UN Photo/Cia Pak
Millions of Afghans have ‘voted not just for a president, but also for democracy’, UN Assembly told
30 September 2019
UN Affairs
Just two days ago, some three million Afghans faced the threat of terrorism and headed to the polls, to “vote not just for a president, but also for democracy,” Hamdulla Mohib, Afghanistan’s National Security Adviser told the UN General Assembly on Monday, adding that no matter the outcome of the elections, “peace is and will remain the Government’s priority.”
UN Photo/Cia Pak
UN General Assembly President upholds value of multilateralism in speech closing annual debate
30 September 2019
UN Affairs
The only way to guarantee peace, security and sustainable development is for countries to work together, the UN General Assembly president said in his speech on Monday concluding the annual high-level debate in the Hall.
© Centro de la Diversidad Cultural, 2013, with UNESCO's permission
‘We need to stand up now’ for the elderly: urges UN rights expert on World Day
30 September 2019
Human Rights
In the coming decade, the number of persons aged 60 or over is projected to grow by 46 per cent, making the increase in those officially classified as elderly, one of the “most significant transformations of this century,'' the United Nations declared on Tuesday, marking the International Day of Older Persons.
UN Photo/Cia Pak
DPRK reports ‘little progress’ since historic June 2018 summit with US
30 September 2019
UN Affairs
Lack of progress in achieving peace on the Korean Peninsula is “entirely attributable” to the United States, a senior official from the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) told the UN General Assembly on Monday.
© UNICEF/Aaref Watad
Monday's Daily Brief: Hopes rise for peace in Syria and Yemen, UNGA speeches end, Guterres saddened by India flood deaths
30 September 2019
Peace and Security
'Sign of hope' for long-suffering Syrians as new committee forms; Yemen prisoner release signals hope for Yemen; Assembly President closes formal Debate; Refugees evacuated from Libya to Rwanda; Multilingualism observed on World Day.
UN Photo/Cia Pak
‘Are we ready for the age of disruption?’, Thailand’s Foreign Minister asks UN Assembly
30 September 2019
UN Affairs
“The Twenty-First Century is often described as the age of disruption. The question is, are we ready for it?”, asked Thailand’s Foreign Minister, Don Pramudwinai, as he addressed the UN General Assembly on Monday.
MINUSTAH/Logan Abassi
UN Mission in Haiti calls on protestors, authorities, to refrain from violence
30 September 2019
Peace and Security
Following days of intensifying protests in Haiti, Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said on Monday the UN was “concerned by reports of violence and arson” across the country.
Audio - 8'38" Playlist
UN Photo/Cia Pak
Timor-Leste Foreign Minister highlights value of UN in resolving conflicts
30 September 2019
UN Affairs
Timor-Leste continues to be a reflection of “the best the UN has to offer,” Foreign Minister Dionisio da Costa Babo Soares declared on Monday before the UN General Assembly.
© UNICEF/Aaref Watad
Constitutional Committee breakthrough offers ‘sign of hope’ for long-suffering Syrians
30 September 2019
Peace and Security
There is a “sign of hope for the long-suffering Syrian people” as a Syrian-led, Syrian-owned, credible and inclusive Constitutional Committee is set to start deliberations next month, the United Nations Special Envoy for the country told the Security Council on Monday.
UN Photo/Cia Pak
Stage set for successful 2020 Burundi elections, Foreign Minister tells General Assembly
30 September 2019
UN Affairs
With organizational and financial preparations for Burundi’s 2020 elections well underway, Ezechiel Nibigira, Minister of Foreign Affairs, told the UN General Assembly on Monday the Government is wary of, and will not tolerate, any outside interference in the polls.
OCHA/Charlotte Cans
Yemen prisoner release boosts hopes of peace at last for war-weary civilians
30 September 2019
Peace and Security
Hopes for a possible end to the war in Yemen grew slightly on Monday, following the news that nearly 300 detainees have been released as a gesture of goodwill by Houthi forces, pitted against the Government of Abd Rabbu Mansour Hadi.
UNAMA/Fardin Waezi
Guterres welcomes conduct of Afghan elections, commends ‘all who braved security concerns’
29 September 2019
Peace and Security
UN Secretary-General António Guterres has welcomed the conduct of presidential elections in Afghanistan on 28 September and commended all Afghans “who exercised their democratic voice and upheld their right to vote, braving security concerns”.
UN Photo/Cia Pak
Haitian Foreign Minister calls for development reboot to close ‘striking gap’ between promises and action on ending poverty
28 September 2019
UN Affairs
The future of humanity hinges on full implementation of the 2030 Agenda, if we don't get there, “we may never see the world that ‘we the peoples of the United Nations’ have long been calling for,” Bocchit Edmond, the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Haiti, told the General Assembly, the Organization’s top deliberative body.
UN Photo/Cia Pak
At UN, Yemen Foreign Minister demands end to ‘Iranian-Houthi coup d’etat’
28 September 2019
UN Affairs
The Minister for Foreign Affairs of Yemen on Saturday called on the United Nations and the wider international community to stand by his crisis-torn country as it struggled to cope with daily assaults and “terrorist aggression” at the hands of vicious, Iran-backed Houthi militias.
UN Photo/Cia Pak
Still recovering from devastating cyclones, Mozambique, in UN address, warns of global warming’s ‘nefarious consequences’
28 September 2019
UN Affairs
The Foreign Minister of Mozambique told the United Nations on Saturday that the world must work harder to reverse the “nefarious consequences of global warming”.
UN Photo/Cia Pak
Myanmar willing to repatriate ‘verified returnees’ from Bangladesh
28 September 2019
UN Affairs
Myanmar is prioritizing the repatriation of scores of people who fled violence in northern Rakhine state for Bangladesh, a senior official from the country said on Saturday, the fifth day of debate in the UN General Assembly.
UN Photo/Kim Haughton
Guinea-Bissau spotlights threats of organized crime, Sahel terrorism in speech to UN Assembly
28 September 2019
Peace and Security
Organized criminal networks continue to pose a threat to Guinea-Bissau and undermine stability in the West African nation, Foreign Minister Suzi Barbosa said in her speech on Saturday to the UN General Assembly.
UN Photo/Cia Pak
At UN, Cuba slams US ‘criminal’ practices undermining country’s development
28 September 2019
UN Affairs
At the United Nations General Assembly on Saturday, the Foreign Minister of Cuba condemned the United States for imposing blockades and other “criminal, non-conventional measures” that are hindering his country’s progress.
UN Photo/Cia Pak
Syrian crisis is ‘clearest example’ of foreign investment in terrorism, Deputy Prime Minister says at UN
28 September 2019
UN Affairs
Although terrorism is a “global nightmare which haunts everyone”, some countries have invested in terrorism as a tool to impose their “insidious agendas” on other nations, Syria’s Deputy Prime Minister Walid Al-Moualem told the UN General Assembly on Saturday.
UN Photo/Cia Pak
Effective multilateralism the antidote to today’s ‘divisions’, Holy See tells UN Assembly
28 September 2019
UN Affairs
As a precondition for addressing so many of today’s greatest challenges, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, State Secretary of the Holy See, told the United Nations on Saturday morning that “galvanizing effective multilateralism” is one of the most important priorities for the international community.
UN Photo/Cia Pak
At UN, Sudanese Prime Minister says ‘great revolution has succeeded,’ country will rebuild, restore values
27 September 2019
UN Affairs
The “great revolution” of Sudan has succeeded and the Government and people and will now rebuild and restore the values of human coexistence and social cohesion in the country as they try and turn the page on three decades of “abhorrent oppression, discrimination and warfare,” Prime Minister Abdullah Adam Hamdok told the United Nations on Friday evening.
UN Photo/Cia Pak
Venezuela Vice-President speaks out against ‘coup d’etat’, $130 bn lost to ‘economic terrorism’
27 September 2019
Peace and Security
The Vice-President of Venezuela on Friday criticized administrations which have recognized National Assembly president Juan Guaidó as leader of the South American country.
UN Photo/Cia Pak
Despite grappling with Rohingya crisis, Bangladesh is ‘development miracle’
27 September 2019
Economic Development
Despite global turbulence and economic uncertainty, the Prime Minister of Bangladesh told the General Assembly on Friday evening that her country has often been cited as a “development miracle”.
UN Photo/Loey Felipe
At UN Assembly, China says ‘it will not ever be cowered by threats’
27 September 2019
UN Affairs
In his address to the UN General Assembly on Friday, the State Councilor and Foreign Minister of China declared that his country will not ever be cowered by threats or subdued by pressure, when facing the headwinds of protectionism.
UN Photo/Loey Felipe
Unable to accept its decline, West subverts international law to suit its needs, Russia’s Lavrov tells UN
27 September 2019
Peace and Security
While crediting the United Nations for preventing ‘World War III’, the Foreign Minister of Russia lamented to the General Assembly on Friday that the number of conflicts on the planet has not declined, nor has enmity weakened.
LATEST NEWS
MINUSCA /Hervé Serefio
Central African Republic: Three UN peacekeepers killed following helicopter crash
27 September 2019
Peace and Security
Three peacekeepers were killed and a fourth was severely injured after a helicopter crashed on Friday morning local time, in the west of the Central African Republic, the UN mission to the country (MINUSCA) has confirmed.
UN Photo/Cia Pak
Pakistan’s Khan warns of all-out conflict amid rising tensions over Kashmir; demands India lift ‘inhuman’ curfew
27 September 2019
UN Affairs
In a fiery address on Friday to the UN General Assembly, Pakistan’s Prime Minister, Imran Khan, warned of an all-out conflict with neighboring India, saying that there will be a “bloodbath” once India lifts its nearly two-month long curfew in disputed Kashmir.
UN Photo/Loey Felipe
Treat climate crisis with ‘greatest urgency’, Bahamas leader tells UN Assembly
27 September 2019
Peace and Security
Hurricane Dorian, one of the most destructive Atlantic storms ever recorded, “is a generational tragedy” for The Bahamas, Prime Minister Hubert Minnis said on Friday.
UNAMID/Elsadig Daud
Sudan at the start of ‘long road to recovery’, UN chief tells high-level meeting
27 September 2019
Peace and Security
Sudan is now on the long road to socio-economic recovery, following the establishment of a civilian-led government, UN Secretary-General António Guterres told a high-level meeting on Friday, at UN Headquarters in New York.
UN Photo/Laura Jarriel
‘We may be small islands, but no man is an island’, Papua New Guinea youth tells world leaders
27 September 2019
Climate Change
“All of us from small islands can relate to the word’s perception of us, as small islands”, but rather than treating them as distant vessels, imagine instead “an undivided Pacific, connected by an ocean highway.” That was the plea to world leaders from Vinzealhar Ainjo Kwangin Nen, on Friday, speaking on behalf of her generation, on the front line of climate change.
UN Photo/Cia Pak
At UN, Modi outlines development successes, says India gave world ‘Buddha, not war’
27 September 2019
SDGs
In his address to the UN General Assembly’s general debate on Friday, the Prime Minister of India outlined how the world’s largest democracy has embodied the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in its work towards “peace, development and progress in the world”.
UN Photo/Jean Marc Ferre
Human Rights Briefing: Updates on Egypt, Zimbabwe, Venezuela and Saudi Arabia
27 September 2019
Climate Change
Here’s a roundup of human rights news this Friday: UN’s Bachelet urges restraint over arrests of Egypt protestors; expert calls for ‘democratic shift’ in Zimbabwe; Human Rights Council agrees fact-finding mission to Venezuela; independent experts urge freedom for Saudi women's rights defender, after 500 days in prison.
Audio - 6'21" Playlist
Fardin Waezi/UNAMA
‘No place for violence, intimidation or fraud’ in Afghan elections: UN chief
27 September 2019
Peace and Security
All key actors in Afghanistan must “uphold their responsibility to support a peaceful, credible, transparent and inclusive electoral process”, UN Secretary-General António Guterres said in a statement on Friday, the day before presidential elections are due to be held in the country, adding that “there is no place for violence, intimidation or fraud”.
Audio - 3'20" Playlist
UN Photo/Laura Jarriel
At UN, Somalia’s President spotlights country’s progress, but cautions eradicating terrorism ‘will not be easy’
26 September 2019
UN Affairs
Somalia is “the perfect example of the success of the multilateral system,” President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed told the UN General Assembly on Thursday, while acknowledging that the Horn of Africa country still needed international and regional support and cooperation, particularly to deal with threats from Al-Shabab.
UN Photo/Cia Pak
‘Terrorist Iranian regime’ must be checked; Saudi Foreign Minister urges financial pressure
26 September 2019
UN Affairs
The United Nations, and the world, have a moral responsibility “to apply utmost pressure with every tool available ... to end the terrorist and aggressive conduct of the Iranian regime,” Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister told the General Assembly on Thursday evening.
UN Photo/Cia Pak
Iran cannot be allowed to develop nuclear weapons: Israeli Foreign Minister
26 September 2019
Peace and Security
The international community must join together to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons, the Foreign Minister of Israel told the UN General Assembly on Thursday evening.
UN Photo/Cia Pak
North Macedonia President, credits dialogue and diplomacy for setting a decades-long ‘name dispute’
26 September 2019
UN Affairs
As a United Nations Member State more than two deacades, Thursday was the first time the Republic of North Macedonia addressed the General Assembly under its settled-upon name after “a 27-year-old difference with Greece”.
UN Photo/Laura Jarriel
South Sudan ‘heading towards lasting peace and stability’, UN General Assembly told
26 September 2019
UN Affairs
Through the cooperation of the leaders of South Sudan, First Vice-President Taban Deng Gai on Thursday told the United Nations General Assembly that his country could become “a beacon of hope and peace”.
UN Photo/Laura Jarriel
Nauru President warns of possible climate change ‘economic Armageddon’
26 September 2019
Peace and Security
Climate change is putting Pacific tuna fish stocks at risk, potentially creating an “economic Armageddon” for Nauru, President Lionel Aingimea warned the UN General Assembly on Thursday.
UNDP/Dominic Davis
Island nations on climate crisis frontline ‘not sitting idly by’
26 September 2019
Climate Change
Small island nations are “not sitting idly by” but are emerging as “frontrunners” in the fight against climate change according to Fekitamoeloa Katoa ‘Utoikamanu, the UN High Representative for Small Island Developing States.
TheirWorld
Mirrored classroom display highlights scale of massive education crisis
26 September 2019
SDGs
A non-profit dedicated to exposing the severity of the global education crisis has been inviting delegates to the UN General Assembly inside a compact mirrored installation this week, to drive home the reality that around 260 million children are missing from classrooms around the world.
MINUSMA/Gema Cortes
African cooperation on peace ‘increasingly strong’, Security Council told
26 September 2019
Peace and Security
African countries are building increasingly strong partnerships for advancing peace and security, as well as inclusive sustainable development across the continent, the Security Council heard on Thursday, during a briefing by the UN Secretary-General’s Chef de Cabinet, Maria Luiza Ribeiro Viotti.
UN Photo/Catianne Tijerina
#UNGA NEWS ROUNDUP: Funding plea for UNRWA, Burkina Faso and CAR updates, Guterres praises climate change ‘pioneer’ Chirac
26 September 2019
Peace and Security
A short roundup of events and statements making the news at UN Headquarters on this Thursday, of General Assembly high level week.
UN Photo/Laura Jarriel
Patriotism must have global dimension, says EU’s Donald Tusk
26 September 2019
UN Affairs
The suggestion by some earlier this week at the UN that there is an immanent conflict between patriotism and globalism “is false and dangerous, even if it has many followers and powerful propagators,” European Council President said on Thursday.
UN Photo/Cia Pak
DR Congo President outlines vision for a ‘more representative’ UN Security Council
26 September 2019
Peace and Security
With Africa at the centre of many global challenges, it is time for the continent to have a seat in the UN Security Council, the President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) told world leaders on Thursday.
UN Photo/Cia Pak
At UN, Abbas rejects Israeli ‘arrogance’, vows to terminate all agreements if Palestinian territory is annexed
26 September 2019
Peace and Security
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Thursday denounced what he called “arrogance and aggression” by the Israeli Government and called on the United Nations to push harder for the two-state solution to resolve the conflict.
Audio - 6'37" Playlist
IAEA/Dean Calma
Elimination of nuclear weapons ‘only real way’ to allay fear of a constant threat, Guterres insists
26 September 2019
Peace and Security
Progress made in reducing the danger posed by nuclear arsenals has not only come to a halt, “it is going in reverse”, and any use of a nuclear weapon in the future would ignite “a humanitarian catastrophe.”
UNDP/Aude Rossignol
UN chief sets out roadmap to ‘raise ambition’, fund sustainable development
26 September 2019
SDGs
In his opening remarks to the High-Level Dialogue on Financing for Development, held at UN headquarters in New York on Thursday, UN chief António Guterres outlined his roadmap for financing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the UN’s blueprint for the transition to a healthier planet and a fairer world.
UN Photo/Cia Pak
As ‘the last European divided country’, Cyprus President tells Assembly UN is ‘the only way forward’
26 September 2019
Peace and Security
The past 45 years of “unacceptable status quo” has prevented lasting peace and stability in Cyprus, President Nicos Anastasiades told the United Nations General Assembly on Thursday.
Audio - 2'55" Playlist
IMO
UN shipping agency urges more women to climb aboard, fuel sustainable growth
26 September 2019
SDGs
The historically male-dominated shipping industry should clear the decks for a new generation of women, whose empowerment would help fuel economic growth, and speed up the drive towards “safe, secure, clean and sustainable shipping”.
UN Photo/Kim Haughton
Mali President outlines achievements and challenges since 2015 peace deal
25 September 2019
UN Affairs
A 2015 peace deal for Mali has led to a “progressive return of trust between parties”, President Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta told the UN General Assembly on Wednesday evening.
UN Photo/Cia Pak
Libya facing ‘serious crisis’ fueled by outsiders bent on dividing the county, UN Assembly told
25 September 2019
UN Affairs
Libya is experiencing “a serious crisis because of negative foreign interference,” Faiez Mustafa Sarraj told the United Nations General Assembly on Wednesday evening.
UN Photo/Cia Pak
At UN, Colombia’s Duque stands behind peace process, vows to stamp out narco-terrorists
25 September 2019
UN Affairs
Vowing to carry forward Colombia’s peace process, President Iván Duque outlined for delegations gathered for the UN General Assembly’s annual debate, his country’s efforts to disarm ex-combatants, protect the Amazon and root out drug traffickers and narco-terrorists.
WHO/Junior Kannah
Signs DR Congo Ebola outbreak finally ‘on the retreat’ but risk of international spread, ‘still high’
25 September 2019
Health
The second worst Ebola outbreak in history is “on the retreat” said the UN’s health agency chief on Wednesday, warning however that there is no room for complacency, with dozens of new cases each week still being recorded in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
Audio - 12'45" Playlist
UN Photo/Kim Haughton
Sustainable development summit a reminder of ‘the boundless potential of humanity’
25 September 2019
SDGs
The first UN summit on the progress of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development closed on a hopeful note, with Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed declaring that the two-day event had been a reminder of “the boundless potential of humanity to create a better future for all”.
MINUSMA/Gema Cortes
UN chief urges scaled up response for peace, across troubled Sahel’s region
25 September 2019
Peace and Security
Humanitarian and development responses for Mali and Africa’s wider Sahel region “are falling short”, and support must be scaled up to ensure a hopeful future for its people, the Secretary-General told world leaders at a special high level meeting inside UN Headquarters on Wednesday.
UN Photo/Cia Pak
Central African Republic President says country ‘remains fragile’, despite progress on peace deal
25 September 2019
Peace and Security
President Faustin-Archange Touadéra of the Central African Republic (CAR), addressing the UN General Assembly’s annual general debate, spotlighted “modest but sure” progress in implementing the landmark peace agreement signed by his Government and 14 armed groups on 6 February 2019.
UN Photo/Cia Pak
Iraqi President highlights key role of sustainable development in country’s future
25 September 2019
Economic Development
Ensuring good governance, tackling corruption and creating job opportunities for youth are top priorities for Iraq as the country continues to emerge from war and terrorism, President Barham Salih said on Wednesday.
UN Photo/Cia Pak
Liberian President credits UN for ‘16 years of unbroken peace’, outlines plan to reduce poverty, boost growth
25 September 2019
Peace and Security
“Liberia is a UN success story”, President George Manneh Weah told the annual United Nations high-level generalral debate in New York on Wednesday.
Audio - 6'48" Playlist
UN News/Hafiz Kheir
‘Milestone agreement’ paves the way for new UN Human Rights Office in Sudan
25 September 2019
Human Rights
“With this milestone agreement, we are poised to accompany Sudan through an important moment in its history” – the words of UN human rights chief Michelle Bachelet on Wednesday, as she signed a deal between the UN and the newly-constituted Government of Sudan to open a Human Rights Office in the capital, Khartoum.
UN Photo/Cia Pak
At UN, Iran proposes ‘coalition for hope’ to pull Gulf region from ‘edge of collapse’
25 September 2019
Peace and Security
The Gulf region is “on the edge of collapse”, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani told world leaders on Wednesday at the annual high-level segment of the United Nations General Assembly, saying that “a single blunder can fuel a big fire”.
UN Photo/Cia Pak
Syrian displacement poses ‘serious threat’ to Lebanon’s development goals, President tells UN Assembly
25 September 2019
Migrants and Refugees
While the “heated” wars in the Middle East over the last decade have recessed, the President of Lebanon told the United Nations General Assembly’s annual general debate on Wednesday that Syria’s displacement crisis has had repercussions on his country’s “security, political, social, economic and environmental spheres”.
Audio - 7'33" Playlist
UN Photo/Evan Schneider
Security Council debates closer links between multilateral organizations in Europe and Asia
25 September 2019
Peace and Security
Secretary-General António Guterres welcomed the move to increase cooperation between the UN and the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) on Wednesday.
UN Photo/Cia Pak
Strong leaders care about all people, not just their own citizens, Ukraine’s Zelenskyy says at UN
25 September 2019
Peace and Security
Advances in weaponry have made the world smaller, which means leaders are not only responsible for the fate of their citizens but of everyone else on the planet, the President of Ukraine told the UN General Assembly on Wednesday.
UNICEF
‘Childhood is changing, and so must we’, UNICEF declares, as world marks historic convention
25 September 2019
Human Rights
Since its adoption 30 years ago, the milestone Convention of the Rights of the Child and its near universal membership has created “unprecedented international solidarity around children’s rights,'' the Secretary-General said at a commemorative event an UN Headquarters on Wednesday.
UN News/Laura Quiñones
Earth’s oceans and frozen spaces paying price for ‘taking the heat of global warming’
25 September 2019
Climate Change
Our oceans and frozen spaces have been “taking the heat” for global warming for decades, climate experts said on Wednesday, warning that without a radical change in human behaviour, hundreds of millions of people could suffer from rising sea levels, frequent natural disasters and food shortages.
UN Photo/Cia Pak
UK’s Johnson warns of dystopian digital future, calls on UN to set global standards for emerging technologies
24 September 2019
UN Affairs
United Kingdom Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Tuesday evening focused his address at the UN mainly on the looming threat of artificial intelligence run amok, but also made a brief reference to Brexit – comparing the process of the UK’s delayed departure from the European Union to classical Greek mythology.
UN Photo/Cia Pak
At UN debate, Japan vows to back global push for inclusive quality education for all girls and women
24 September 2019
UN Affairs
If women were able to demonstrate their potential, “the world would sparkle that much more”, the Prime Minister of Japan said on Tuesday evening at the United Nations General Assembly’s annual general debate.
UNDP/Louis Fourmentin
Time to step up: UN summit to push for development finance breakthrough
24 September 2019
Economic Development
A sustainable global economy – one that preserves the planet and improves lives everywhere – is also a huge opportunity to create new jobs and market opportunities worth trillions of dollars, says the UN. But to make it happen, the international community needs to rapidly scale up investment.
Audio - 9'24" Playlist
UN Photo/Cia Pak
Global Goals offer ‘special opportunity’ to change course of development, Bosnian leader tells General Assembly
24 September 2019
SDGs
The world now has “a special opportunity to change the course of development”, the Chairman of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina told the UN General Assembly’s annual general debate on Tuesday.
UN Photo/Cia Pak
Kazakhstan continues to push for a nuclear-free world
24 September 2019
Peace and Security
Kazakhstan, the Central Asian country which has renounced nuclear weapons, continued on Tuesday to urge the international community to make a nuclear-free world reality.
UN Photo/Cia Pak
At UN, France’s Macron says more ‘political courage’ is needed to face global challenges
24 September 2019
UN Affairs
Addressing world leaders at the UN General Assembly's annual high-level debate on Tuesday, French President Emmanuel Macron called for courage, and for politicians to take the risks needed to achieve real solutions to contemporary challenges.
UN Photo/Cia Pak
Despite lagging in the Global Goals, Africa can meet the 2030 deadline: Rwandan President
24 September 2019
UN Affairs
Although some of the world’s fastest growing economies can be found in Africa, the continent is falling behind in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Rwandan President Paul Kagame told the UN General Assembly on Tuesday.
UN-GLOBE
Hate speech in the digital world a ‘critical obstacle for LGBTI people’: UN’s Bachelet
24 September 2019
Human Rights
In the fast-growing digital age, hate speech can represent “a critical obstacle for LGBTI people” using online platforms, the UN’s top rights official told participants at a high-level segment on the matter on Tuesday.
UN Photo/Manuel Elias
Sustainable Development Summit: ‘We must step up our efforts - now’, Guterres declares
24 September 2019
SDGs
“The 2030 Agenda is coming to life”, declared the UN chief on Tuesday, referring to the blueprint for a healthier planet and a more just world, as he launched the first Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Summit in New York. However, despite encouraging progress, António Guterres warned that much more needs to be done, and “we must step up our efforts. Now”.
Emmanuel Rouy/Lycée Français
Countries violate rights over climate change, argue youth activists in landmark UN complaint
24 September 2019
Climate Change
The failure of governments to act on the climate crisis, constitutes a violation of children’s rights, according to a landmark complaint presented to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child by 16 youth activists.
UN Photo/Cia Pak
Only international actions can settle the world’s ‘enormous and diverse cross-border challenges’, Qatar tells UN Assembly
24 September 2019
Peace and Security
In a world facing “enormous and diverse cross-border challenges”, the Emir of Qatar told the United Nations General Assembly’s high-level session on Tuesday that only international mechanisms can deter violators of international law, ensure sovereignty, prohibit land annexation and prevent armed conflicts through peaceful dispute resolution.
UN Photo/Cia Pak
Republic of Korea President proposes DMZ as future ‘peace and cooperation district’ on Peninsula
24 September 2019
UN Affairs
The Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) between the two Koreas could be transformed into an “international peace zone” and even included on a UN list of global cultural heritage, world leaders in the UN General Assembly heard on Tuesday.
UN Photo/Evan Schneider
Universal coverage race at ‘starting line’, with new momentum: UN health agency
24 September 2019
Health
The race to provide Universal Health Coverage can now get underway, said the World Health Organization (WHO) on Tuesday, as nations take to the “starting line” following the most “comprehensive international health agreement in history”- the landmark pledge to improve global health declared by the UN just 24 hours earlier
UN Photo/Cia Pak
US President Trump says countries have ‘absolute right’ to protect their borders
24 September 2019
UN Affairs
The path to peace and a better world “begins at home,” United States President Donald Trump said on Tuesday, urging countries to look after their own interests on issues like trade, people smuggling and illegal immigration, and denouncing “open border activists who cloak themselves in the rhetoric of social justice.”
UNICEF/Tanya Bindra
Nigeria must act to stop housing crisis and forced evictions: UN rights expert
24 September 2019
Human Rights
In Nigeria, homeless and other vulnerable people are being “rounded up” by police, “persecuted” and evicted, amid a massive housing crisis, a UN-appointed independent rights expert said on Tuesday.
UN Photo/Cia Pak
‘We need solutions’, not cynicism; UN Assembly President urges world leaders to do more to tackle global ills
24 September 2019
SDGs
The fact that world leaders have convened at United Nations Headquarters in New York is “a veritable testament to the primacy of this great multilateral body”, the General Assembly President said on Tuesday, opening the Organization’s annual General Debate.
UN Photo/Cia Pak
Brazilian President speaks out against ‘media lies’ surrounding Amazon fires
24 September 2019
Peace and Security
Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro spoke out against what he characterized as “media lies” about the Amazon and alleged manipulation of the indigenous people who live there.
UN Photo/Cia Pak
In ‘world of disquiet’, UN must deliver for the people, Guterres tells General Assembly
24 September 2019
Peace and Security
We are living in “a world of disquiet”, the United Nations chief told the High-level session of the General Assembly on Tuesday, urging the Heads of States present to advance “common good” while upholding “shared humanity and values”.
UN Photo/Martine Perret
Tanzania urged to provide more information on suspected Ebola case
24 September 2019
Health
Authorities in Tanzania have been urged by the UN to supply further information about the death of an individual from suspected Ebola Virus Disease earlier this month in the commercial capital, Dar es Salaam.
UN News/Conor Lennon
UN chief calls for ‘a fair globalization’ with first-ever Global Goals Summit
24 September 2019
SDGs
“We need more investment, more political action, more priority for a fair globalization”, said UN Secretary-General António Guterres in an interview on Thursday, when asked about his expectations for the first-ever Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Summit, on 24-25 September at New York headquarters.
UN Photo/Cia Pak
Actions not words: what was promised at the UN’s landmark climate summit?
23 September 2019
Climate Change
UN Secretary-General warned leaders not to come to his landmark Climate Action Summit with beautiful speeches, but to present concrete plans for cutting harmful greenhouse gas emissions, and strategies for carbon neutrality by 2050. So what, exactly, was promised at Monday’s all-day event at UN Headquarters in New York?
UNICEF/Alessio Romenzi
UN chief announces progress on committee to shape Syria's political future
23 September 2019
Peace and Security
UN-led discussions to secure a peaceful future for the people of Syria have resulted in agreement by the country’s Government and opposition representatives to the formation of a new Constitutional Committee in a bid to end the “tragedy” of more than eight years of fighting, UN Secretary-General António Guterres announced on Monday.
OCHA/Yaye Nabo Sène
Hate speech exacerbating societal, racial tensions with ‘deadly consequences around the world’, say UN experts
23 September 2019
Human Rights
Hate speech, both online and offline, has “exacerbated societal and racial tensions, inciting attacks with deadly consequences around the world”, according to an open letter released on Monday by nearly two dozen independent United Nations experts.
UN Photo/Manuel Elias
On sidelines of UN climate summit, US President calls for protection of religious freedom
23 September 2019
Human Rights
As global leaders gathered at UN Headquarters on Monday to present their plans to combat climate change, United States President Donald Trump put the spotlight on the need to safeguard religious freedom worldwide.
UN Photo/Loey Felipe
Greta Thunberg tells world leaders ‘you are failing us’, as nations announce fresh climate action
23 September 2019
Climate Change
Speaking at the beginning of the UN’s Climate Action Summit on Monday, the 16-year-old acclaimed climate activist Greta Thunberg, was unsparing in her criticism of world leaders, telling them that they are still “not mature enough to tell it like it is”.
OCHA/Saviano Abreu
UN welcomes ‘most comprehensive agreement ever’ on global health
23 September 2019
Health
Describing it as an “important landmark” on our “journey to health for all”, Secretary-General António Guterres on Monday welcomed the UN Political Declaration on universal health coverage, or UHC, which commits countries to advance towards full coverage for their citizens in four major areas around primary care.
UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe
Collective action now, the only way to meet global challenges, Guterres reaffirms in annual report
23 September 2019
SDGs
The global challenges of our time beg global solutions, and we must continuously demonstrate the merits of multilateral cooperation, the Secretary-General said on Monday, launching the 2019 United Nation’s annual report.
UN Photo/Manuel Elias
Sign language protects ‘linguistic identity and cultural diversity’ of all users, says UN chief
23 September 2019
Human Rights
Sign languages are crucial to “express oneself, connect with others and participate in all aspects of economic, social, cultural and political spheres”, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres said in his message for International Day of Sign Languages, on Monday.
Gerardo Pesantez/World Bank
Banks worth $47 trillion adopt new UN-backed climate, sustainability principles
22 September 2019
Economic Development
Banks collectively with more than $47 trillion in assets, or a third of the global industry, signed up on Sunday to new United Nations-backed responsible banking principles in a massive boost for climate action and the shift from “brown to green” models of economic growth.
Geir Braathen
Ahead of UN summit, leading scientists warn climate change ‘hitting harder and sooner’ than forecast
22 September 2019
Climate Change
Top climate scientists issued a report on Sunday showing that over the last several years, sea-level rise, planetary warming, shrinking ice sheets and carbon pollution have accelerated; a sobering call to action for political leaders headed to New York for summit-level climate change talks tomorrow at the United Nations.
World Bank/Dominic Chavez
With 5 billion set to miss out on health care, UN holds landmark summit to boost coverage
22 September 2019
Health
Some five billion people risk missing out on health care in 2030, unless countries close glaring gaps in health coverage, a new report revealed on Sunday, as the UN prepares to host a landmark summit to speed up progress on universal health care.
UN Photo/Kim Haughton
At UN, youth activists press for bold action on climate emergency, vow to hold leaders accountable at the ballot box
21 September 2019
Climate Change
Students and young activists on Saturday threw down the gauntlet to world leaders heading to United Nations Headquarters next week for high-level climate talks, demanding that they “stop wasting time” and work harder to curb carbon emissions, “or we will vote you out.”
OCHA/Giles Clark
UN chief urges restraint following reported Saudi-led assault in Yemen
21 September 2019
Peace and Security
Amid reports of a Saudi-led coalition airstrike near Yemen’s port city of Hudaydah, Secretary-General António Guterres expressed concerns for the attacks in a Saturday statement attributable to his Spokesperson, Stephane Dujjaric.
UN Photo/Kim Haughton
Friday's Daily Brief: World youth call for climate action and peace, record food needs met in Yemen, exclusive sit down with UN chief
20 September 2019
Peace and Security
A recap of Friday’s top stories: Climate emergency threatening peace progress; Guterres urges States bring concrete answers to GA; Migrant shooting in Libya signals danger; Xenophobia attacks rise in South Africa; Record number get UN food aid in Libya.
© UNICEF David Berkwitz
World’s 1.8 billion youth must ‘have a say in the future of the planet’
20 September 2019
Climate Change
It is “crucial” that the world’s 1.8 billion young people have a say in the fight against climate change and ultimately “the future of the planet” according to the UN Youth Envoy Jayathma Wickramanayake.
World Bank/Natalia Cieslik
‘Collective’ erosion of two-State solution, continues unabated: Mladenov
20 September 2019
Peace and Security
The “steady deterioration” of chances that a lasting peace can be negotiated between Israel and Palestine as two States live side by side, reflects a “collective failure” of leadership across the region and the world.
UN Photo/Manuel Elias
UN staff support youth-driven global action on climate crisis
20 September 2019
Climate Change
Staff at UN Headquarters in New York joined untold numbers of students, scientists, organized labour, and everyday people worldwide, who took to the streets on Friday, demanding action to address climate change.
UN Photo/Ariana Lindquist
Climate emergency ‘a new danger’ to peace, youth activists hear ahead of World Day
20 September 2019
Peace and Security
Among the efforts to build a sustainably peaceful world, “urgent climate action is needed” to curb environmental threats to all our well-being and security, the Secretary-General told the annual peace gathering in New York on Friday, addressing a largely youthful crowd.
Audio - 5'20" Playlist
UN Photo/OCHA/Mark Garten
INTERVIEW: Guterres urges world leaders to ‘do what is necessary’ for peace and the planet
20 September 2019
SDGs
As global leaders prepare to convene in New York next week to debate the best way forward for the planet, Secretary-General António Guterres is urging them to “do what is necessary” to ensure that “we are able to solve the dramatic problems we face.”
UN Colombia
UN human rights report shows rise in reprisals against activists, victims
19 September 2019
Human Rights
Cases of intimidation and retaliation against victims, civil society and activists who cooperate with the United Nations are on the rise, a new report from the UN Human Rights Office reveals.
UNICEF/Ashley Gilbertson
Thursday’s Daily Brief: Stark childbirth survival figures, Security Council split on Syria, nature-based climate initiatives
19 September 2019
Health
A recap of Thursday’s top stories: One pregnant woman or child dies every 11 seconds; No ceasefire agreement for Syria’s Idlib; Latest Taliban attack in Afghanistan; Dozens of countries rely on food assistance; Nature’s role in climate-change mitigation.
UNICEF/Aaref Watad
Security Council: Two draft resolutions, zero consensus on ceasefire in Syria’s Idlib
19 September 2019
Peace and Security
The UN Security Council on Thursday failed to reach consensus on either of two competing resolutions on a cessation of hostilities in Idlib, Syria: the last province in the war-torn nation that is still largely held by rebel forces.
Audio - 7'33" Playlist
UNDP Belarus
Nature ‘one of most effective ways’ of combatting climate change
19 September 2019
Climate Change
Nature is “one of the most effective ways” of combatting climate change and should be part of every country’s climate strategy according to the Executive Director of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) Inger Andersen.
© UNICEF/Truong Viet Hung
Despite progress in childbirth safety, one woman or baby dies every 11 seconds
19 September 2019
Health
Childbirth survival rates are now a “staggering success” compared with the year 2000, but one pregnant woman - or her child - still dies every 11 seconds from largely preventable causes, UN health experts said on Thursday.
Audio - 2'54" Playlist
UNDP Chad/Jean Damascene Hakuzim
Wednesday's Daily Brief: 'Ambition and action', key to UNGA, South Sudan, Cameroon peace process updates
18 September 2019
Peace and Security
A recap of Wednesday's top stories: Guterres previews next week's summit agenda; UN and Red Cross appeal to eliminate urban warfare; South Sudan's one-year peace progress report; Cameroon renews call for 'durable peace'; Cities both helping and hurting, when it comes to climate change action.
UNDP/Jean Damascene Hakuzimana
UN summits to urge ‘ambition and action’ on climate change, sustainable development: Guterres
18 September 2019
Climate Change
There are five key United Nations summits taking place next week to spur action on the climate crisis and other global concerns, which will showcase the UN as a “driver for meaningful, positive change”, according to the man at the helm of the Organization.
©John Isaac
New UN report launched to help ratchet up action to combat climate crisis
18 September 2019
Climate Change
Ahead of global leaders’ arrival in New York for the Climate Action Summit on 23 September, the United Nations deputy chief has launched a comprehensive report on how the world can take swift and meaningful action to slow down climate change.
Audio - 4'51" Playlist
UN Photo/Isaac Billy
South Sudan’s peace process ‘precarious, but progress in being made’, Security Council hears
18 September 2019
Peace and Security
One year on from the signing of a Revitalized Agreement to ease conflict in South Sudan, the country’s political leaders “have met some, but certainly not all”, of the expectations laid out, the top UN official for the country told the Security Council on Wednesday.
Audio - 9'22" Playlist
© UN-Habitat/Kirsten Milhahn
Cities: a 'cause of and solution to' climate change
18 September 2019
Climate Change
Cities around the world are the “main cause of climate change” but can also offer a part of the solution to reducing the harmful greenhouses gases that are causing global temperatures to rise according to UN-Habitat Executive Director Maimunah Mohd Sharif.
©UNICEF/Watad
UN and Red Cross chiefs appeal for end to use of explosive weapons in cities
18 September 2019
Peace and Security
With some 50 million people in urban areas suffering from the impact of armed conflict, war in cities “cannot be back page news”, the UN Secretary-General and the President of the International Committee of the Red Cross said on Wednesday.
WFP/Saikat Mojumder
Tuesday’s Daily Brief: Hope for Myanmar, UN News sits down with new Assembly President, youth speak out on climate crisis
17 September 2019
Human Rights
A recap of Tuesday’s top stories: Hope for justice in Myanmar rights violations; First major interview with new Assembly President; Youth activists want a platform in solving climate crisis; Five deaths every minute due to unsafe health care; Number of migrants outpacing world population growth.
UN Photo/Kim Haughton
New General Assembly President brings ‘valuable insights’ into key UN challenges
17 September 2019
UN Affairs
The new President of the 74th session of the General Assembly brings to his role “years of United Nations experience”, the UN chief said on Tuesday, as Tijjani Muhammad-Bande banged the gavel to open his year in office.
Audio - 7'54" Playlist
UNDP Malawi
UN climate summit aims to speed up transition to cleaner, greener future
17 September 2019
Climate Change
New measures to speed up the transition to clean energy and green economies are among the initiatives to be unveiled during the UN Climate Change Summit next week.
Reuters/Omar Sobhani
Afghans entitled to live ‘free from fear, intimidation’, says UN chief, condemning suicide attacks
17 September 2019
Peace and Security
All Afghans have the right to live “free from fear, intimidation and violence”, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres said in a statement on Tuesday strongly condemning two suicide attacks, which left dozens dead.
IOM/Muse Mohammed
Number of migrants now growing faster than world population, new UN figures show
17 September 2019
Migrants and Refugees
The growing number of international migrants has now reached 272 million, outpacing the growth rate of the world’s population, according to new data from the UN’s Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA), released on Tuesday.
WHO/Yoshi Shimizu
Five avoidable deaths per minute shows urgent need for action on patient safety
17 September 2019
Health
With at least five people dying every minute due to unsafe health care, the World Health Organization (WHO) is urging medical professionals, policy makers, caregivers and patients to take urgent action to ensure no one is harmed while receiving treatment.
UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe
One million facing food shortages, nutrition crisis after Mozambique cyclones: UNICEF
16 September 2019
Humanitarian Aid
Such was the extent of devastation caused by two back-to-back cyclones in Mozambique earlier this year, nearly one million people, including 160,000 children under five, are still facing food shortages and a nutrition crisis, the UN children’s agency, UNICEF, said on Monday.
Photo: UNEP
Monday’s Daily Brief: Ozone layer heals, 'regional conflagration' risk rises over oilfield attacks, South Sudan update, Myanmar genocide threat remains
16 September 2019
Climate Change
A recap of Monday’s top stories: The ozone layer is on track to repair; Instability rises over oilfield attacks in Saudi Arabia; General Assembly chief Espinosa bows out; Disaster and conflict displace thousands in Asia Pacific; Sexual violence unpunished in South Sudan; Genocide threat remains for Rohingya.
‘Champion for multilateralism’ readies to hand over UN General Assembly gavel
16 September 2019
UN Affairs
Through consultation, collaboration and consensus, the UN chief on Monday described outgoing President of the General Assembly, María Fernanda Espinosa, as “a champion for multilateralism” who had succeeded in making the United Nations “relevant to all”.
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©UNICEF/Almahbashi
Attack on Saudi facilities risks dragging Yemen into ‘regional conflagration’: UN Envoy
16 September 2019
Peace and Security
Attacks against oil facilities in Saudi Arabia over the weekend, claimed by rebel fighters in Yemen, are a sign that the war-torn country could be drawn into even greater conflict, the top United Nations official there told the Security Council on Monday.
NASA
Ozone on track to heal completely in our lifetime, UN environment agency declares on World Day.
16 September 2019
Climate Change
At the current momentum, scientists predict the planet’s protective shield of gas - or ozone layer as we know it - will be completely healed as far as some regions of the planet are concerned, by the 2030’s, the UN’s environmental agency (UNEP) revealed on Monday.
IOM/Mohammed
Genocide threat for Myanmar’s Rohingya greater than ever, investigators warn Human Rights Council
16 September 2019
Human Rights
Hundreds of thousands of ethnic Rohingya who remain in Myanmar may face a greater threat of genocide than ever, amid Government attempts to “erase their identity and remove them from the country”, UN-appointed independent investigators said on Monday.
Audio - 4'27" Playlist
UN Photo/Loey Felipe
UN General Assembly: Here are the 5 big summits to watch out for
15 September 2019
UN Affairs
It’s that time again, when the eyes of the world turn to New York, as world leaders fly into the city to take part in the General Debate that marks the opening of the latest session of the UN General Assembly, or UNGA.
Giles Clarke/UN OCHA
Guterres calls for ‘maximum restraint’ following drone assault on key Saudi oil facility
15 September 2019
Peace and Security
The UN Secretary-General appealed on Sunday for “maximum restraint" following a wave of drone attacks claimed by Houthi rebels in Yemen, against two Saudi Arabian-based petroleum processing facilities, which threaten to disrupt global oil supplies.
UN Photo/Agnieszka Mikulska
UN chief urges ‘active, substantive and meaningful participation’ on International Day of Democracy
14 September 2019
Human Rights
On the International Day of Democracy, the United Nations chief urged each Government to respect its citizens’ right to “meaningful participation” in the political process.
UN Photo/OCHA/Mark Garten
In The Bahamas, Guterres sees impact of ‘Category Hell’ hurricane, ‘powered by climate change’
14 September 2019
Humanitarian Aid
The UN chief saw for himself the deadly power of Hurricane Dorian on the shattered islands of Abaco and Grand Bahama on Saturday, describing it as more like a “Category Hell” disaster, than the official Category 5 designation used by meteorologists.
UN Photo/Mark Garten
In visit to hurricane-ravaged Bahamas, UN chief calls for greater action to address climate change
13 September 2019
Climate Change
World leaders attending the upcoming UN Climate Action Summit are being urged to show up armed not with speeches but with plans to achieve carbon neutrality, reduce emissions and improve adaptation.
FAO/Ryanwil Baldovino
UNESCO food and culture forum dishes up fresh serving of SDGs
13 September 2019
SDGs
Strengthening cultural heritage and culture-related food practices boosts social inclusion, economic development and well-being, the UN’s deputy culture chief told participants at the UNESCO agency’s World Forum on the matter, on Friday.
Audio - 8'52" Playlist
UN Photo/Mark Garten
UN General Assembly celebrates 20 years of promoting a culture of peace
13 September 2019
Peace and Security
Just as the greatest global challenges cannot be solved by a single country, peace cannot be pursued in isolation, outgoing UN General Assembly President María Fernanda Espinosa said on Friday.
© UNICEF/Frank Dejo
Friday’s Daily Brief: 12 million may miss school, Bangladesh and Mali updates, Kenya’s malaria vaccine, land degradation pact
13 September 2019
Humanitarian Aid
A recap of Friday’s top stories: 12 million children may never go to school; Monsoon rains crush Rohingya shelters; 3.9 million Malians in need of humanitarian aid; Kenya launches malaria vaccine; and agreement made to neutralize land degradation.
SGP Ghana
Delhi Declaration: Countries agree to make ‘land degradation neutrality’ by 2030, a national target for action
13 September 2019
Climate Change
A major UN conference on fighting desertification agreed on Friday to make the Sustainable Development Goal target of achieving “land degradation neutrality” (LDN), a national target for action.
UN News/Nam Cho
INTERVIEW: Poverty, education and inclusion top new General Assembly President’s priority list
13 September 2019
UN Affairs
Back in June, Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Tijjani Muhammad-Bande, was elected by acclamation to preside over the 74th session of the General Assembly, which kicks off in New York in just over a week.
© UNICEF/Frank Dejongh
Around 12 million children may never see a classroom, UN data reveals
13 September 2019
Culture and Education
New data published by the United Nations cultural agency on Friday, reveals that without taking urgent measures, around 12 million young children will never set foot inside a school, with girls facing “the greatest barriers”.
Audio - 5'57" Playlist
WFP/Nihab Rahman
Monsoon destroys Rohingya shelters, sparking record UN emergency food agency response in Bangladesh
13 September 2019
Humanitarian Aid
Unusually heavy monsoon rains have inundated shelters in refugee camps in southern Bangladesh creating “havoc”, the World Food Programme (WFP) said on Friday, as it launched its biggest emergency response of the year for displaced Rohingya families.
UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe
Thursday’s Daily Brief: Religious site protection, South-South Cooperation, ‘UNComplicated’ airs, West Bank threat, vaccination, Hong Kong update
12 September 2019
Peace and Security
A recap of Thursday’s top stories: UN Chief’s global call to safeguard religious sites; South-South Cooperation ‘accelerates’ towards SDGs; Guterres on West Bank annexation threat; WHO says one in 10 children not getting proper vaccines; Protestor protection call over Hong Kong; New ‘UNComplicated’ podcast launches.
OCHA oPt
Annexing Jordan Valley would end ‘illusion’ of a meaningful two-State solution: UN rights expert
12 September 2019
Human Rights
Israel’s intention to annex the Jordan Valley is illegal and threatens chances for a meaningful two-State solution with the Palestinians, a UN independent human rights expert has said.
UN News/Matthew Wells
UNcomplicating the UN: a new podcast is born over coffee in New York
12 September 2019
Culture and Education
This week, just in time for #UNGA74, UN News is launching a brand-new podcast which grew out of a conversation in a coffee shop, between our hosts, Sinduja Srinivasan, and Jason DeWall.
Audio - 25'13" Playlist
© John Isaac
‘Reaffirm the sanctity’ of religious sites, says Guterres, launching new plan to ‘counter hate and violence’
12 September 2019
Peace and Security
Amidst a global call by Secretary-General António Guterres to “reaffirm the sanctity” of religious sites and keep worshippers safe, the UN Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) on Thursday launched a new plan of action to “counter hate and violence around the globe”.
Audio - 5'38" Playlist
FAO/Ubirajara Machado
South-South Cooperation ‘accelerates’ us toward 2030 goals, UN Chief says on International Day
12 September 2019
SDGs
Collaboration among countries of the global south offers a “unique pathway” that accelerates us towards the key 2030 sustainable development targets, UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, told a commemorative event for South-South Cooperation (SSC) on Thursday.
© OCHA/Halldorsson
Wednesday’s Daily Brief: ‘Appalling’ conditions in Syria camp, precarious SDG progress, South Sudan, Palestine refugees and mining in Mongolia
11 September 2019
SDGs
A recap of Wednesday’s top stories: ‘Inhumane conditions’ in Syria’s Al Hol camp worsening; SDG progress risks going backward; food insecurity in South Sudan; Arab League petitioned to support Palestine refugees; and mining in Mongolia should boost development.
World Bank/Flore de Preneuf
Climate crisis could see ‘collapse’ of some economies without diversification, warns UN trade chief
11 September 2019
Climate Change
Climate change poses an “existential threat to commodity-dependent developing countries”, the United Nation’s trade chief said on Wednesday, pointing to a newly released report highlighting the need to diversify economies and exports.
Audio - 3'53" Playlist
UNDP/Rob Few
SDG progress ‘in danger’ of going backwards without change in direction, new UN report reveals
11 September 2019
SDGs
The current worldwide sustainable development model is threatening to reverse years of progress, if strategies don’t drastically change, an independent group of scientists has concluded in a major new report launched on Wednesday.
OCHA/Hedinn Halldorsson
UN report on Syria conflict highlights inhumane detention of women and children
11 September 2019
Humanitarian Aid
As the people of north-west Syria face intensifying violence, tens of thousands of women and children continue to be kept in “inhumane conditions” in a remote camp on the other side of the country, UN-appointed independent investigators said on Wednesday.
World Bank/Dana Smillie
Is the world living up to its climate commitments?
11 September 2019
Climate Change
As the United Nations gears up for the September Climate Action Summit in New York, one of its most high-profile climate conferences in recent times, what progress is the world making in tackling the climate crisis, and how is that progress being measured?
World Bank/Olja Latinovic
UN health agency spotlights stalled effort to close health divide across Europe, in new report
10 September 2019
SDGs
Progress on equal access to a healthy life for all, is at a standstill across Europe, a new report by the World Health Organization (WHO) revealed on Tuesday, despite their being a clear path to close gaps in national care.
Alexandre Soares.
‘All efforts must be made’ to ensure peaceful elections for Guinea-Bissau, Security Council hears
10 September 2019
Peace and Security
Since the inauguration of Guinea-Bissau’s new Government in July, the political arena has been dominated by preparation for presidential elections, the assistant chief for UN peacekeeping operations in Africa told the Security Council on Tuesday, briefing members on the state of the nation, and the UN peacebuilding office there (UNIOGBIS).
UNAMA/Eric Kanalstein
Tuesday's Daily Brief: Afghanistan ‘direct talks’ needed, Nicaragua rights crisis, Bangladesh monsoon and Libya detainees latest, Dorian update
10 September 2019
Humanitarian Aid
A recap of Monday’s top stories: All Afghans must participate in peace process; Nicaragua’s rights crisis can be resolved says Bachelet; Rohingya refugees impacted by monsoon rains; Libya detainees to be evacuated to Rwanda; and multiple donors show solidarity with the Bahamas.
UNOCHA/Mulugeta Ayene
More funds needed to counter ‘persistent and multi-faceted humanitarian problems’ in Ethiopia
10 September 2019
Humanitarian Aid
Ethiopia is beset by “persistent and multi-faceted humanitarian problems”, the United Nations relief chief said on Tuesday, calling for more international funding as well as support for the Government-led response to the country’s displacement crisis.
UNAMA/Mujeeb Rahman
‘Whole spectrum of Afghan society’ must get behind peace talks, UN envoy tells Security Council
10 September 2019
Peace and Security
The long Afghan conflict can only be resolved by “direct talks” between its own people, the chief of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) told the Security Council on Tuesday, underscoring that they must be inclusive and represent “the whole spectrum of Afghan society”.
Artículo 66
Nicaragua ‘crisis’ still cause for concern amid murder, torture allegations: Bachelet
10 September 2019
Human Rights
Nicaragua’s on-going human rights crisis can be resolved peacefully through dialogue, the UN’s top rights official said on Tuesday, before expressing concern about allegations of torture and murder of protesters involved in last year’s anti-Government demonstrations.
David Longstreath/IRIN
Scourge of slavery still claims 40 million victims worldwide, ‘must serve as a wakeup call’
9 September 2019
Human Rights
Incidents of modern-day slavery are “only likely to increase” as a result of some of biggest challenges facing the world today, a UN expert outlined in a report for the Human Rights Council in Geneva on Monday.
UNifeed Video
Monday’s Daily Brief: Suicide death every 40 seconds, rights chief on climate change link, Venezuela, Dorian updates, desertification summit latest
9 September 2019
Health
A recap of Monday’s top stories: Someone dies by suicide every 40 seconds says new report; UN rights chief highlights climate change threat, and “devastating toll” on Venezuela; deputy chief Amina Mohammed says halting desertification is a key part of climate action; health agency pledges millions to Hurricane Dorian response.
Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO)
Nuclear testing has ‘disastrous consequences’ for people and planet, General Assembly told
9 September 2019
Peace and Security
Events commemorating the recent International Day against Nuclear Tests serve as an “important and stark reminder…of the disastrous consequences of nuclear testing on human health and the environment”, a top UN official told the General Assembly on Monday.
MINUSMA / Gema Cortes
Political solutions ‘prerequisite to sustainable peace’, Lacroix tells Security Council
9 September 2019
Peace and Security
While peacekeeping is an “essential tool” for preventing conflict and reducing the risk of relapse, “political solutions are a prerequisite to sustainable peace”, the United Nations peacekeeping chief told the Security Council on Monday.
World Bank/Dominic Chavez
One person dies by suicide every 40 seconds: new UN health agency report
9 September 2019
Health
Despite progress in national prevention strategies, one person dies by suicide every 40 seconds, the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Director-General lamented on Monday, highlighting key findings of the agency’s latest report on global suicide estimates.
Audio - 11'14" Playlist
17ª Brigada de Infantaria de Selva
We are ‘burning up our future’, UN’s Bachelet tells Human Rights Council
9 September 2019
Human Rights
The Human Rights Council opened in Geneva on Monday with a warning from the UN’s top rights official that, with forest fires raging in the Amazon, “we are burning up our future, literally”.
UN Photo/Harandane Dicko
Engaging ‘head and mind’, key for effective learning, says UNESCO chief on Literacy Day
8 September 2019
Culture and Education
On International Literacy Day, Sunday, the chief of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) maintained that "engaging with both head and mind is a key for effective learning”.
UN Photo/Manuel Elias
UN chief welcomes prisoner exchange between Russia and Ukraine
8 September 2019
Peace and Security
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres welcomed on Sunday, yesterday’s exchange of prisoners and detainees between Russia and Ukraine.
© UNICEF/Farber/Getty
UNICEF backpacks used as a haunting symbol to call for greater protection of children living in conflict
8 September 2019
Peace and Security
As children in many parts of the world return to school, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) launched a haunting installation on Sunday that displays 3,758 school backpacks as headstones to illustrate the grave scale of child deaths in conflict in 2018 and call for greater protection of children living in conflict.
© UNICEF/Manuel Moreno Gonzalez
Bahamas: ‘Clock is ticking’ to help those who lost everything in Hurricane Dorian, says UN
8 September 2019
Humanitarian Aid
“The clock is ticking” for Hurricane Dorian survivors in the Bahamas to receive humanitarian assistance, the top United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) official in the region said on Sunday.
Audio - 4'50" Playlist
SGP Ghana
Friday's Daily Brief: Desertification summit, Dorian death toll rising, UN project eases Mali tensions, Yemen funding crisis, hope for Cameroon
6 September 2019
Climate Change
A recap of Friday’s main stories: Desertification solutions can ease other world woes; Dorian death toll expected to rise; UN moves to ease communal tensions in Mali; Yemen funding crisis threatens reproductive health nationwide; special report on countering terror in Cameroon.
UN News/Daniel Dickinson
Restore land to save the planet, boost the economy, says head of UN body combating desertification
6 September 2019
Climate Change
Investing in land restoration could not only help keep our planet healthy, but also be the starting point for resolving some of the biggest issues of our time, the head of the UN entity tackling desertification told journalists on Friday via video conference, from the ongoing global summit on the issue, underway in India’s capital.
© John Isaac
Mitigating climate change in Asia-Pacific could give region an economic boost
6 September 2019
Climate Change
The urgent need to move towards a low carbon economy and build resilience, would not only mitigate the worst impacts of climate change in the Asia-Pacific, but also lift the region economically, according to the body overseeing the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe
Growing a future free of terrorism: UN News special report from Cameroon
6 September 2019
Peace and Security
When terrorists attacked and ransacked 30-year old Mamma Hamidou’s village in the Far North region of Cameroon four years ago, she faced an impossible choice. Hand over her young daughter or risk that her husband be executed on the spot.
U.S. Coast Guard District 7
Hurricane Dorian: Bahamas death toll expected to rise as thousands remain missing
6 September 2019
Humanitarian Aid
As the UN and other aid partners respond to huge humanitarian needs in the hurricane-struck northern Bahamas, latest reports indicate that the death toll is likely to increase substantially, the head of an emergency medical relief team said on Friday.
UNMISS/Nektarios Markogiannis
Sexual exploitation and abuse: latest UN quarterly update
5 September 2019
Peace and Security
In the second quarter of 2019, the United Nations received 38 allegations of sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA) involving UN personnel, including civilian and uniformed personnel from peacekeeping operations, as well as those from agencies, funds and programmes, according to the latest figures released on Thursday.
UNICEF/Christopher Herwig
Thursday’s Daily Brief: Facebook rallies against vaccination ‘fake news’, DPR Korea UN staff cuts call, Syria crop report, crisis funding and Dorian latest
5 September 2019
Health
A recap of Thursday’s stories: Facebook and WHO work together to stem misinformation on vaccines; North Korea tells UN to cut staff; $75 million allocated for eight crises; mixed news on Syria crop production; ‘digital divide’ sidelines most vulnerable.
U.S. Coast Guard District 7
UN gears up emergency food aid for hurricane-struck region of Bahamas, as death toll rises
5 September 2019
Humanitarian Aid
With initial assessments indicating that some 76,000 people in the parts of the Bahamas worst-affected by Hurricane Dorian need urgent support, the World Food Programme (WFP) is arranging for eight tons of ready-to-eat meals to be provided – part of a $5.4 million overall funding package.
Audio - 4'50" Playlist
UN Photo/Manuel Elias
UN health agency welcomes Facebook pledge to stop vaccine misinformation from going viral
5 September 2019
Health
The World Health Organization (WHO) on Thursday welcomed Facebook’s pledge to ensure users can separate fact from fiction when it comes to vaccines, across its platforms from Facebook Search, to Groups, Pages and forums.
WFP/Marwa Awad
Crop yields are up in Syria, but higher prices still cause major strain: new UN report
5 September 2019
Health
A new UN report on Thursday shows that while improved security and rainfall across Syria's farming areas have boosted the country’s harvests, higher prices mean that many citizens are still struggling to feed their families.
World Bank/Dana Smillie
Is the world living up to its climate commitments?
5 September 2019
Climate Change
As the United Nations gears up for the September Climate Action Summit in New York, one of its most high-profile climate conferences in recent times, what progress is the world making in tackling the climate crisis, and how is that progress being measured?
UNOCHA Twitter screengrab
Central Africans ‘need our help now’: UN’s deputy relief chief
4 September 2019
Humanitarian Aid
“Spikes of violence” in previously unaffected areas of the Central African Republic (CAR) have prompted new displacement, the United Nations Deputy Emergency Relief Coordinator said on Wednesday, calling for additional funding to meet the humanitarian needs of 2.9 million people.
Audio - 9'7" Playlist
OCHA/Christian Cricboom
Wednesday’s Daily Brief: Fear rampant in Burundi, WHO on nutrition, Hurricane Dorian latest, Cyberbullying poll, Bachelet, one year on
4 September 2019
Peace and Security
A recap of Wednesday’s main stories: UN rights experts warn ‘climate of fear’ rampant in Burundi; New health report on proper nutrition; One in three young people say they’ve been bullied online; and UN’s top rights official on world’s crises
US Coast Guard Southeast
Northern Bahamas ravaged by 'disaster of epic proportions' as UN releases US$1 million in emergency funds
4 September 2019
Economic Development
Following the “terrible devastation” of parts of the northern Bahamas in the Caribbean caused by Hurricane Dorian, Secretary-General António Guterres has said he “remains deeply concerned” for those thousands impacted by the giant storm. The UN's relief chief, Mark Lowcock, travelled to the island nation on Wednesday, to meet Government leaders and help expedite a life-saving aid operation.
Audio - 4'50" Playlist
IOM/Marian Khokhar
Libyans continue ‘spilling their blood on the battlefield’ as fight for Tripoli rages on
4 September 2019
Peace and Security
It is five months to the day since the forces of the self-styled Libyan National Army launched an offensive to seize control of Tripoli, halting “an active and promising political process”, the United Nations top envoy for the country told the Security Council on Wednesday.
UN News/Daniel Johnson
Human rights are everyone’s business, amid relentless crises around world: UN’s Bachelet
4 September 2019
Human Rights
The relentless outbreak of crises around the world – from the fires in the Amazon to “carnage” in Syria and demonstrations in Hong Kong, Russia, Indonesian Papua and elsewhere - risk pushing the world “further and further away from global solutions to global problems”, the UN’s top rights official said on Wednesday.
UNICEF/Fara Zahri
‘Digital divide’ will worsen inequalities, without better global cooperation
4 September 2019
Economic Development
Inequality will worsen unless the so-called “digital divide” – the gap between under-connected and highly digitalized countries – is not addressed, warns a new report released on Wednesday by the UN trade body, UNCTAD.
Audio - 11'58" Playlist
©UNICEF/Almahbashi
3.7 million lives could be saved by 2025 if health services ramp up nutrition actions: WHO
4 September 2019
Humanitarian Aid
If governments boost their focus on healthier eating, 3.7 million deaths could be prevented by the year 2025, according to the World Health Organization’s (WHO) latest guidelines on improving nutrition, released on Wednesday.
UN Belarus/Victor Radivinovski
New technologies, artificial intelligence aid fight against global terrorism
4 September 2019
Peace and Security
Although terrorists have become skilled at manipulating the Internet and other new technologies, artificial intelligence or AI, is a powerful tool in the fight against them, a top UN counter-terrorism official said this week at a high-level conference on strengthening international cooperation against the scourge.
BSWM-UNDP Philippines-GEF5 SLM Project
FROM THE FIELD: Balancing act for Philippines farmers
4 September 2019
SDGs
An effort to reverse land degradation in the Philippines and boost sustainable agriculture as well as the livelihoods of farmers, is being supported by the UN Development Programme (UNDP).
UN/Steven Bornholtz
New UN book club helps children deal with global issues
4 September 2019
SDGs
For children in Chad, getting an education can involve manual labour. That’s because, every year, there’s a chance that the rainy season will destroy their school, and they will have to join their teachers in rebuilding it. This is the story recounted in the children’s book “Rain School”, which is on the reading list of the UN's SDG Book Club.
© UNICEF/Mark Naftalin
A third of young people polled by UN, report being a victim of online bullying
4 September 2019
Human Rights
Around one-in-three young people across 30 countries say they have been bullied online, while one-in-five report that they have skipped school because of it. Those are some of the key findings in a new poll released on Wednesday by the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the UN Special Representative on Violence against Children.
Audio - 11'19" Playlist
UNAMA/Fardin Waezi
Following week of bloodshed, ‘suffering of the Afghan people must end’ says UN mission chief, as Guterres calls for inclusive negotiations
3 September 2019
Peace and Security
In the wake of a surge in violence across Afghanistan over the past week, the country’s top UN envoy has pleaded for an end to the fighting through a negotiated peace settlement, and an end to the “indescribable loss” suffered by victims’ loved ones
UN News/Elizabeth Scaffidi
Tuesday’s Daily Brief: Guatemala, Hurricane Dorian, Yemen, Nigeria, Somalia and post-Brexit UK trade
3 September 2019
Peace and Security
A recap of Tuesday’s stories: International Commission against Impunity in Guatemala successfully completes mandate; UN prioritizes Hurricane Dorian assistance; Nowhere to hide in Yemen; Insecurity and Violence in Nigeria; Post-Brexit export losses likely in billions for UK; Hunger in Somalia.
©UNICEF/Saleh Baholis
Nowhere is safe to hide in war-torn Yemen, say UN-appointed rights experts
3 September 2019
Human Rights
The people of Yemen have been subject to “numerous” possible war crimes in recent years including forced recruitment of children and sexual abuse in detention, UN-appointed senior rights experts said on Tuesday, in an appeal to the international community to do more to end the conflict.
World Bank/Arne Hoel
Insecurity and violence turn Nigeria into a ‘pressure cooker’ that must be addressed, says UN rights expert
3 September 2019
Peace and Security
Nigeria is a pressure cooker of internal conflicts and generalized violence that must be addressed urgently, an independent United Nations expert said on Tuesday, following a fact-finding visit to the country.
© European Union 2017 (photographer: Anouk Delafortrie)
Somalia: worst harvest since 2011, with more than 2 million expected to go hungry
3 September 2019
Climate Change
Somalia’s 2019 cereal harvest is the poorest the country has seen since 2011, when famine strained already scarce resources, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), announced on Tuesday, blaming unreliable weather patterns and “climatic shocks”.
OCHA/Htet Htet Oo
UN experts decry torture of Rakhine men and boys held incommunicado by Myanmar’s military
3 September 2019
Human Rights
Allegations of torture and ill-treatment leading to the death of ethnic Rakhine men and boys being held in incommunicado detention by Myanmar’s military, has prompted three independent UN rights experts to call for an end to the practice and for “credible, independent” investigations.
Audio - 6'45" Playlist
windy.com
UN ‘prioritizing needs’, ramping up aid, as Hurricane Dorian continues to batter the Bahamas
3 September 2019
Humanitarian Aid
Renewed warnings of deadly destruction in the Bahamas caused by Hurricane Dorian have been issued by UN agencies and partners, who said on Tuesday that they’re worried “for every single” person on two of the worst-hit Caribbean islands.
NASA
Top officials say UN will support Bahamas’ rescue, relief efforts as Hurricane Dorian churns in Atlantic
2 September 2019
UN Affairs
United Nations leaders on Monday expressed solidarity with the people and Government of the Bahamas and all those impacted by Hurricane Dorian, the massive storm pummeling the region with high winds and torrential rainfall.
UNICEF/Khalil Ashawi
Hospitals among seven health centres attacked in Syria’s north-east
2 September 2019
Peace and Security
Seven health centres in Syria’s north-west have been reportedly attacked in recent days and two of them have been destroyed, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Monday.
MONUSCO/Michael Ali
DR Congo President and UN chief meet at a ‘historic moment’ for democracy in the country
2 September 2019
Peace and Security
On the third and final day of his visit to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), UN chief António Guterres declared that the country is experiencing a historic moment, which could herald the development of democratic institutions.
UN Photo/Isaac Billy
‘These are very dark times for Yemen’: senior UN official on air strike mass casualties
2 September 2019
Peace and Security
Lise Grande, the UN Humanitarian Coordinator in Yemen, described Sunday’s deadly airstrikes in Dhamar City as a “horrific incident”, and the scale of the casualties, as “staggering”. “These are very dark times for Yemen,” said Ms. Grande. "There have been days of fighting and strikes in the south and hundreds of casualties”.
SGP Ghana
FROM THE FIELD: Restoring life to Ghana’s land
2 September 2019
Climate Change
Subsistence farmers in Ghana are learning how to hold back the decline in the fertility of the smallholdings they cultivate while revitalizing their soils as desertification increasingly threatens their land and livelihoods.
UN/Martine Perret
UN chief pays tribute to the courage of DR Congo citizens facing Ebola and insecurity, and the sacrifice of blue helmets
1 September 2019
Peace and Security
On the second day of his visit to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres saluted the courage of the country’s citizens, as well as the sacrifice of the peacekeepers who have died serving them.
