West African nations committed to fighting terrorism in subregion, Liberian President tells UN

Sep 23, 2016, at 02:36 pm

New York, Sept 23 (Just Earth News): Noting that the United Nations General Assembly is taking place at a time when there is escalation of conflicts engulfing millions of people in many parts of the world, Liberia’s President on Thursday stressed that West African States are collectively demonstrating their commitment and preparedness to combat terrorism affecting the subregion.

Small island nations urge UN General Assembly to act to save their very existence

Sep 23, 2016, at 02:35 pm

New York, Sept 23 (Just Earth News): Leaders of low-lying island States threatened with being flooded out of existence by rising seas again took to the podium of the United Nations General Assembly on Thursday to appeal for urgent action even as the Paris Agreement moves forward to counter climate change.

Agriculture and food system transformation needed on pathway to zero hunger – Ban

Sep 23, 2016, at 02:33 pm

New York, Sept 23 (Just Earth News): While the world has seen some progress on combatting the root causes of hunger and malnutrition, the challenge of providing the fundamental right to adequate food to all people must remain a priority, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said on Thursday, urging Member States to continue to work together to tackle the problem.

Côte d’Ivoire leader urges donors to respect development commitments to ensure ‘no one is left behind’

Sep 23, 2016, at 02:32 pm

New York, Sept 23 (Just Earth News): Emphasizing his country’s economic health, Alassane Ouattara, the President of Côte d'Ivoire, told the United Nations General Assembly on Thursday that it will mobilize the necessary resources to implement Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and announced that his country would deposit the instruments of ratification of the Paris Agreement on climate change before the end of the year.

Holy See calls on international community to ensure UN sustainability agenda has ‘human face’

Sep 23, 2016, at 02:31 pm

New York, Sept 23 (Just Earth News): Recalling Pope Francis’ message to the General Assembly, last year, where he defined the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development as an important sign of hope, Pietro Parolin, Observer of the Holy See, said that the Pope reiterated his appreciation for the actions taken by the United Nations and encouraged all to put these ambitious objectives into practice.

Lebanon is ‘not a country of permanent asylum,’ Prime Minister tells UN Assembly

Sep 23, 2016, at 02:29 pm

New York, Sept 23 (Just Earth News): Lebanon is no longer able to assimilate additional displaced persons, and the United Nations should envision resettling the displaced Syrians within their national borders, the President of Lebanon’s Council of Ministers, Tammam Salam, told the UN General Assembly on Thursday.

Madagascar leader spotlights universality of 2030 Agenda in UN Assembly speech

Sep 23, 2016, at 02:28 pm

New York, Sept 23 (Just Earth News): Addressing the leader’s debate at the United Nations General Assembly, the President of Madagascar on Thursday underlined the need to take the commitments made in 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the Addis Ababa Action Agenda on financing for development and the Paris Agreement on climate change into practice.

At UN, Israel’s Netanyahu says conflict is ‘not about settlements’ but existence of a Jewish State

Sep 23, 2016, at 02:25 pm

New York, Sept 23 (Just Earth News): The Israeli-Palestinian conflict has never been about settlements, or about establishing a Palestinian state, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told the United Nations General Assembly on Thursday, saying “it’s always been about the existence of a Jewish State […] in any boundary.”

Serious global collaboration needed in war on terrorism, Iraqi premier tells UN Assembly

Sep 23, 2016, at 02:23 pm

New York, Sept 23 (Just Earth News): Taking the podium of the United Nations General Assembly to declare that most of the land seized by Islamist extremists has been recaptured, Iraqi Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi on Thursday appealed to the international community for more aid to reintegrate those displaced and greater cooperation in the war on terrorism.

At UN, European leaders stress importance of international cooperation to tackle global challenges

Sep 23, 2016, at 02:22 pm

New York, Sept 23 (Just Earth News): Emphasizing in an address to the United Nations on Thursday the magnitude of the challenges confronting the world, the Prime Minister of Norway underlined that effective international cooperation is essential to address poverty, conflicts, climate change, migration and terrorism.

Globalization is a ‘fact of life’ says Austrian Minister in UN General Assembly speech

Sep 23, 2016, at 05:28 am

New York, Sept 22 (Just Earth News): Globalization has brought enormous benefits to humankind, such as reduced international poverty, new technologies and reduced distances between countries, the Federal Minister for Europe, Integration and Foreign Affairs of Austria told the United Nations this evenings, stressing that there needs to be a realization that the phenomenon also brings challenges.

At UN, West African leaders cite terrorism as singular challenge to global peace and development

Sep 23, 2016, at 05:27 am

New York, Sept 22 (Just Earth News): Underlining the importance of and complementarity between the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Addis Ababa Action Agenda on financing for development, the President of Guinea-Bissau called on world leaders at the United Nations General Assembly to honour the commitments they made in the two global agreements.

Effective border controls make Australia successful 'immigration nation,' Prime Minister tells UN

Sep 23, 2016, at 05:26 am

New York, Sept 22 (Just Earth News): Addressing the United Nations General Assembly, Australia’s Prime Minister, Malcolm Turnbull, stressed the need to resist “the rising tide of protectionism” but most importantly “the threat of conflict and instability.”

Despite progress on Global Goals, Bangladesh faces ‘new wave of terrorism,’ Prime Minister tells UN

Sep 23, 2016, at 05:24 am

New York, Sept 22 (Just Earth News): Addressing the United Nations General Assembly, the Prime Minister of Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina, on Thursday said that her country has already mainstreamed most Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into its national development plans.

‘A wall is not the solution’ for migration crisis, El Salvador’s President tells UN

Sep 23, 2016, at 05:19 am

New York, Sept 22 (Just Earth News): In his address to the United Nations General Assembly on Thursday, Salvador Sánchez Cerén, the President of El Salvador, urged the international community to meet the complex challenges posed by mass migration with courage and to strengthen the activities of regional and global organizations dealing with the issue, especially to ensure the protection of the human rights of all people on the move.

Security Council adopts resolution on countering terrorist threats to civil aviation

Sep 23, 2016, at 05:18 am

New York, Sept 22 (Just Earth News): The global aviation system is of vital importance to economic development and prosperity, and all States must strengthen, both individually and collectively, aviation security measures, in order to secure a stable and peaceful global environment, the United Nations Security Council declared on Thursday.

Palestinians have not lost hope for peace, but will never accept ‘temporary solutions,’ President Abbas tells UN

Sep 23, 2016, at 05:17 am

New York, Sept 22 (Just Earth News): Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas called on world leaders gathered at the United Nations General Assembly to declare 2017 “the international year to end the Israeli occupation of our land and our people,” and exert all efforts to end the decades of injustice imposed upon the Palestinian people and provide a unique opportunity for peace, stability and coexistence to prevail in the region.

Sanitation initiative in south-eastern Haiti shows promising results – UNICEF

Sep 23, 2016, at 04:57 am

New York, Sept 22 (Just Earth News): A sanitation initiative in south-eastern Haiti has shown encouraging results, with a major reduction in the number of water-borne infections for local residents, according to the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).

Women’s empowerment vital for global development, Lithuanian leader tells UN Assembly

Sep 23, 2016, at 04:55 am

New York, Sept 22 (Just Earth News): Only by fully empowering women can the world achieve the ambitious development goals it has set itself and confront the multiple crises and threats that beset it, Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaite told the United Nations General Assembly on Thursday.

Ban: Greater focus on women’s empowerment can help achieve development agenda

Sep 23, 2016, at 04:54 am

New York, Sept 22 (Just Earth News): Gender equality remains the greatest human rights challenge of our time, and one way to achieve the goal is by empowering women to have greater choices economically and control over their lives, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon declared on Thursday, urging the international community to spearhead efforts that provide opportunities for women and girls.

At Assembly debate, President of Sierra Leone cites urgent need for UN Security Council reform

Sep 23, 2016, at 04:53 am

New York, Sept 22 (Just Earth News): Calling for urgent reform at the United Nations and in particular at the Security Council, the President of Sierra Leone on Thursday stressed that national and global efforts to implement the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) will not alone deliver the promise of an inclusive and fairer world.

Negotiated settlement a ‘win-win’ solution to benefit all Cypriots, President tells UN

Sep 23, 2016, at 04:51 am

New York, Sept 22 (Just Earth News): Addressing the United Nations General Assembly, Cyprus’ President on Thursday highlighted progress made so far on negotiations between the two communities of Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots towards a unified country.

Post-9/11 security policies may be genesis of on Thursday’s borderless violent extremism, Iran tells UN

Sep 23, 2016, at 04:50 am

New York, Sept 22 (Just Earth News): The century that began with terror in New York City should not continue with the spread of hatred, violence and destruction in the Middle East and North Africa, Hassan Rouhani, the President of Iran, told the United Nations General Assembly on Thursday, underscoring that the most pressing issue that world leaders need to address is how to tackle terrorism in a comprehensive manner.

‘This is no longer a time for promises,’ Cameroon President tells UN, urging action on Global Goals

Sep 23, 2016, at 04:49 am

New York, Sept 22 (Just Earth News): While the current session of the United Nations General Assembly has opened in a context marked by turmoil, Paul Biya, the President of Cameroon said this morning there are nevertheless some “bright spots and glimmers of hope,” including the adoption by Member States of landmark agreements on climate change, development financing and sustainable development.

Ban calls on global leaders to take forward goals of World Humanitarian Summit

Sep 23, 2016, at 04:46 am

New York, Sept 22 (Just Earth News): As the international community continues to work towards achieving the core humanitarian responsibilities agreed to at the World Humanitarian Summit this past May, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Thursday presented a road map to promote accountability for commitments made and report on progress attained.

US military aircraft crashes in Japan

Sep 22, 2016, at 07:01 pm

Tokyo/Washington, Sept 22 (IBNS): A US military aircraft crashed off Okinawa, a Japanese island, on Thursday morning, CNN reported.

Global cooperation vital to achieve Agenda 2030, Thai leader tells UN Assembly

Sep 22, 2016, at 02:34 pm

New York, Sept 22 (Just Earth News): Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha said on Wednesday that global cooperation is crucial to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that seek to eliminate poverty, hunger and a host of social ills by 2030, on the second day of the United Nations General Assembly’s annual general debate.

Syria and Mediterranean shores show ‘past lessons not learned,’ Bosnia and Herzegovina tells UN

Sep 22, 2016, at 02:32 pm

New York, Sept 22 (Just Earth News): Addressing the United Nations General Assembly, Chairman of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bakir Izetbegovic, stressed on Wednesday that humanitarian aid cannot serve as a substitute for solutions addressing the root causes of conflict nor create conditions for lasting peace.

UN remains vital forum for countries facing ‘ruthless reality,’ Prime Minister of Montenegro tells Assembly

Sep 22, 2016, at 02:30 pm

New York, Sept 22 (Just Earth News): Despite significant global advances, in many places around the world peace, stability and sustainable economic development remain unattainable and brutal, long-term conflict have taken a toll on countless lives, Milo Ðukanovic, the Prime Minister of Montenegro, told the General Assembly on Wednesday, saying that against this background, the United Nations remains an indispensable forum for identifying joint responses.

Ban urges ramped up support to meet Peacebuilding Fund’s financial challenges

Sep 22, 2016, at 02:29 pm

New York, Sept 22 (Just Earth News): Ban urges ramped up support to meet Peacebuilding Fund’s financial challenges The United Nations system is being pushed to its limits by an unprecedented number of conflicts and economic crises globally, as well as by climate change and inequalities, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said on Wednesday, calling on the international community to help keep the Organization’s Peacebuilding Fund from falling into a dangerous financial position.