Ban highlights need to fight ‘genocide ideology,’ as UN reflects on 1994 atrocities in Rwanda

Apr 12, 2016, at 01:45 pm

New York, Apr 12 (Just Earth News/IBNS): At an event marking the International Day of Reflection on the Genocide in Rwanda, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said the only way to prevent genocide and other “egregious” violations of human rights is to acknowledge shared responsibility and commit to shared action to protect those at risk.

UN experts urges Honduras to end impunity in murder of human rights defender

Apr 12, 2016, at 01:44 pm

New York, Apr 12 (Just Earth News/IBNS): More than a month after the killing of Berta Cáceres, a female human rights defender, eight United Nations experts have jointly reiterated their appeal to the Government of Honduras to provide justice and reveal the truth in her murder, and to ensure the security and protection of all people defending the environment and human rights in the country.

PODCAST: actress Gillian Anderson presents film at UN on human trafficking

Apr 12, 2016, at 01:42 pm

New York, Apr 12 (Just Earth News/IBNS): “Film can change the world,” said actress Gillian Anderson in a recent interview at the United Nations about the movie SOLD, the story of a 13-year-old Nepalese girl's journey into sexual slavery and eventual emancipation.

UN survey finds displaced Palestinian families in Gaza Strip live in desperate conditions

Apr 12, 2016, at 01:41 pm

New York, Apr 12 (Just Earth News/IBNS): More than 75,000 Palestinian families internally displaced in the Gaza Strip as a result of the 2014 escalation of hostilities continue to live in fraught conditions and are in need of homes, the United Nations relief coordination wing for the Occupied Palestinian Territory reported on Monday.

New UN report focuses on green, inclusive industrialization in Africa

Apr 12, 2016, at 01:37 pm

New York, Apr 12 (Just Earth News/IBNS): Welcoming the launch of the latest economic report on Africa, a senior United Nations official on Monday highlighted that African countries should leapfrog “business as usual,” carbon-intensive methods of growth and instead pursue a pathway to green industrialization.

Data 'essential' to 2030 Agenda, UN Commission on Population and Development told

Apr 12, 2016, at 01:36 pm

New York, Apr 12 (Just Earth News/IBNS): Addressing the opening of the 2016 session of the Commission on Population and Development, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Monday underscored the importance of that body's role in advancing the new global development agenda.

At UN peace operations review, Ban urges change of mindset in response to new challenges

Apr 12, 2016, at 01:34 pm

New York, Apr 12 (Just Earth News/IBNS): Ensuring that United Nations peace operations effectively confront and respond to both current and future global peace and security challenges requires sustained efforts to bolster progress throughout 2016 and beyond, including the right processes, strong partnerships and clear political strategies, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said on Monday.

Violence, use of teargas at Greek border 'matter of great worry' – UN refugee agency

Apr 12, 2016, at 01:31 pm

New York, Apr 12 (Just Earth News/IBNS): The United Nations refugee agency on Monday expressed concern about yesterday's violence at the border between Greece and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia near Eidomeni and the extensive scenes of teargas in use.

UN agencies step up joint response to help drought-affected northern Somalia

Apr 12, 2016, at 01:30 pm

New York, Apr 12 (Just Earth News/IBNS): The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the World Food Programme (WFP) are intensifying joint efforts to assist communities in northern Somalia coping with a severe drought exacerbated by El Niño conditions.

Yemen: UN officials welcome cessation of hostilities

Apr 12, 2016, at 01:28 pm

New York, Apr 12 (Just Earth News/IBNS): The United Nations Special Envoy for Yemen has welcomed the start of the cessation of hostilities that began at midnight, 10 April, urging all parties to work to ensure that the terms are fully respected and create a conducive environment for the peace talks scheduled to resume next week.

UN food aid reaches besieged Syrian city of Deir Ezzor by air

Apr 11, 2016, at 12:50 pm

New York, Apr 11 (Just Earth News/IBNS): In a boost to international humanitarian efforts in Syria, the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) on Sunday delivered aid by air for hungry people trapped in the besieged eastern city of Deir Ezzor, an area controlled by Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL/Da'esh).

Yemen: UN official expresses hope warring parties abide by cessation of hostilities set to begin Sunday

Apr 10, 2016, at 12:59 pm

New York, Apr 10 (Just Earth News/IBNS): Ahead of a cessation of hostilities set to start on 10 April, the senior United Nations relief official for Yemen on Saturday expressed hope that all parties to the conflict in that country abide by the ceasefire agreement, noting that only a political solution can bring the lasting peace Yemenis deserve and are demanding.

UN envoy urges Libyan House of Representatives to vote on national unity government

Apr 10, 2016, at 12:58 pm

New York, Apr 10 (Just Earth News/IBNS): Welcoming yesterday's executive meeting of the House of Representatives, the United Nations envoy for Libya on Saturday called on the House to convene in the Libyan port city of Tobruk over the coming days to vote on the national unity government.

North Korea claims it successfully tested rocket engine

Apr 10, 2016, at 01:08 am

Seoul, Apr 9 (IBNS): North Korea on Saturday claimed the country has successfully conducted a ground test of a new engine for an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), South Korean media reports said.

At least 23 killed in Peru bus accident

Apr 09, 2016, at 05:49 pm

Lima, Apr 9 (IBNS) At least 23 people were killed and 32 injured after a bus plunged into a river in the Andes Mountains near Cusco in south-eastern Peru, media reports said.

UN Development Cooperation Forum can contribute to advancing 2030 Agenda

Apr 09, 2016, at 01:54 pm

New York, Apr 9 (Just Earth News/IBNS): In Brussels on Friday, the President of the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), Oh Joon, emphasized that its forum that reviews the latest international development cooperation trends has an important role to play in advancing the new global development agenda.

UN officials urge boost in development action to meet humanitarian challenges in Africa

Apr 09, 2016, at 01:52 pm

New York, Apr 9 (Just Earth News/IBNS): Greater efforts in preparedness response, recovery and development interventions are needed from humanitarian actors for African nations to meet the immediate needs of their citizens, become more resilient to shocks and crises, and ultimately achieve food security, senior United Nations officials stressed on Friday.

Senior UN official visits Central African Republic to focus on stronger measures against sexual abuse

Apr 09, 2016, at 01:50 pm

New York, Apr 9 (Just Earth News/IBNS): The United Nations special coordinator on sexual exploitation and abuse is in Central African Republic (CAR) to discuss stronger measures to respond to the scourge.

Greece: UN agency urges full hearings for stranded refugee and migrant children

Apr 09, 2016, at 01:48 pm

New York, Apr 9 (Just Earth News/IBNS): With the process of returning refugees and migrants from the Greek islands to Turkey underway as part of a European Union-Turkey agreement, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) is reminding States of their duty to care and protect all children and give them a full and fair hearing when deciding on their future.

Selecting a new UN Secretary-General: a job interview in front of the whole world

Apr 09, 2016, at 01:47 pm

New York, Apr 9 (Just Earth News/IBNS): The selection process for a new United Nations Secretary-General, traditionally decided behind closed-doors by a few powerful countries, will for the first time in history involve public discussions with each candidate campaigning for the world’s top diplomatic post.

Ban welcomes G20 support for Paris climate accord signing

Apr 09, 2016, at 01:45 pm

New York, Apr 9 (Just Earth News/IBNS): Photo: United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Friday welcomed the statement of China, this year’s President of the Group of 20, affirming the G20’s full support for the 22 April signing of the Paris Agreement on climate change, and calling for the accord’s entry into force as early as possible.

After ‘Panama Papers’ leak, UN expert calls for end of financial secrecy to halt illicit fund flows

Apr 09, 2016, at 01:43 pm

New York, Apr 9 (Just Earth News/IBNS): In the wake of last week’s leak of a trove of confidential financial documents from a Panama law firm, a United Nations human rights expert called on the international community to urgently put an end to financial secrecy.

At Geneva conference, Ban calls for global partnership to prevent violent extremism

Apr 09, 2016, at 01:41 pm

New York, Apr 9 (Just Earth News/IBNS): The objective of extremists “is for us to turn on each other and our unity is the ultimate rebuke for that bankrupt strategy,” Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said on Friday, underscoring that the action plan he presented to the United Nations General Assembly in January contains concrete recommendations and could be the basis of a global partnership to defeat violent extremism.

Paris attacks: Key suspect arrested?

Apr 09, 2016, at 03:19 am

Paris, Apr 8 (IBNS) A key suspect in the November 2015 Paris attacks has been arrested in Belgium, media reports said on Friday.

Security Council renews sanctions against those blocking peace in South Sudan

Apr 08, 2016, at 12:44 pm

New York, Apr 8 (Just Earth News/IBNS): Determining that the situation in South Sudan poses a continuing threat to regional peace and security, the United Nations Security Council on Thursday renewed, until 1 June, its sanctions regime imposed last year against those blocking peace in the war-torn country, including a travel ban and a freeze on their assets.

Next round of Intra-Syrian talks planned for 13 April – UN envoy

Apr 08, 2016, at 12:42 pm

New York, Apr 8 (Just Earth News/IBNS): The United Nations mediator on the crisis in Syria said on Thursday that the next round of the peace talks will likely begin on Wednesday, 13 April, and is intended to be a concrete discussion leading to “a real beginning of a political transition.”

High-level UN forum on development cooperation paves way for ‘leaving no one behind’

Apr 08, 2016, at 12:40 pm

New York, Apr 8 (Just Earth News/IBNS): Following a day of fruitful discussions in workshops and informal meetings, the United Nations Development Cooperation Forum (DCF) High-level Symposium officially opened on Thursday in Brussels, Belgium, with senior UN officials urging delegations to ensure such cooperation is ‘a better fit’ for implementing the 2030 Agenda, including for vulnerable countries.

Rising hunger in Central America and Haiti as El Niño follows prolonged drought – UN agency

Apr 08, 2016, at 12:38 pm

New York, Apr 8 (Just Earth News/IBNS): The United Nations food relief agency committed on Thursday to assisting 1.6 million people hit by droughts exacerbated by El Niño in Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador and Haiti and building resilience against future climatic shocks.

In Geneva, senior UN official urges all-inclusive approach to stop virulent spread of violent extremism

Apr 08, 2016, at 12:36 pm

New York, Apr 8 (Just Earth News/IBNS): Violent extremism is an affront to the very purposes and principles of the United Nations, the Head of the world body’s Geneva headquarters said on Thursday, urging government delegations and experts gathered there to back the comprehensive approach needed to proactively address the drivers of the scourge, including through support of the Secretary-General’s action plan on the issue.

Remembering on Rwanda, Ban urges a firm stand against hate speech

Apr 08, 2016, at 12:33 pm

New York, Apr 8 (Just Earth News/IBNS): On the 22nd anniversary of the 1994 genocide in Rwanda, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Thursday highlighted the role hate speech plays in inciting division and violence, and urged the international community to “fight genocide ideology.”