 2018
SDGs
Highlighting the economic and development progress made in China and Africa, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres urged them to unite their combined potential for peaceful, sustainable and equitable progress to the benefit of all humankind.
ILO/M. Creuset
Journalists’ conviction in Myanmar a message that press ‘cannot operate fearlessly’ – UN rights chief
3 September 2018
Human Rights
Stressing that the legal process that led to the conviction of two Reuters journalists in Myanmar “clearly breached” international standards, the United Nations top human rights official called for their immediate and unconditional release.
UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe
UN chief calls for calm as violence erupts in Libyan capital
2 September 2018
Peace and Security
Condemning the escalation of violence in and around the Libyan capital, Tripoli, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has called on all parties to immediately cease hostilities and grant humanitarian relief to those in need.
UN Photo/Violaine Martin (file)
Mauritania: UN chief urges peaceful, credible elections
1 September 2018
Peace and Security
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has called on all parties in Mauritania to ensure peaceful and credible elections as the country holds legislative, regional and municipal polls on Saturday.
UNRWA/Tamer Hamam
UN urges countries to step up assistance for Palestine refugees
1 September 2018
Humanitarian Aid
The United Nations said it regrets the decision of the United States to stop funding to the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) and called on other countries to help fill the remaining financial gap.
