Author: admin

2 August 2023Peace and Security The Security Council on Wednesday unanimously voted to expand the mandate of the UN Verification Mission in Colombia to monitor a ceasefire between the Government and the largest remaining rebel group in the country.  The truce with the ELN, the Spanish acronym for National Liberation Army, comes into effect on… Continue reading Colombia: UN Mission to monitor ceasefire with ELN rebel group

“With only 17 months remaining on the Roadmap timelines before elections in 2024, I repeat what I had said in an earlier press conference, that 2023 is a ‘make or break’ year,” Nicholas Haysom said. Mr. Haysom heads the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) which reported that “a race against time” is now underway in… Continue reading Time running out on election timeline for South Sudan, UN official warns

2 August 2023Human Rights Conflict in Sudan has forced nearly four million people to flee their homes in a little over 100 days, the UN Migration Agency (IOM) has warned.  Latest data from the IOM’s displacement matrix indicates that the clash between the Sudanese army and paramilitaries has uprooted a staggering number of people, with… Continue reading Sudan conflict displaces nearly four million: UN migration agency

1 August 2023SDGs UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina J. Mohammed on Tuesday called for urgent efforts to boost climate action, protect biodiversity, promote sustainable food systems, and ensure decent jobs and social protection. In Brasília, Ms. Mohammed said that Brazil – as the next chair of the G20 – can inspire collective global action towards the… Continue reading In Brazil, UN deputy chief urges greater ambition for Global Goals

Briefing journalists at UN Headquarters in New York, Léonardo Santos Simão reiterated condemnation of the attempted overthrow of Nigerien President Mohamed Bazoum on 26 July. He also underscored support for efforts by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) aimed at restoring constitutional order and consolidating democratic gains in the country. People deserve peace “The… Continue reading Niger crisis could worsen insecurity throughout West Africa, UN envoy warns

31 July 2023Migrants and Refugees More than two days of armed violence at the Ein El Hilweh Palestine Refugee camp in southern Lebanon continues to impact civilians, including children, a senior UN official in the country said on Monday. Eleven people were killed and another 40 were injured, including a staff member with the UN agency… Continue reading Violence at refugee camp in Lebanon leaves 11 dead, forces thousands to flee: UNRWA

31 July 2023Peace and Security The Secretary-General’s Special Representative for West Africa has underlined the UN’s strong condemnation of the attempted coup in Niger, the global body said on Monday. Léonardo Santos Simão was in Abuja, Nigeria, on Sunday to participate in the extraordinary summit on the crisis, organized by regional bloc ECOWAS. “He will… Continue reading UN envoy to continue efforts to restore constitutional order in Niger

Denise Brown, UN Humanitarian Coordinator for Ukraine, spoke remotely at a press briefing at the UN Headquarters, in New York, and said that funds are needed particularly to prepare for the approaching winter. “It is almost August, and it gets cold very early in Ukraine,” she said. She said that humanitarians are preparing for winterization,… Continue reading Ukraine: War intensifies and so do the needs, says UN relief official

31 July 2023Climate and Environment A summer of extreme weather in the northern hemisphere is causing major damage to people’s health and the environment, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) reported on Monday, as countries from the United States to China battle intense heat.  Record temperatures have been reported on land and in the sea, while… Continue reading Northern hemisphere summer marked by heatwaves and wildfires: WMO

31 July 2023Peace and Security UN Secretary-General António Guterres has strongly condemned the deadly suicide bombing at a political rally in northwest Pakistan on Sunday. At least 54 people were killed, and 83 injured, in the attack, which occurred in Bajaur district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. International media reported on Monday that the Islamic State… Continue reading Guterres strongly condemns suicide bombing in Pakistan

29 July 2023Peace and Security In a press statement published on Friday, the Security Council members called for the immediate and unconditional release of Niger’s democratically elected President Mohammed Bazoum and underscored the need to protect him, his family and members of his government. The members of the Security Council strongly condemned the efforts to… Continue reading Niger: Security Council strongly condemns ‘efforts to unconstitutionally change’ the government

Data from the UN’s World Meteorological Organization reveals this July is set to be the hottest month ever recorded.  Heatwaves not only threaten the environment but create additional obstacles for countries attempting to achieve sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment, and decent work for all, the targets of Sustainable Development Goal 8, according to the ILO’s… Continue reading INTERVIEW: Heatwaves endanger workers and reduce productivity

Climate change and conflict Briefing the Security Council, Lt. Gen. Mohan Subramanian, Force Commander of the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) recalled when dykes collapsed in Unity State in October 2022, leading to flash floods not seen in nearly six decades, displacing over 170,000 people to the provincial capital Bentiu. If left unaddressed the… Continue reading UN missions battle old and emerging threats, to protect civilians

At a press briefing in New York, Carl Skau, Deputy Executive Director of the World Food Programme, said that the collapse of the Black Sea Grain Initiative after Russia ended its engagement was “regrettable, to say the least.” Under the initiative, WFP shipped more than 725,000 tons of grain, relieving hunger in some of the… Continue reading World entering a ‘humanitarian doom loop’, warns UN food aid official

Nicole Kouassi, UN Acting Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator, was speaking from the capital, Niamey, just hours after the general whose troops seized the democratically elected president, declared that he was assuming control of the country. On behalf of UN agencies on the ground, she echoed the Secretary-General’s condemnation of Wednesday’s coup against President Mohamed… Continue reading UN pledges to ‘remain engaged and committed’ amid Niger coup

28 July 2023Migrants and Refugees Civilians fleeing attacks by extremist groups in Burkina Faso must be allowed to shelter in neighbouring countries and not sent back, amid a spike in violence and horrifying rights abuses, the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) said on Friday. “We’re urgently appealing for all States to refrain from forcibly returning any… Continue reading UNHCR urges solidarity with Burkina Faso’s victims of extremist violence

The trend indicates that climate litigation is becoming an integral part of the international push for greater climate action and justice.  The Global Climate Litigation Report: 2023 Status Review, is based on a review of cases up to the end of 2022, compiled by the Sabin Center for Climate Change Law at Columbia University, which partnered… Continue reading Climate Litigation Report reveals spike in cases demanding action

“This deterioration is taking place alongside ongoing unilateral steps that undermine a two-State solution, the absence of a peace process and the continuing economic challenges facing Palestinians and the Palestinian Authority (PA),” said Khaled Khiari, Assistant Secretary-General for Middle East, briefing ambassadors. “It is critical that all parties take urgent steps to stop the downward… Continue reading ‘Urgent steps’ needed to end surge in violence across West Bank

Cases of infectious diseases and other illness have been reported among the displaced population who have sought shelter in hard-to-reach locations, where health services are limited. “The scale of the health crisis is enormous. We are working hard to step up our response, delivering critical medical and other emergency health supplies,” said Dr. Nima Saeed… Continue reading Sudan health crisis reaches ‘gravely serious levels’: WHO

Echoing that warning in New York, UN Secretary-General António Guterres said that “short of a mini-Ice Age” in coming days, July 2023 would likely “shatter records across the board”.   The UN chief added that the consequences were as clear as they were tragic: “children swept away by monsoon rains, families running from the flames… Continue reading UN weather agency warns July likely warmest month on record

27 July 2023Peace and Security UN Secretary-General António Guterres on Thursday highlighted the need for a “surge in diplomacy” in the Korean Peninsula, urging the two nations to resume talks towards a lasting peace. His message marked the 70th anniversary of the Korean War Armistice Agreement that ended the hostilities and established a demilitarized zone,… Continue reading On 70th anniversary of Korean armistice, Guterres calls for renewed dialogue

27 July 2023Peace and Security The UN Secretary-General on Thursday demanded the release of Niger’s President Mohamed Bazoum “immediately and unconditionally”, as military officers continue to hold the democratically-elected leader captive after declaring a coup. A group of officers from all branches of the military made the television announcement late on Wednesday, after members of… Continue reading Niger: UN chief demands president’s immediate and unconditional release

27 July 2023Climate and Environment Climate change impacts are increasing in Asia, which is warming faster than the global average, the World Meteorological Office (WMO) said in a new report published on Thursday.  Melting ice and glaciers and rising sea levels threaten more socio-economic disruption in future, according to the agency’s latest State of the… Continue reading Warming trend in Asia set to cause more disruption: UN weather agency

26 July 2023Climate and Environment Half of all children in Europe and Central Asia, 92 million, are exposed to high heatwave frequency, or double the global average, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said on Thursday in a new policy brief. Regina De Dominicis, UNICEF Regional Director Europe and Central Asia, said countries in these parts… Continue reading Heatwave threat impacts half of all children in Europe and Central Asia

The Council meeting was convened following the missile strikes on Sunday which damaged the centuries-old Transfiguration Cathedral, the first and foremost Orthodox church in the historic city. Other landmarks in the city centre, a protected World Heritage Site, were also damaged in the attack, which killed one person and injured several others. Culture under fire… Continue reading Ukraine: ‘Latest attacks signal a calamitous turn’, Security Council hears

26 July 2023Peace and Security The UN Secretary-General António Guterres has strongly condemned an attempted power grab in the West African nation of Niger, following reports that the democratically elected president is being held by some of his own guards inside his official residence. According to news reports, the officers seized President Mohamed Bazoum and… Continue reading Guterres condemns apparent coup attempt in Niger

The task of transferring a million barrels of oil from the stricken supertanker Yemen, will take some 19 days – preventing what would be the fifth largest spill in history, were the rusting tanker to break apart.  But this process will not end with the oil transfer, because the FSO Safer will continue to pose… Continue reading The UN’s milestone operation to salvage Yemen’s stricken oil tanker: Key questions answered

25 July 2023Peace and Security While national elections in West Africa and the Sahel provide an important opportunity for voters to effect change, they also expose “real challenges” which must be addressed moving forward, the UN’s top envoy for the region said on Tuesday.  In his first briefing to the Security Council since being appointed… Continue reading ‘Real challenges’ must be addressed beyond polling day, urges UN West Africa envoy

25 July 2023Climate and Environment Asia and the Pacific has a “narrow window” to protect its hard-won gains, as climate change supercharges disasters and impacts billions there, the UN’s development body spanning the vast region said on Tuesday. According to a new report from the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific… Continue reading ‘Disaster emergency’ underway in Asia-Pacific, warns ESCAP

25 July 2023Climate and Environment The UN has started a complex operation to transfer crude oil from a decaying supertanker stranded off the coast of Yemen since 2015. The 19-day operation will pump more than one million barrels out of the rusting vessel, the Safer, which was abandoned over eight years ago, to a nearby… Continue reading Yemen: High stakes UN operation underway to avert catastrophic oil spill

“I hope they will soon, because if not, it will be another missed opportunity to help the Syrian conflict to come to a negotiated end, at a time when the impact of the crisis is deepening,” Geir Pedersen said, briefing the Security Council. While there had been positive humanitarian gestures following the devastating earthquakes in… Continue reading Syria still mired in division, top UN envoy tells Security Council

23 July 2023Culture and Education Senior UN officials have strongly condemned the deadly Russian missile strikes in the Ukrainian city of Odesa on Sunday which damaged several historic buildings. The attacks resulted in civilian casualties and damaged significant cultural sites, including the Transfiguration Cathedral, the first and foremost Orthodox church in Odesa, founded in 1794.… Continue reading UN strongly condemns Russian strikes in Odesa, Ukraine

Lisa Singh, who is the UN Resident Coordinator in Mauritius and Seychelles, was speaking ahead of the UN Food Systems Summit +2 which is taking place in Italy from 24 to 26 July. “This is a particularly compelling time to be the Resident Coordinator for a small island state like Mauritius. Since my arrival here in… Continue reading Transformative power of food production in Mauritius: A UN Resident Coordinator blog

22 July 2023Humanitarian Aid The top UN humanitarian official in Yemen on Saturday called for justice in the wake of the recent attack against World Food Programme (WFP) staff that left one person dead and another injured.  In a statement, UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Yemen, David Gressly, said he was “shocked and deeply… Continue reading Yemen: Killing of veteran WFP staff member ‘an unacceptable tragedy’

Moayad Hameidi, a Jordanian national, was working in Turbah, in the country’s southwest. He came under fire on Friday afternoon, and the identify of the assailants is not yet known. Head of Taiz office WFP released a statement expressing deep sadness at the news, noting that he had only recently arrived in Yemen to assume… Continue reading WFP staffer shot and killed in Yemen

Ms. DiCarlo strongly condemned the aerial strikes this week on the ports in Odesa, Chornomorsk and Mykolaiv, which destroyed critical infrastructure and killed or injured civilians. The attacks followed Russia’s decision on Monday effectively end the UN-brokered accord that facilitated Ukrainian grain and foodstuffs to be shipped to international markets, at a time of spiralling… Continue reading Russian strikes on Ukraine ports ‘further blow to global food security’

“About half of the world’s population is at risk of dengue, and dengue affects approximately 129 countries,” said Dr Raman Velayudhan, WHO’s Head of the Global Programme on control of Neglected Tropical Diseases. “We estimate that about 100 to 400 million cases are reported every year. This is basically an estimate and the American region alone… Continue reading Spike in dengue cases due to global warming, warns WHO

Information on the projects and the positive impact they are having on the lives of victims, and children born as a result of sexual exploitation, are contained within the fund’s fifth annual report released earlier this week, covering 2022.  Contributions to the Trust Fund can be made by governments, inter-governmental and non-governmental organizations, private institutions,… Continue reading Trust Fund helps victims and children born of sexual abuse, appeals for continued support

For millennia, civilisations have looked up to the sky pondering the origin and mysteries of the Moon. Ground-based observations enabled by the invention of the first telescopes opened a new chapter in understanding Earth’s celestial companion, and for humankind itself. ‘One small step’ Following the birth of space exploration nearly 70 years ago, the Moon… Continue reading International Moon Day gives boost to peaceful cooperation in space

“The post-Cold War period is over, and we are moving towards a new global order and a multipolar world,” António Guterres said. He highlighted geopolitical tensions, grave human rights violations, distrust in public institutions, new conflicts, terrorism, and the weaponization of emerging technologies. Insecurity is being stoked by a rising threat of nuclear war and… Continue reading UN chief unveils new vision for peace across a ‘multipolar world’

20 July 2023Peace and Security Secretary-General António Guterres on Thursday strongly condemned Russian attacks on Odesa and other Ukrainian ports in recent days, following Moscow’s decision to withdraw from the UN-brokered Black Sea Initiative earlier this week.  In making its decision, Russia also withdrew safe passage guarantees for ships carrying grain and other foodstuffs navigating in… Continue reading Ukraine: Guterres ‘strongly condemns’ Russian attacks on Odesa and other ports

Alexander Senkevich, the Mayor of Mykolaiv, spoke to UN News about reconstruction efforts and the role of the United Nations amidst the threat of ongoing shelling. “We were bombed for 230 days, 159 people died, and 750 were injured. A lot of the city was destroyed because there was shelling everywhere. Alexander Senkevich, Mayor of… Continue reading First Person: Ukrainian ‘city of heroes’ plans post-invasion future

19 July 2023UN Affairs The United Nations family came together on Wednesday to pay tribute to the 77 members of staff who died in the line of duty in 2022.  “We are here to mourn together, to remember together, and to pay our respects together,” Secretary-General António Guterres said at the solemn ceremony, held in… Continue reading UN remembers 77 personnel who died in the line of duty last year

19 July 2023Peace and Security Life-saving relief programmes should not be held hostage by political interests, the President of the General Assembly said on Wednesday, as Member States gathered to debate the use of the veto by a permanent member of the Security Council, that halted vital cross-border aid last week into northern Syria.  “The… Continue reading Don’t play ‘geopolitical games’ with vulnerable lives, urges UN Assembly President

18 July 2023Humanitarian Aid Nearly 200,000 people were displaced by fighting inside Sudan over the past week, the UN reported on Tuesday, citing new figures released by the International Organization for Migration (IOM).  Overall, more than 2.6 million people have been internally displaced since the start of the conflict on 15 April. Meanwhile, more than… Continue reading Sudan: Conflict displaces nearly 200,000 alone in the past week

Since the outbreak of the conflict, tens of thousands have lost their lives, many more have been wounded, and millions displaced within Ukraine and outside its borders. “We must remember that behind every number lies a mother, a father, a child, a grandparent. To turn a blind eye would be an affront to the memory… Continue reading Do not play with nuclear Armageddon, warns UN Assembly President

António Guterres said that if AI became primarily a weapon to launch cyberattacks, generate deepfakes, or for spreading disinformation and hate speech, it would have very serious consequences for global peace and security. “Look no further than social media. Tools and platforms that were designed to enhance human connection are now used to undermine elections,… Continue reading Guterres calls for AI ‘that bridges divides’, rather than pushing us apart

18 July 2023Climate and Environment The dangers associated with the heatwave that’s engulfing the northern hemisphere aren’t over yet, the UN World Meteorological Organization (WMO) warned on Tuesday. In an alert, the agency emphasized that heatwaves are amongst the deadliest natural hazards and WMO Senior Heat Advisor, John Nairn, told reporters that extreme temperatures are… Continue reading Health risks on the rise as heatwave intensifies across Europe: WMO

Under-Secretary-General Rosemary DiCarlo briefed the Security Council in the wake of the collapse earlier in the day of the Black Sea Initiative to bring grain and fertilizer from the region to the world. “The longer this war continues, the more dangerous its consequences, including the possibility of a wider conflict,” she warned. “For the sake… Continue reading ‘Senseless, unjustified war’ in Ukraine must stop: UN political affairs chief

Following weeks of negotiations, the UN-brokered accord that facilitated the export of more than 30 million tonnes of Ukrainian grain to global markets via three Black Sea ports expired on 17 July.   “Today’s decision by the Russian Federation will strike a blow to people in need everywhere,” said Mr. Guterres, speaking to journalists at… Continue reading UN chief regrets Russia’s decision to withdraw from grain deal

The trial of Ntabo Ntaberi Sheka was the most emblematic, complex case the court in North Kivu province had ever handled, and its proceedings and final judgement in 2020 provide a compelling example of how to bring a war criminal to justice. Ahead of the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) Day of International Criminal Justice, which marks the… Continue reading Bringing a war criminal to justice

15 July 2023Humanitarian Aid Warring factions in Sudan must respect international law, protect civilians, and stop targeting relief and aid workers, the United Nations top humanitarian official urged on Saturday, as the conflict reached its three-month mark. “For three months now, the people of Sudan have endured unspeakable suffering amid violence that is tearing their… Continue reading Sudan: ‘We cannot work under the barrel of a gun,’ UN relief chief says

14 July 2023Human Rights The UN human rights office (OHCHR) on Friday said it was very concerned over reports of police in Kenya using excessive force to quell protests this week which have left dozens dead and injured. The demonstrations began over what many Kenyans view as unfair tax hikes and rising inflation in the country, according… Continue reading Kenya: OHCHR ‘very concerned’ over disproportionate use of force against protesters

“Every new wave of warfare brings with it a rising tide of human tragedy, including new waves of war’s oldest, most silenced and least condemned crime,” she said. The Council meeting to examine implementation of its resolutions on conflict-related sexual violence was convened by the United Kingdom, which holds the rotating presidency this month. Meetings survivors in… Continue reading Security Council urged to address ‘most silenced and least condemned crime’

According to the UN weather agency, June witnessed the warmest global average temperature on record, and heatwaves have persisted into early July. Torrential rains and floods have resulted in dozens of fatalities and affected millions in the United States, Japan, China and India. ‘New normal’ “The extreme weather – an increasingly frequent occurrence in our… Continue reading Extreme weather highlights need for greater climate action: WMO

Briefing the Security Council, Prosecutor Karim Khan, said that the mandate of his office, pursuant to resolution 1593 referring the situation in Darfur to the Court in 2005, was clear. “[Our mandate is] ongoing with respect to crimes within our jurisdiction, the crimes of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes; and any individual who… Continue reading Darfur: International Criminal Court launches investigation into surging violence

Khaled Khiari was briefing the Council just a day after DPRK conducted the second launch of its Hwasong-18 intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), a system which he said can now “reach most points on Earth.” It represented “potentially” Pyongyang’s longest ever ballistic missile flight, lasting around 74 minutes and travelling over 1,000 kilometres before crashing into… Continue reading Status quo on Korean Peninsula ‘alarming and unsustainable’, Security Council hears

Cities and towns have become the drivers of economic growth and now account for more than 80 per cent of global GDP.  Yet, in 2020, over one billion inhabitants of urban areas were still living in slums or informal settlements, predominantly in Asia and sub-Saharan Africa. As urban populations grow, slums expand even faster, UN… Continue reading Urban planning must factor in needs of migrants, sustainable development forum hears

UN Secretary-General António Guterres is in the Belgian capital to participate in the second high-level dialogue between the global body and the European Union (EU). The two days of talks will centre around issues that include Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and its ripple effects worldwide, climate change, and the promise and perils of the digital… Continue reading UN needed ‘now more than ever’: European Commission President

13 July 2023Humanitarian Aid The UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) on Thursday launched an emergency seed distribution campaign in Sudan, ensuring farmers and their families have the necessary resources to meet food production needs amid the on-going conflict between rival military forces. The agency plans to reach and assist over one million vulnerable farmers… Continue reading Sudan: Emergency seed distribution campaign underway as fighting continues

The victims, who included members of the Masalit ethnic community, were allegedly killed last month by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and allied militia, the UN human rights office, OHCHR, said, citing credible information. Local people were forced to dispose of the bodies in a mass grave outside the regional capital, El-Geneina , denying those… Continue reading Sudan: UN rights chief calls for probe after 87 bodies found in mass grave

“Colombia is at a critical juncture, a crossroads at which the decisive will of parties and the support of the international community can come together to buttress embryonic peace processes,” said Carlos Ruiz Massieu, presenting his latest report. It shows that progress is being made across several sections of the 2016 Peace Agreement signed by… Continue reading UN envoy points to progress towards peace in Colombia

Eye of the storm SDS are defined as storms caused by intense winds over areas of arid soil that pick up large amounts of ground material in the atmosphere. Approximately two tonnes of sand and dust enter the atmosphere each year, according to the UN Coalition to Combat Desertification (UNCCD). These particles can travel for… Continue reading UN issues global alert to combat severe sand and dust storms

11 July 2023SDGs Despite some progress, billions worldwide still lack access to safe water, sanitation, and hygiene; a situation exacerbated by water scarcity caused by conflicts and climate change. On Tuesday, the High-level Political Forum (HLPF) discussed the key role of water in reaching the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Water pollution poses a significant challenge… Continue reading Major boost needed to reach 2030 water, sanitation and hygiene goals

11 July 2023Peace and Security The UN Secretary-General has strongly condemned an attack on a UN peacekeeping patrol in the northeast Central African Republic (CAR) on Monday which left one Rwandan ‘blue helmet’ dead.  The attack by unknown assailants on the patrol from the MINUSCA mission occurred just a few kilometres from the town of Sam Ouandia.… Continue reading UN chief condemns deadly attack on peacekeepers in Central African Republic

11 July 2023Human Rights UN-appointed independent human rights experts on Tuesday called for the Government of Bangladesh to end all harassment against representatives of the human rights organisation, Odhikar, and to ensure respect for due process in legal proceedings.  ‘Chilling effect’ Odhikar has “documented enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings and cooperated with UN human rights… Continue reading Bangladesh using enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings to silence rights defenders: Experts

11 July 2023Humanitarian Aid Life-saving assistance to millions in northwest Syria is at risk after the UN Security Council on Tuesday failed to adopt either of two competing resolutions to extend cross-border aid delivery from Türkiye.  The disruption comes as humanitarian needs are at an all-time high after more than 12 years of war and… Continue reading Security Council fails to reach consensus on Syria aid lifeline

From the World Food Programme (WFP), Chad Country Director Pierre Honnorat, said that 20,000 people crossed into Chad just last week. Speaking to journalists via Zoom from Zabout refugee camp in Goz Beida, Mr. Honnorat described desperate scenes: “We can see that they have suffered, many lost family members and we don’t even dare ask… Continue reading Sudan crisis: You don’t dare ask refugees where the men have gone, say UN aid teams

Carrying over 1.1 million barrels of oil, the supertanker FSO Safer was abandoned off Yemen’s Red Sea port of Hudaydah after the civil war broke out in the country in 2015. Since then, the vessel has deteriorated significantly in absence of any servicing or maintenance, prompting fears of a major environmental disaster. According to David… Continue reading Yemen: Transfer of oil from decaying ship expected to start next week

Alarm bells have been rung at the UN agency in particular because of an “unprecedented peak” in sea surface temperatures in the North Atlantic. “The first week of July…could be considered as the warmest period or the warmest week ever recorded”, with a global average temperature close to 17.24 degrees Celsius on 7 July, said… Continue reading Temperatures off the charts, but more records imminent: WMO

The two-day military operation was the fiercest in over 20 years, according to the UN agency that supports Palestine refugees, UNRWA. At least 12 people were killed, including four children, and another 140 were injured. Around 900 houses were damaged, with many now uninhabitable.   “We went to Jenin Camp with our partners to show… Continue reading UN and partners visit severely damaged Jenin Refugee Camp

9 July 2023Peace and Security UN Secretary-General António Guterres has condemned the air strike in the Sudanese city of Omdurman on Saturday which reportedly killed at least 22 people. Mr. Guterres offered his condolences to the families of the victims and expressed hopes for a speedy recovery to the dozens who were injured, UN Deputy… Continue reading UN chief condemns air strike that killed at least 22 people in Sudan

“People are suffering greatly due to landmines,” Mr. Lobov told UN News, adding that experts have reported that almost one third of the country is contaminated with unexploded ordnance. “Many adults and children have died,” he said. “We have the highest rate of such losses in the world. No one knows what will happen in… Continue reading Demining Ukraine: Bringing lifesaving expertise back home

7 July 2023Peace and Security The food and fertilizer export deals brokered by the UN last year with Ukraine and Russia have played an “indispensable role” in supporting global food security and must continue, the UN Secretary-General said on Friday. In a statement issued by his Deputy Spokesperson, António Guterres reiterated “the importance of full… Continue reading UN-brokered grain and fertilizer deals ‘indispensable’ to global food security

7 July 2023Human Rights The UN human rights office (OHCHR) has urged authorities in Honduras to reinforce the “internal and external oversight of military operations” in the country, following the extending of a national state of emergency.  OHCHR Spokesperson Marta Hurtado told journalists in Geneva that the Government had issued a 45-day extension on Wednesday.  “The… Continue reading OHCHR ‘very concerned’ over militarization of public security in Honduras

7 July 2023Human Rights The UN deplored the horrendous civilian cost of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, which reached the 500-day mark on Friday.  The war began on 24 February 2022, and the UN’s Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine (HRMMU) has confirmed that more than 9,000 civilians, including over 500 children, have been killed… Continue reading ‘Grim milestone’ as Ukraine war reaches 500-day mark

Briefing the Security Council on the state of the JCPOA, Ms. DiCarlo set the tone for the discussion by stating, “diplomacy is the only way to effectively address the Iranian nuclear issue.” The 2015 deal sets out rules for monitoring Iran’s nuclear programme and paves the way for the lifting of UN sanctions. It was agreed… Continue reading Iran nuclear deal: Despite differences, still ‘best available option’, Security Council hears

“Israel’s airstrikes and ground operations in a crowded refugee camp were the worst violence in the West Bank in many years,” said António Guterres, referring to the two day long military assault in Jenin which began on Monday morning, involving the use of airstrikes, and missiles fired from drones. According to the Palestinian health ministry… Continue reading Israel-Palestine: UN chief strongly condemns mounting violence, acts of terror

He said citizens of the Caribbean nation are “trapped in a living nightmare” as armed gangs encircle the capital, Port-au-Prince, blocking roads, controlling access to food and healthcare, and undermining humanitarian support. Mr. Guterres was speaking at UN Headquarters fresh from a visit to the country and a summit of regional leaders, held in Trinidad… Continue reading Guterres appeals for humanitarian, security and political action to end Haiti’s ‘living nightmare’

Maw Pray Myar holds her one-year-old daughter as she flees to safety towards the border with Thailand during a one week journey by foot in January 2022, in Kayah (Karenni) state, eastern Myanmar. 6 July 2023Human Rights The Myanmar regime’s brutal violence against civilians and its denial of life-saving humanitarian aid, reflect “utter contempt for… Continue reading Myanmar atrocities and impunity must end: Türk

The violations include conflict-related sexual violence against internally displaced and refugee women and girls forced to flee for their lives. Agency chiefs from humanitarian coordination office OCHA, the human rights office (OHCHR), the UN refugee agency (UNHCR), the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the UN sexual and reproductive health agency (UNFPA), UN Women and the World… Continue reading UN voices ‘shock and condemnation’ as gender-based violence soars across Sudan

5 July 2023Human Rights The UN Office on Genocide Prevention and the Responsibility to Protect launched a new policy paper on Wednesday aimed at countering and addressing hate speech online.  The policy paper, Countering and Addressing Online Hate Speech: A Guide for Policy Makers and Practitioners, was developed jointly by the UN Office with the Economic… Continue reading New UN policy paper launched to counter and address online hate

Presenting her latest annual report, Virginia Gamba, the Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict, appealed for “bold and resolute action” to protect boys and girls at risk of death, recruitment, rape and other horrors.   The report covers 26 situations in five regions worldwide, representing another high.   Countries include Ethiopia, Mozambique and… Continue reading ‘Bold and resolute’ action needed to protect children affected by war

According to a new UNCTAD report, developing countries actually face a staggering $4 trillion gap in sustainable development investments. UNCTAD Secretary-General Rebeca Grynspan said that a “significant increase” in material support for renewable energy in developing countries is “crucial” for the world to reach its climate goals by 2030. Poorer countries left behind in renewables boom… Continue reading Developing countries face $4 trillion investment gap in SDGs

António Guterres was addressing the Council of The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), the world’s largest regional security body in terms of landmass and population which currently includes China, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and new member Iran. The UN has had a cooperation agreement with the Asia-focused SCO since 2010, which also partners… Continue reading Cooperation key to weathering climate crisis, growing inequality, new tech challenge: Guterres

In a statement from his spokesperson on Monday, Mr. Guterres affirmed that all military operations must be conducted with full respect for international humanitarian law.  The incursion follows another operation in the camp on 19 June, which left four Palestinians killed and 91 others injured. Rising death toll The UN’s humanitarian affairs coordination office (OCHA) said on Tuesday that… Continue reading Jenin: UN concerned over ongoing Israeli military operation

Since then, as international funding has stalled amid skepticism about the Taliban’s return, the UN has been acting as the world’s “eyes and ears” in Afghanistan. After shifting mainly to humanitarian work, UN agencies and partners are finding ways to help the long-suffering population meet basic needs and preserve hard-won development gains.  UN News was recently… Continue reading INTERVIEW: Building bridges between Afghanistan and the world because ‘isolation is not an option’

Haiti The security situation in Haiti “is appalling,” said UN Secretary-General António Guterres, recalling his recent visit to the fragile nation. He called for swift action at a time when the humanitarian needs are “soaring”. And although “there is not yet a full political solution in sight”, the UN chief expressed hope and optimism. “It… Continue reading At Caribbean Summit, UN chief calls for climate action, debt relief, and urgent aid for Haiti

3 July 2023Climate and Environment A new strategy is expected to set global shipping on an ambitious path towards phasing out greenhouse gas emissions, top UN officials said at the opening of the latest session of the Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) in London on Monday. “Humanity is in dangerous waters on climate,” UN Secretary-General… Continue reading Global shipping poised to get new emissions-fighting strategy

3 July 2023Peace and Security The Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) in Ukraine is now reconnected to its only back-up power line after four months, but the power situation at the site remains “highly vulnerable”, warned Rafael Mariano Grossi, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on Monday. “While the reconnection of the back-up… Continue reading IAEA: Europe’s largest nuclear power plant regains back-up electricity feed

3 July 2023Climate and Environment Global heating is a burning human rights issue, as extreme weather and climate disasters threaten humanity’s universal right to food, UN rights chief Volker Türk said on Monday. “We must not leave this for our children to fix – no matter how inspiring their activism,” he told the Human Rights… Continue reading UN rights chief: ‘Don’t leave the climate crisis for our children to fix’

The UN chief expressed deep concern at the extreme vulnerability faced by the Haitian people – especially women and girls – because of brutally violent and “predatory” armed gangs, like those encircling the capital, blocking main roads and controlling access to water, food, health care.  “I condemn in the strongest possible terms the widespread sexual violence… Continue reading ‘Generations of Haitians’ at risk, warns Guterres, calling for international force to help quell gang violence

“The challenges are many and they are serious”, Amina Mohammed said, highlighting the plight of the planet. “Almost all our indicators on the climate and ecological crises are pointing in the wrong direction.” She praised China’s role in being an innovator and believer in the power of multilateralism to overcome challenges through collection action, pointing… Continue reading UN deputy chief praises China’s investment in tackling climate change, forging ‘new development pathway’

30 June 2023Peace and Security Myanmar’s military is killing civilians, destroying food and homes, and keeping the most vulnerable from receiving lifesaving aid, according to a new report from the UN human rights office (OHCHR). The chief of OHCHR’s Myanmar team, James Rodehaver, explained that since their February 2021 coup, the country’s military rulers have… Continue reading Myanmar: Military’s obstruction of humanitarian aid could be international crime

Security Council members reiterated strong support for the full withdrawal of the decade-old UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA), and the transfer of security responsibilities to the country’s transitional Government, which has been in power since a coup in 2021. Commending the peacekeeping operation and its staff, UN Secretary-General António Guterres called for the… Continue reading UN Security Council terminates Mali peacekeeping mission

30 June 2023Peace and Security With over 18,000 near-Earth objects (NEOs) lurking beyond the stratosphere, 2,000 of which are classified as potentially hazardous, the UN Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) is using Friday’s International Asteroid Day to raise awareness across the planet. NEOs are asteroids or comets that come relatively close to the Sun,… Continue reading UN space agency vigilant over threat posed by ‘near-Earth objects’

Since her last briefing in May, said Izumi Nakamitsu, the High Representative for Disarmament Affairs, reports from open sources indicate an influx in the transfer of heavy conventional weapons, including battle tanks, combat aircraft, artillery and missile systems. “There are reports that the supply of arms and ammunition has accelerated and expanded ahead of the… Continue reading Ukraine: Concerns mount over influx of weapons and growing civilian casualties

Briefing correspondents at UN Headquarters in New York just a few days after visiting Haiti along with the head of the World Food Programme (WFP), Catherine Russell said “the current situation of insecurity is unacceptable. “Women and children are dying. Schools and public spaces should always be safe. Collectively the world is failing the Haitian… Continue reading ‘The world is failing the Haitian people’ warns UNICEF chief

29 June 2023Climate and Environment The UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and four partner agencies have been tasked with leading a new push to help countries curb the land-based pollution of coastal areas and shorelines. FAO will co-lead the Clean and Healthy Oceans initiative together with the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the European Bank… Continue reading UN agencies head up new $115 million push for cleaner, healthier oceans

“The violence and suffering of the Syrian people remind us of what is at stake as diplomatic efforts continue on Syria,” said Najat Rochdi, UN Deputy Special Envoy for the country. “Ultimately, we need a nationwide ceasefire in line with Security Council resolution 2254.” Worsening crisis Briefing on current conditions, she said recent reports have tracked deadly… Continue reading Syrians facing ‘ever worsening’ conditions, top UN officials warn

28 June 2023Peace and Security The Secretary-General condemned on Wednesday Israel’s recent advancement of plans for over 5,500 housing units in settlements in the occupied West Bank. He also denounced the retroactive regularization of three outposts adjacent to the settlement of Eli. A strongly worded statement by the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General reiterates that settlements… Continue reading Guterres condemns Israel’s recent advancement of plans to build in occupied West Bank

28 June 2023Humanitarian Aid Millions are facing hunger and children’s lives are on the line in north-eastern Nigeria amid a protracted conflict and climate change. UN’s humanitarian response in the region is underfunded, humanitarians told the press in Geneva on Wednesday.  The UN’s top humanitarian official in the country Matthias Schmale informed that severe hunger… Continue reading North-eastern Nigeria: malnourished children fighting for their lives

27 June 2023Health While no longer a global emergency, COVID-19’s long-term effects alongside such other threats as mpox and seasonal heat waves may challenge Europe through the summer months, the head of the World Health Organization (WHO) regional office warned on Tuesday. This summer will be “the first in more than three years that many of… Continue reading WHO: ‘Long COVID’ may obstruct return to normal life for 36 million Europeans

“We’ve already seen over 560,000 people crossing into neighbouring countries…[and] nearly two million people displaced internally,” said Raouf Mazou, UNHCR’s Assistant High Commissioner for Operations, following a visit to Sudan. Since conflict erupted there on 15 April when rival militaries clashed, more than half a million people have reached neighbouring countries in a bid to escape… Continue reading Sudan: Displacement soars amid shrinking humanitarian access

“The choice is clear,” said Tor Wennesland, the UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process (UNSCO). “Either continue along the downward spiral of violence and provocations leading to a political vacuum or turn towards constructive dialogue linked to concrete actions that can create hope and a political horizon.” ‘Alarming spike’ Urging Israeli and Palestinian… Continue reading Top UN official urges Israeli, Palestinian leaders to ‘put on the brakes’

Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict Virginia Gamba unveiled the Secretary-General’s latest annual report, for 2022, which showed there were 27,180 grave violations overall, an increase from the previous year. The recorded violations only refer to verified information, with the likely toll much higher, and cover four categories: recruitment and use of children into… Continue reading ‘Dire year’ for children caught in conflict, as hospital and school attacks double

Today, more than 100 armed conflicts are raging worldwide, devastating communities, winding back development, and leading to grave violations of human rights.  Ranging from severe beatings to sexual humiliation and rape, torture is widely used as a means of war. And often, torture involves the use of tools or instruments, mock executions, and forcing victims… Continue reading Torture as a weapon of war must cease, rights experts demand

“So far, the ceasefire between the M23 and the FARDC has held up relatively well and has contributed to some security gains”, said UN Assistant Secretary-General for Africa Martha Pobee. “The relative calm in Rutshuru territory, for example, allowed more than 45,000 people from the Bishusha group to return home”, she said.  She noted, however, that… Continue reading Security in eastern DR Congo continues to worsen, Security Council hears

“The lives of millions depend on that responsibility being given meaning,” Special Adviser on responsibility to protect (R2P) issues George Okoth-Obbo said, introducing the Secretary-General’s latest report and speaking on his behalf.  “This annual debate is a reminder to us not to drift from our commitment, our duty, our responsibility to protect.” Preventing ‘contagion of mass… Continue reading Preventing ‘contagion of atrocities’ hinges on responsibility to protect

“About five million children under the age of five are estimated to be facing acute malnutrition in 2023 in the Horn region, in the Greater Horn. That is about 10.4 million, that is just a staggering figure,” said Liesbeth Aelbrecht, the World Health Organization’s (WHO) incident manager for the greater Horn of Africa emergency. Three… Continue reading Horn of Africa: Around 60 million in urgent humanitarian need

24 June 2023Peace and Security The UN human rights office (OHCHR) on Saturday said it was gravely concerned at reports of “wanton killings” by “Arab” militia in Sudan’s West Darfur backed by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), primarily targeting men from the Masalit community. The explosion of ethnic violence in Darfur largely by nomadic “Arab”… Continue reading Sudan: OHCHR calls for ‘urgent action’ to end militia attacks on people fleeing El Geneina

The PBC, an intergovernmental advisory body launched in 2006, plays a crucial role in supporting peace efforts in conflict-affected countries. Consisting of 31 Member States elected from the General Assembly, the Security Council, and the Economic and Social Council, it brings together top donors and troop-contributing countries. Ambassador Ivan Šimonović of Croatia, Commission Chair, cited the… Continue reading On Peacebuilding Day, ambassadors discuss response to organized crime in the Sahel

“The war in Ukraine has created a humanitarian and human rights catastrophe, traumatized a generation of children, and accelerated the global food and energy crises,” said Rosemary DiCarlo, Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs. “We cannot discount further dangerous knock-on effects,” she cautioned, citing urgent concerns, from rising death tolls to nuclear threats. Worsening conditions The impact… Continue reading Ukraine: War ‘weakening’ international security, political affairs chief warns

“Whilst many challenges and risks lie ahead, there are also many opportunities, and I urge all international partners to lean in and provide additional support to the people,” said the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Somalia Catriona Laing. Regarding current security conditions, Ms. Laing, who also heads the UN Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM), raised concerns… Continue reading Somalia in danger of losing hard-won gains, Security Council hears

The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Food Programme (WFP) have designed a new joint programme for smallholder farmers and rural families most affected by the conflict. The goal is to clear farmland impacted by the fighting of mines and other explosive remnants of war, safely allowing it to produce crops once again. … Continue reading Agencies join forces with deminers to reclaim agricultural land in Ukraine

“Our religion is a true, honest religion that treats women with justice and fairness,” she said, leaning forward for emphasis.  She knows of what she speaks. She is the daughter of Baba Ould Maata, a highly respected Mauritanian scholar. Inspired by her father, Ms. Maata has embarked on her own journey of studying the Quran… Continue reading UN Counter-Terrorism Week: Preventing violent extremism

Despite gains made in tackling sea-faring criminal groups, “piracy incidents continue to threaten the safety of maritime traffic in the region,” said Martha Pobee, UN Assistant Secretary-General for Africa in the Departments of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs and Peace Operations. Effective deterrents Since her last briefing on maritime security in November, she said a steady decrease in… Continue reading Top UN official for Africa calls for added action to stop piracy’s spread

Achim Steiner, head of the UN Development Programme (UNDP) and Vice-Chair of the UN Sustainable Development Group told delegates he had just returned from the war-torn country, noting civilians’ “extraordinary determination to adapt, to recover and to rebuild.” “The UN had developed a clear picture to inform a targeted recovery through a Rapid Damage and… Continue reading UN remains focused on ‘critical needs’ of Ukraine’s people

UN Special Representative Roza Otunbayeva was briefing the Security Council on the dire situation facing the country and the international aid effort, with UN women workers among those now prevented by Taliban edicts from working. “We will not put our national staff in danger and therefore we are asking them not to report to the office”… Continue reading Afghanistan mission chief to Taliban: Bans on women and girls cost you legitimacy at home and abroad

Valentine Rugwabiza head of the UN peacekeeping mission in the country (MINUSCA) briefed ambassadors on important progress which has been made in the implementation of a key 2019 peace agreement between the Government and armed groups. She emphasized the significance of the dissolution following “active engagements” by the Government in April, of two armed groups… Continue reading MINUSCA chief to Security Council: Decade-long cycle of conflict can be broken

“Now is not the time to take our eyes off the ball in South Sudan,” said Nicholas Haysom, who also heads the UN mission in the country (UNMISS). “What we can learn from Sudan is how quickly hard-won peace gains can unravel.” On the political front, the Sudan crisis is reducing “much-needed bandwidth” to focus on… Continue reading Sudan crisis threatens to hobble South Sudan’s transition, UN official says

20 June 2023Peace and Security UN humanitarians issued an urgent appeal on Tuesday to help millions of people in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) where chronic violence and displacement continue to fuel a dramatic hunger crisis. According to the UN World Food Programme (WFP), since March 2022 alone, 5.7 million people have been… Continue reading DRC: Lives shattered by violence, displacement and hunger in ‘forgotten crisis’: WFP

19 June 2023Peace and Security Libyan political leaders who are being encouraged to set aside their differences for the sake of a new democratic future, must put the interests of the people “above all else”, said the UN’s Special Representative for the country on Monday. Abdoulaye Bathily, briefed the Security Council and acknowledged the recent efforts… Continue reading Libya: ‘Persistent disagreements’ must be overcome, Security Council hears

The day also marked the start of the UN’s Third Counter-Terrorism week.  Addressing the delegates “at the forefront of a great global effort”, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres stressed that terrorism affects every region of the world, while preying on local and national vulnerabilities. “Poverty, inequalities and social exclusion give terrorism fuel. Prejudice and discrimination targeting specific… Continue reading Poverty, inequality and exclusion fuelling terrorism, warns UN chief

Mr. Kőrösi was speaking at an event to commemorate the 2nd International Day for Countering Hate Speech, which is officially observed on 18 June.  “It would be my wish that we would not have to observe this day. It would be my wish that hate speech were a thing of the past,” he said.  Rising violence  Hate speech is most often… Continue reading Combatting hate speech is a shared responsibility: UN General Assembly President

In his message marking the day, the Secretary-General condemned the use of sexual violence as a tactic of ‘war, torture, and repression’ in the conflicts that affect hundreds of millions of people around the world. “Harrowing reports from across the globe are a terrible reminder that this despicable crime persists despite international commitments to stamp… Continue reading End ‘digital divide’ to support victims of sexual violence: Guterres

According to a report issued by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and the European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service, during 2022, multiple nations in the region had their warmest year on record but the expanded use of renewable energy provides a silver lining. Extreme heat, drought and wildfire, marine heatwaves, unprecedented glacier melt – the… Continue reading Europe warming twice as fast as other continents, warns WMO

Addressing donors at a pledging event in Geneva convened by the UN with Egypt, Germany, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the African Union and the European Union, Mr. Guterres said that some $3 billion was needed to assist people in Sudan and those who have fled to neighbouring countries. “The scale and speed of Sudan’s descent into death… Continue reading Sudan: Guterres urges donors to boost aid response to halt death, destruction

1. Fresh protection beyond borders While countries are responsible for the conservation and sustainable use of waterways under their national jurisdiction, the high seas now have added protection from such destructive trends as pollution and unsustainable fishing activities. Adopted by the Intergovernmental Conference on Marine Biodiversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ), the “high seas”… Continue reading Beyond borders: Why new ‘high seas’ treaty is critical for the world

The unpaved road to the village is bumpy and sandy. For people living here, however, the path and the intense heat are part of daily life. High temperatures have not stopped Foureyratou Saidou, a single mother of four and recent widow, from tending to the community garden next to the village. The payoffs are worth… Continue reading Combating drought, one garden at a time

“This is obviously an important time for the mission, coinciding with discussions on the renewal of its mandate, and also for Mali, which continues to face complex security and other forms of challenges,” Special Representative El-Ghassim Wane told ambassadors. The long-awaited vote on Sunday marks the first phase towards presidential elections next year following a… Continue reading UN Mission backs constitutional referendum in Mali

16 June 2023Climate and Environment Sea ice is reducing at an unprecedented rate, prompting polar scientists to call for an urgent increase in research and observation, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) said on Friday.  The rapid changes in the Artic and Antarctic have serious implications for these regions, and for global weather and climate.  The alert… Continue reading Polar scientists call for more research and observation into rapid sea ice reduction

Displaced people in Darfur are receiving Sorghum provided by the World Food Programme. 16 June 2023Peace and Security With the conflict between rival militaries in Sudan entering its third month, the people of Darfur are “trapped in a living nightmare”, the UN’s top aid official has said. UN Emergency Relief Coordinator Martin Griffiths warned in… Continue reading Sudan’s Darfur spiralling into ‘humanitarian calamity’: UN aid chief

“We are hurtling towards disaster, eyes wide open”, he said.  “It’s time to wake up and step up.”  Mr. Guterres was speaking to journalists at UN Headquarters following a meeting with civil society climate leaders from across the world.  ‘Catastrophe’ looms  He said limiting global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius is still possible but will… Continue reading Guterres calls for phasing out fossil fuels to avoid climate ‘catastrophe’

A child carries water through the Kanyaruchinya site for displaced people in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo… 15 June 2023Migrants and Refugees Escalating violence in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has displaced nearly one million people since January, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) said on Thursday.  An estimated 6.1 million… Continue reading DR Congo: Armed group attacks displace nearly 1 million since January

15 June 2023Peace and Security The UN Assistance Mission in Sudan (UNITAMS) said on Thursday it was “appalled and deeply shocked” at the killing of the Governor of West Darfur, calling for a halt to the spiralling violence and for those responsible to be brought to justice. In a statement, UNITAMS strongly condemned the killing of… Continue reading UN in Sudan condemns killing of West Darfur governor, raises alarm over ‘vortex of hate speech’

The Council met specifically to discuss “the values of human fraternity in promoting and sustaining peace”, building on a 2019 declaration co-authored by Pope Francis, head of the Catholic Church, and the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar Al Sharif, Ahmed Al-Tayeb, Chairman of the Muslim Council of Elders, and also considered the highest authority in Sunni Islamic thought.  The declaration urges religious… Continue reading Faith leaders critical to combating ‘groundswell’ of hatred globally

Climate shocks are triggering worsening security environments, from Afghanistan to Mali, and UN peacekeeping missions are taking steps to adapt, from reducing their carbon footprint to addressing myriad related consequences. “Given the growing linkages of climate change, peace, and security as well as the broader changes to the conflict dynamics in the areas in which… Continue reading Climate shocks set to worsen already fragile hotspots, Security Council hears

WHO’s representative in Ukraine Dr. Jarno Habicht told reporters that after the collapse of the dam caused severe flooding and massive displacement, the agency’s primary concern was the potential outbreak of waterborne diseases such as cholera and typhoid, as well as rodent-borne diseases. The agency’s teams were monitoring the situation on the ground and were… Continue reading Kakhovka dam disaster a health crisis in the making: WHO

Two senior officials with the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals (IRMCT), briefed ambassadors on recent developments, including the arrest of a top fugitive from the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda, and the final verdict related to atrocities committed in the Balkan wars.  Judge Graciela Gatti Santana, Mechanism President, reported that in-court proceedings… Continue reading UN Mechanism reaches ‘watershed moment’ in prosecuting crimes in Rwanda and former Yugoslavia

12 June 2023Peace and Security Greater efforts are needed to protect civilians in Somalia from unexploded weapons of war, the UN Mine Action Service (UNMAS) said on Monday in the wake of a recent deadly incident in the south of the country.  UNMAS issued a statement saying it was “deeply saddened and profoundly alarmed” by… Continue reading ‘Immense tragedy’ underscores need to address unexploded ordnance danger in Somalia

11 June 2023Peace and Security The World Health Organization (WHO) on Sunday condemned in the strongest possible terms the deadly attack on the Pearl Beach Hotel and Restaurant in Mogadishu, Somalia, that left 16 dead, including a staff member. The attack occurred on Friday and left more than 10 people injured at the beachside hotel… Continue reading WHO strongly condemns deadly attack in Somalia

11 June 2023Human Rights Fleeing armed conflict is frightening, forcing people to escape violent clashes and leave behind their homes, schools, and daily lives in a desperate search for safety. Every day, UN human rights officers are on the frontlines to support them. They are part of the UN’s field work, talking to those most… Continue reading From the Field: UN human rights officers on the frontline in Somalia

In this feature, part of a series exploring the fight against trafficking in the Sahel, UN News focuses on the illegal arms trade that is fuelling conflict and terrorism. In the Sahel, home to 300 million people, it’s a buyer’s market for guns. Insurgency and banditry plague the region, rooted in, among other things, endemic… Continue reading Trafficking in the Sahel: Muzzling the illicit arms trade

9 June 2023Peace and Security The UN has strongly condemned an attack on a peacekeeping patrol in Mali which left one ‘blue helmet’ from Burkina Faso dead and eight others with serious injuries. In a statement, the head of the UN peacekeeping mission in the country (MINUSMA), El-Ghassim WANE, described the attack on the security… Continue reading UN strongly condemns attack on peacekeepers in Mali, which leaves one dead

9 June 2023Human Rights The UN on Friday announced that following serious allegations of sexual exploitation and abuse, an entire unit of 60 peacekeepers from Tanzania formerly based in the western part of the Central African Republic (CAR), is to be repatriated. UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric told correspondents that the decision to send the unit… Continue reading Central African Republic: Tanzanian peacekeepers to be repatriated following abuse allegations

Speaking to journalists from Bilozerka, a town on the Dnipro River about 20 kilometres west of Kherson and five kilometres from the frontline, Ms. Brown, the Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator, said that on Friday, the UN brought in a five-truck convoy to the affected areas, with desperately needed drinking water, food and equipment to help… Continue reading Ukraine flood disaster: needs grow as long-term impacts loom

Senior officials with the UN Investigative Team promoting accountability for ISIL crimes, UNITAD, presented some of their findings to Member States meeting at UN Headquarters in New York.  For the past five years, UNITAD has been gathering evidence of crimes committed during ISIL’s self-proclaimed caliphate from June 2014 to December 2017, which could be used… Continue reading UN investigative team outlines findings around ISIL chemical weapons use

Denise Brown, Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator, offered reassurance to Dmytro Kuleba that UN agencies and other humanitarian partners have been delivering water, food and cash to those displaced or suffering the impact of the dam breach, and collapse of the crucial hydroelectric plant in the southeast region near the city of Kherson. Expanding support “Plans are now… Continue reading Dam disaster: UN ‘committed to reaching all Ukrainians in need’, says top aid official

“Together we can achieve what neither organization can achieve on its own,” she said, presenting the UN Secretary-General’s latest report on the important collaboration. Recent strains on multilateralism have seen trust in institutions and processes sorely tested, most recently by the uneven response to the COVID-19 crisis, she said. “Defiance of international law and the… Continue reading ‘Robust’ cooperation with Arab League can quell conflict in the region

8 June 2023Human Rights Bangladesh must “immediately suspend” a pilot repatriation project for Rohingya refugees to return to Myanmar, where they face “serious risks” to their lives and freedom, a UN-appointed independent rights expert said on Thursday. Tom Andrews, the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar, insisted that current conditions… Continue reading Bangladesh must suspend plans to return Rohingya refugees to Myanmar: Rights expert

A man fishes with seine nets in Quang Ngai province, Viet Nam. The goal is to improve “ocean literacy”, according to the UN Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea of the Office of Legal Affairs (DOALOS), who organized the event. Coupled with information on ocean health and the Sustainable Development Goals… Continue reading From the Field: Boosting ocean literacy

UN Secretary-General António Guterres has called for greater action to protect oceans in his message to mark World Oceans Day on Thursday. “The ocean is the foundation of life. It supplies the air we breathe and food we eat. It regulates our climate and weather. The ocean is our planet’s greatest reservoir of biodiversity,” he… Continue reading World Oceans Day underscores need to protect ‘the foundation of life’

Ambassadors were briefed by Christian Ritscher, Special Adviser and Head of the UN Investigative Team to promote accountability for these crimes, UNITAD, established five years ago.  The Islamist group declared a self-styled caliphate across parts of Iraq and northern Syria in 2014, before being militarily defeated and driven from Iraq in December 2017.  Commitment stronger… Continue reading Admissible evidence, competent courts, critical to ensuring justice for ISIL victims in Iraq

7 June 2023Peace and Security The magnitude of the humanitarian catastrophe following the destruction of the Kakhovka dam in southern Ukraine, is becoming clearer as UN humanitarians redoubled efforts to reach affected civilians with aid on Wednesday. Homes have been flooded, forcing many to leave, and access to water, specifically clean water, is emerging as… Continue reading Ukraine dam disaster: Lack of clean water, spread of disease, major risks

6 June 2023Human Rights The UN expressed deep sadness as another deadly earthquake claimed the lives of at least three people near the Haitian city of Jerémie in the early hours of Tuesday, compounding an already life-threatening situation in recent days caused by flooding and landslides. The 5.5 magnitude quake struck in the department of… Continue reading Haiti: UN deeply saddened as latest earthquake kills three, in wake of floods

6 June 2023UN Affairs Five countries have been elected as non-permanent members of the UN Security Council following a vote in the General Assembly on Tuesday.  Algeria, Guyana, Republic of Korea, Sierra Leone and Slovenia will join the premier body for maintaining international peace and security, starting in January, serving for a two-year period.  They… Continue reading UN Security Council to welcome five new non-permanent members

6 June 2023Peace and Security Thousands of civilians in Ukraine are in danger on the frontline, after the apparent destruction of a huge dam whose reservoir is used to cool the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant (ZNPP), UN humanitarians said on Tuesday. The UN Office in Ukraine tweeted that “thousands of people in Ukraine are in… Continue reading Ukraine: Dam destruction sparks nuclear safety, humanitarian concerns

Tracking SDG 7: The Energy Progress Report, from the International Energy Agency (IEA), the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), the UN Statistics Division (UNSD), the World Bank, and the World Health Organization (WHO), warns that current efforts are not enough to achieve the SDG 7 on time. There has been some progress on specific elements… Continue reading World off track for reaching key goal on sustainable energy by 2030

“Central Africa is richer in opportunities and resources than it is in challenges”, but, the coming months will mark “an important turning point” for the region, where crucial political and electoral processes must take place by the end of the year, said Abdou Abarry, the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Central Africa. “We will ensure,… Continue reading Central Africa faces ‘turning point’ amid multiple crises

The Assembly runs through Thursday in Nairobi, Kenya. It is hosted by the government of Kenya in collaboration with UN-Habitat, the UN Human Settlements Programme. More than 80 Ministers and Vice Ministers are due to attend, together with 5,000 delegates from around the world, said the UN urban affairs agency. In his message, António Guterres… Continue reading Cities ‘critical battlegrounds’ for a sustainable future: Guterres

The UN-verified figures were reported by the agency as States, donors and the humanitarian community meet in Norway, for the Oslo Conference on Protecting Children in Armed Conflict. The 315,000 incidents were recorded in more than 30 conflict situations across Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and Latin America. They include more than 120,000 children killed or maimed;… Continue reading 315,000 grave violations against children in conflict over 18 years: UNICEF

4 June 2023Climate and Environment As international negotiators committed to hammering out a draft treaty by November on ending plastic pollution, the UN chief stressed in his message for World Environment Day on Monday, the importance of curbing the “catastrophic” consequences of waste plastics. “Every year, over 400 million tons of plastic is produced worldwide… Continue reading World must ‘work as one’ to end plastic pollution: Guterres

In this feature, part of a series exploring the fight against trafficking in the Sahel, UN News focuses on the illegal fuel trade in the region. Transported by criminal networks and taxed by terrorist groups, illegal fuel flows along four major routes snaking across the Sahel towards ready buyers, siphoning millions from nations on the… Continue reading Trafficking in the Sahel: Gas lighting

“Key peace and security issues, such as the situation on the Korean Peninsula, must be an area for cooperation,” she cautioned in a briefing to the 15-member Council on recent developments. “Diplomacy – not isolation – is the only way forward.” During the Council’s emergency debate on the issue, members expressed divergent views, with many… Continue reading Korean Peninsula: Security Council must find unity to calm rising tensions

The appeal comes as countries continue negotiations towards an international treaty on plastic pollution, and ahead of World Environment Day on 5 June. “Plastic production has increased exponentially over recent decades and today the world is generating 400 million tonnes of plastic waste yearly,” said David R. Boyd, UN Special Rapporteur on human rights and… Continue reading ‘Toxic tidal wave’ of plastic pollution putting human rights at risk

Russian attacks overnight, killed three people – including the girl’s mother – and wounded 11 others, according to news reports. It followed a reported 17 strikes on the capital during May, and the fourth this week. More than 1,500 killed, injured Ms. Brown expressed her sympathy to the families of “over 1,500 children killed and… Continue reading Ukraine: Over 1,500 children killed or injured, concern rises over forced transfers

“Our common interest in preserving the domain of outer space, a province of humankind that benefits us all, requires agile and multi-stakeholder governance responses,” he wrote in the introduction.  The policy brief examines some of the “unprecedented” changes underway in outer space, including the sheer volume of satellites being launched into orbit, the participation of the… Continue reading Oversight’s key to ensure sustainability in outer space: Guterres

31 May 2023Human Rights UN chief António Guterres is “deeply concerned” after Uganda’s president signed into law a punitive so-called “Anti-Homosexuality Act”, the UN Spokesperson said in a statement released late on Tuesday. The draconian law foresees the application of the death penalty and long prison sentences for consensual sex between adults. Non-discrimination principle Mr.… Continue reading Uganda: Guterres voices deep concern as Anti-Homosexuality Act signed into law

In its new Monitor on the World of Work report, ILO shows that while in high-income countries, only 8.2 per cent of people willing to work are jobless, that number rises to over 21 per cent in low-income countries – or one in every five people. Low-income countries in debt distress are worst affected, with… Continue reading Economic woes dash job prospects in low income countries: ILO

The country, commonly known as North Korea, attempted to fire off its first military reconnaissance satellite earlier that day but it crashed into the sea, according to media reports.  The DPRK has reportedly pledged to conduct another launch after it learns what went wrong.  The UN chief noted that any launch using ballistic missile technology… Continue reading UN chief strongly condemns DPRK spy satellite launch 

30 May 2023Human Rights A large group of UN-appointed independent human rights experts on Tuesday called on the Belarusian authorities to immediately release all those being held on “spurious charges”, simply for exercising their fundamental rights to peaceful assembly, association and expression, to be released without delay. “The practice of incommunicado detention of members of the political opposition and… Continue reading Belarus: ‘Unprecedented level of repression’ must end, say UN rights experts

Delivering his latest update, IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi reported that the situation at the Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) – the largest in Europe – remains extremely fragile and dangerous. Military operations continue in the region “and may well increase very considerably in the near future,” he warned. Rolling the dice The Zaporizhzhya plant… Continue reading IAEA chief outlines five principles to avert nuclear ‘catastrophe’ in Ukraine

“Racism and xenophobia continue to spoil our communities, like scars that spoil the fabric of society. The hatred and violence they engender persist, demanding our collective efforts to eradicate racial violence in all its forms,” he told the second session of the Permanent Forum on People of African Descent.  Transforming injustice  Mr. Kőrösi said overcoming… Continue reading Racism which scars societies, must be stamped out, forum for people of African descent hears

“It is vital that the recent diplomatic moves are matched with real action,” said Geir Pedersen, the UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Syria, briefing the Security Council on recent political and humanitarian developments. A range of diplomatic initiatives have quickened the pace towards finding solutions on, among other things, continuing a direct dialogue with the… Continue reading Fresh diplomatic gains must match action on the ground in Syria to end war

30 May 2023Climate and Environment Global warming’s devastating effects on the world’s sea ice, icebergs and glaciers – part of what is known as the cryosphere – need to be better understood and mitigated, according to the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). WMO warned on Tuesday that glaciers and ice sheet melt in Greenland and Antarctica accounts for some… Continue reading WMO makes urgent call to action over melting cryosphere

30 May 2023Humanitarian Aid A total of 4.9 million people in Haiti – nearly half of the country’s population – are experiencing high levels of acute food insecurity, according to a new UN-supported report. The latest integrated food security phase classification (IPC) analysis, reported on Sunday that of the total number of affected people, 1.8… Continue reading Nearly half of Haiti going hungry, new food security report warns

WFP’s Country Director in Sudan, Eddie Rowe, told reporters in Geneva that in a major breakthrough, the agency distributed food assistance to 15,000 people in both Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and Rapid Support Forces (RSF) controlled areas of Omdurman, part of the Khartoum metropolitan area, beginning on Saturday. Speaking from Port Sudan, Mr. Rowe highlighted other recent… Continue reading UN humanitarians complete first food distribution in Khartoum as hunger, threats to children intensify

Sudan, Burkina Faso, Haiti and Mali have been elevated to the highest alert level, joining Afghanistan, Nigeria, Somalia, South Sudan and Yemen. Additionally, a likely El Niño – a naturally occurring climatic phenomenon that has a warming effect on ocean surface temperatures in the central and east Pacific – is also raising fears of climate extremes… Continue reading UN agencies warn of rising hunger risk in 18 ‘hotspots’

“United Nations peacekeepers are the beating heart of our commitment to a more peaceful world,” Secretary-General António Guterres said in his message for the Day. He called for continued support for these men and women, who help countries to transition from war to peace. Hope and help “They are also critical to the protection of… Continue reading International Day of UN Peacekeepers honours 75 years of service and sacrifice

“I can’t think of a better way than using food to bring everyone to the table,” said Elroi Yee, an investigative reporter and producer of the Dari Dapur campaign. “We need shared stories that show migrants and refugees have a place in the Malaysian narratives.” Tales and tastes of Tamil puttu, Cambodia’s nom banh chok,… Continue reading Malaysia: ‘Everyone has a migration story’, now let’s eat

28 May 2023Women Fatoumatta Fatty’s commute on an old, malfunctioning wheelchair takes up to two hours during rainy season in The Gambia, but she is happy joining her co-workers at a sanitary pad production centre, where she takes pride in making products that help women overcome “period poverty” across the country. Period poverty, or the… Continue reading Menstrual Hygiene Day: Putting an end to period poverty

This feature, which focuses on the illegal trade in substandard and fake medicines, is part of a UN News series exploring the fight against trafficking in the Sahel. From ineffective hand sanitizer to fake antimalarial pills, an illicit trade that grew during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 is being meticulously dismantled by the UN and… Continue reading Trafficking in the Sahel: Killer cough syrup and fake medicine

Less than 10 per cent of schools and universities follow formal guidance on using wildly popular artificial intelligence (AI) tools, like the chatbot software ChatGPT, according to the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), which hosted more than 40 ministers at an groundbreaking online meeting on Thursday. The ministers exchanged policy approaches and plans… Continue reading UNESCO unveils new AI roadmap for classrooms

The US National Hurricane Center acts as WMO’s Regional Specialized Meteorological hub, based in Miami, Florida. There is a 40 per cent chance of a near-normal season, 30 per cent possibility of an “above-normal season”, and also 30 per cent of a below-normal season, according to forecasters with the Climate Prediction Center. The hurricane season… Continue reading Weather experts predict ‘near normal’ season, with 5 to 9 potential hurricanes

26 May 2023Humanitarian Aid Humanitarians reached 5.4 million people in Ukraine with desperately needed aid by April this year, including cash assistance, food, health services, and medicines, the UN said on Friday. “The escalating war is taking a heavy toll on civilians who live close to the front lines, people who cannot go back to… Continue reading Ukraine: UN delivers aid to millions, as civilian suffering continues

26 May 2023Human Rights Allowing space for everyone to speak up, is critical for a free and fully functioning society said the UN human rights chief on Friday, warning that a safe environment online has never been more essential. Volker Türk was issuing a clarion call to protect and expand civic space, arguing that it’s… Continue reading ‘Safe digital public square’ never more important, says Türk

Stéphane Dujarric told correspondents at the regular noon briefing that the opportunity to provide services and support to the millions of Sudanese who are suffering due to the six weeks of fighting between national army forces and their powerful rival militia, the RSF, was only feasible in areas where the ceasefire holds. Relative calm has… Continue reading Sudan: UN and partners scramble to supply aid as fragile ceasefire holds

25 May 2023Human Rights UN Special Representative, Pramila Patten, expressed her ‘deep concern’ on Thursday over increasing allegations of sexual violence against women and girls being carried out in camps for the internally displaced (IDPs) around Goma, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). “Allegations of grave cases of sexual violence against civilians, including… Continue reading UN representative alarmed by sexual violence against women and girls in DRC

Briefing ambassadors on Africa Day, Under-Secretary-General Rosemary DiCarlo presented the latest UN report on securing predictable, sustainable and flexible resources for AU-led peace support operations mandated by the Council. The changing nature of conflict in Africa has forced the partners to adapt their operations in response to new and evolving challenges. Secure funding stream “The… Continue reading Security Council urged to step up on financing for AU peace operations

He said the men and women that serve, from 125 countries, across 12 operations, were working to support security, stability and the rule of law. “They represent the beating heart of the United Nations’ commitment to peace”, said Secretary-General António Guterres. “By bringing peacekeepers together from around the world, peacekeeping has also become an inspiring symbol of multilateralism in… Continue reading UN peacekeepers ‘a beacon of hope and protection’: Guterres

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk appealed to the leaders of the Sudanese Armed Forces and of the Rapid Support Forces, locked in conflict since 15 April, to “issue clear instructions” to those under their command that sexual violence will not be tolerated, and to ensure that all perpetrators are held accountable. Mr.… Continue reading Türk appeals to Sudan’s warring generals; calls out ‘dangerous anti-rights tendencies’ worldwide

24 May 2023UN Affairs New ideas must open fresh pathways towards finally ending the era of colonialism and to help advance sustainable development in the world’s 17 remaining colonies, the UN chief said in a video message to the Organization’s decolonization seminar in Bali, Indonesia “Our shared goal is to give greater priority to the… Continue reading Guterres: ‘We can turn the tide’ towards ending colonialism

In Myanmar, the UN appealed on Tuesday for $333 million to assist 1.6 million of the most vulnerable people, many of whom have lost their homes as the cyclone hit the west of the country over a week ago. The UN’s top aid official in the country, Ramanathan Balakrishnan, told reporters in Geneva that the… Continue reading Cyclone Mocha: urgent funding needed as hunger, diseases loom

WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus was delivering his report to the 76th World Health Assembly, the UN agency’s decision-making body, which is meeting this week.  Threat still remains  “The end of COVID-19 as a global health emergency is not the end of COVID-19 as a global health threat,” Tedros told Member States.  “The threat of… Continue reading World must be ready to respond to next pandemic: WHO chief

Secretary-General António Guterres was addressing the annual opening of the World Health Assembly, the decision making body of the WHO, and said that the agency was born out of a spirit of cooperation, leading to dramatic improvements in human health. “Global life expectancy – up over 50 percent; Infant mortality – down sixty percent in… Continue reading Progress on human health ‘in peril’, warns UN chief

24 May 2023Peace and Security The UN’s top advocate on ending violence against children, joined UN agencies on Wednesday in highlighting the urgent need to protect the rights of young people on the move, amid spiralling crises worldwide. With more than 42 million children displaced worldwide and increasing exposure to multiple forms of violence, the… Continue reading Unprecedented joint call to shield children on the move from violence

“There is no time to spare,” said Tor Wennesland, the UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process. “We must take action, not only to ensure Palestinian well-being and governance, but as an integral part of ending the occupation and restoring a political horizon toward a viable two-State solution, based on UN resolutions, international… Continue reading ‘No time to spare’: Israel-Palestine ceasefire holds, but hunger, tensions mount

24 May 2023Humanitarian Aid With “crisis atop of crisis” threatening millions in the Horn of Africa, the international community cannot afford to stand idly by, Secretary-General António Guterres said at a pledging event to raise $7 billion for the region, held at UN Headquarters in New York on Wednesday.  More than 43 million people across… Continue reading UN and partners seek $7 billion to prevent catastrophe in the Horn of Africa

The landmark decision comes as heat-trapping greenhouse gas concentrations are at record levels – “higher than at any time over the last 800,000 years”, WMO warned. Data from Earth and space The new Global Greenhouse Gas Watch will combine observations from Earth and from space with modelling, to fill critical information gaps. It will build… Continue reading Green light for global greenhouse gas tracking network

In 2022, the UN recorded a 53 per cent increase in the number of civilians killed across 12 armed conflicts, from Sudan to Ukraine. Here are five reasons why strengthening the protection of civilians is imperative. 1. Minimize civilian harm Armed conflicts result in civilian deaths, injuries, and psychological wounds. In 2022, nearly 94 per… Continue reading Protecting civilians in times of crisis

The UN chief was speaking during a debate on ensuring the security and dignity of people caught in the crossfire and addressing the related issue of access to food and essential services.  Suffering and ‘outrage’  “Civilians have suffered the deadly effects of armed conflict for too long.  It is time we live up to our… Continue reading Uphold promise to protect civilians caught in conflict: Guterres

The Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant in Ukraine. 22 May 2023Peace and Security The Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) in Ukraine lost all external power for several hours on Monday morning, highlighting the urgent need to protect the facility and prevent an accident, the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said in a… Continue reading Ukraine: Power loss at nuclear plant underscores ‘highly vulnerable’ safety situation

More than seven million children under the age of five remain malnourished and in need of urgent nutrition aid, and over 1.9 million boys and girls* are at risk of dying from severe malnutrition. As the region comes out of one of the worst droughts in 40 years, vulnerable communities have lost cattle, crops, and entire livelihoods over the past three years of failed rains.  “The crisis… Continue reading Horn of Africa: Over 7 million children under the age of 5 remain malnourished

“Lives and infrastructure are being destroyed, and the security situation is impeding the delivery of humanitarian aid,” said Volker Perthes, the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Sudan, briefing the Security Council on Monday about recent developments. Five weeks since the eruption of fighting between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF)… Continue reading Ceasefire in Sudan could ‘pave the way’ to peace talks

Captain Cecilia Erzuah, 32, who has served in Abyei since March last year, as the Commander of the Ghana Engagement Platoon, will receive the award from Secretary-General António Guterres during a ceremony marking the International Day of UN Peacekeepers this Thursday, said the Department of Peace Operations in a press release. Abyei is a disputed and resource-rich area between Sudan and… Continue reading Ghana peacekeeper named UN Military Gender Advocate of the Year

According to WMO, weather, climate and water-related hazards caused close to 12,000 disasters between 1970 and 2021. Developing countries were hit hardest, seeing nine in 10 deaths and 60 per cent of economic losses from climate shocks and extreme weather.   WMO said that Least Developed Countries and Small Island Developing States suffered a “disproportionately” high… Continue reading Extreme weather caused two million deaths, cost $4 trillion over last 50 years

That was the message from the President of the UN General Assembly, Csaba Kőrösi, on an official visit to Salt Lake City in Utah, where he met with top state officials, students and academics, and local community members. “There are commonalities because the entire world is in a water crisis, which is ignited by climate… Continue reading Advocating for sustainable water ‘gamechangers’, Kőrösi goes West

The G7, which consists of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States, together with the European Union, is meeting in the city where the first atomic bomb was dropped in 1945, a place which Secretary-General António Guterres described, as a “testament to the human spirit”. “Whenever I visit, I am inspired by… Continue reading G7 nations, ‘central to climate action’ says Guterres, calling for global reset

From Hurricane Ivan in Jamaica in 2004 to earthquakes in Peru in 2007 and Haiti in 2010, Raul – chief of the regional office for disaster risk reduction – has developed an acute understanding of what the impact of disasters are, and what can be done to avoid or prevent them. “We continuously face a… Continue reading First Person: Rising from disaster

Adedeji Ebo was briefing the Security Council on the issue of Western weapons supplies to Ukraine, called by permanent member Russia – the fourth time it has been presented for discussion in light of the ongoing conflict. The Deputy to the High Representative for Disarmament Affairs said the transfers of weapons systems and ammunition from… Continue reading Ukrainian civilians subject to ‘unbearable routine’ of Russian attack

“Now is not the time to be complacent, or to take for granted that Iraq has turned a corner,” said the UN Special Representative for Iraq Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert. Achievements range from fighting corruption to advancing energy independence, said Ms. Hennis-Plasschaert, who also heads the UN Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI), briefing on recent developments. But… Continue reading Despite gains, Iraq has not yet ‘turned the corner’, Security Council hears

Reports of gender-based violence (GBV) against girls and women there have increased by 37 per cent during the first three months of the year, compared to the same period a year ago, according to the GBV coordination group for North Kivu. More than 38,000 cases of GBV were reported for all of 2022 in North… Continue reading UNICEF alert over ‘sickening’ levels of sexual violence in eastern DR Congo

The report states that some “UN Member States are enabling this trade” through a combination of outright complicity, lax enforcement of existing bans, and easily circumvented sanctions, according to a news release from the UN rights office OHCHR. Access to advanced weaponry  “Despite overwhelming evidence of the Myanmar military’s atrocity crimes against the people of… Continue reading UN rights expert exposes $1 billion ‘death trade’ in arms for Myanmar military

Ambassadors were briefed by UN Special Envoy Hans Grundberg, who reported on his ongoing engagement with representatives from the internationally-recognized Government, which is backed by a Saudi-led coalition, and opposing Houthi rebels, as well as regional and international actors. Mr. Grundberg said he was encouraged by the positive and detailed discussions, noting that all interlocutors… Continue reading UN envoy reports on progress towards Yemen peace agreement

17 May 2023Climate and Environment Global temperatures are likely to surge to record levels in the next five years, fuelled by heat-trapping greenhouse gases and a naturally occurring El Niño weather pattern, according to a new update issued by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) on Wednesday. There is a 66 per cent likelihood that the… Continue reading Global temperatures set to break records during next 5 years: WMO

Amid claims and counter claims, the army has been reportedly attempting to cut the supply lines of the Rapid Support Forces and defend its bases from continued attack. The RSF claimed to have captured hundreds of soldiers, following an attack on an army base. Airstrikes and heavy fighting have left hundreds of thousands of city… Continue reading Sudan crisis: UN continues to scale up aid, as security allows

“Non-State armed groups continue to carry out large-scale attacks against civilian and military targets and engage in clashes over access to resources, territorial control and influence,” said Martha Ama Akyaa Pobee, UN Assistant Secretary-General for Africa, part of the political and peacebuilding affairs department, and UN Peace Operations. The Council was meeting to assess the… Continue reading Security situation in Sahel remains very worrying, Security Council warned

“The way we produce, use, and dispose of plastics is polluting ecosystems, creating risks for human health and destabilizing the climate,” said UNEP Executive Director Inger Andersen. ‘Roadmap’ to slash plastic pollution “This UNEP report lays out a roadmap to dramatically reduce these risks through adopting a circular approach that keeps plastics out of ecosystems,… Continue reading New UN ‘roadmap’ shows how to drastically slash plastic pollution

15 May 2023Peace and Security The world must make every effort to eliminate chemical weapons, the UN chief said on Monday, raising grave concerns about their continued use. “We cannot go backwards,” UN Secretary-General António Guterres said in a video message addressing the fifth Special Session of the States parties to review the operation of… Continue reading Guterres: Eliminate ‘weapons of terror’ to avert future chemical warfare

Emergency Relief Coordinator Martin Griffiths said that it was “imperative that we explore all options to reach civilians”, stressing that all parties to the fighting must allow and facilitate the “rapid and unimpeded passage of humanitarian relief”. “I urge the parties to strengthen facilitation efforts so we can reach all civilians in need”, he said. Cut… Continue reading Ukraine: Imperative to ‘explore all options’ to reach civilians – UN relief chief