Killing of Somali media worker draws condemnation from UN official
Sep 16, 2015, at 02:15 pm
New York, Sept 16 (IBNS): The head of the United Nations agency tasked with defending the freedom of the press on Tuesday denounced the recent killing of a Somali news editor.
UN chief to highlight important work that lays ahead for world leaders
Sep 16, 2015, at 02:13 pm
New York, Sept 16 (IBNS): Ahead of what is expected to be one of the busiest high-level periods in recent memory at the United Nations, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon will brief reporters on Wednesday on a range of issues that world leaders will tackle in New York beginning next week.
Central America faces major crop losses due to El Nino: UN agency
Sep 15, 2015, at 02:54 pm
New York, Sept 15 (IBNS): This year's cereal outputs in El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua have been severely reduced because of the dry weather associated with the El Nino weather phenomenon, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said on Monday.
Libyan parties reach consensus on main elements of political agreement: UN envoy
Sep 14, 2015, at 01:36 pm
New York, Sept 14 (IBNS): The United Nations envoy for Libya announced on Sunday that consensus has been reached by the parties on the main elements of a political agreement aimed at resolving the ongoing crisis.
France and Bulgaria must halt forced evictions of Roma: UN rights chief
Sep 12, 2015, at 03:04 pm
New York, Sept 12 (IBNS): Ongoing forced evictions of Roma and Travellers in a number of European States, including France and Bulgaria, are cause for serious concern, the United Nations human rights chief said on Friday.
National Geographic Society wins UN environmental prize for science and innovation
Sep 12, 2015, at 02:59 pm
New York, Sept 12 (IBNS): The National Geographic Society, one of the largest non-profit scientific and educational institutions in the world that reaches more than 700 million people each month, is this year's winner of the United Nations Champions of the Earth award in the area of science and innovation.
Liberia making progress on numerous fronts, UN official tells Security Council
Sep 11, 2015, at 03:21 pm
New York, Sept 11 (IBNS): Liberia is working hard to build institutions, pass legislation and put in place mechanisms that will enable it to maintain stability without the presence of a peacekeeping force, the head of United Nations peacekeeping told the Security Council on Wednesday.
South Sudan: UN agencies boost effort to avoid loss of young children's lives
Sep 10, 2015, at 02:25 pm
New York, Sep 10 (IBNS): Two United Nations agencies are intensifying their efforts to reverse "dire" malnutrition in South Sudan, where every two minutes another child becomes severely malnourished and brutal conflict has displaced millions of people, destroyed basic services and increased disease.
Women must be empowered to counter terrorism and extremism: UN official
Sep 10, 2015, at 02:15 pm
New York, Sep 10 (IBNS): Increased attention needs to be given to women so they can be empowered to actively help counter terrorism and violent extremism around the world, a senior United Nations counter-terrorism official told a news conference in New York on Wednesday.
Secretary-General discusses refugee, migrant crisis with UK Prime Minister
Sep 10, 2015, at 02:10 pm
New York, Sep 10 (IBNS): Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Wednesday discussed the refugee and migrant crisis with Prime Minister David Cameron of the United Kingdom, as he continued to confer with European leaders on what has become the biggest influx of people into the continent in decades.
Israeli demolition orders boost vulnerability of West Bank Palestinians: UN
Sep 09, 2015, at 03:09 pm
New York, Sep 9 (IBNS): A new United Nations report shows that, according to official data released by the Israeli authorities, more than 11,000 demolition orders are currently outstanding in the 60 per cent of the West Bank over which Israel still retains direct control – known as Area C.
Deforestation slows, 'but we need to do better': UN agriculture chief
Sep 08, 2015, at 02:31 pm
New York, Sep 8 (IBNS): While the world's forests continue to shrink as populations increase and woodlands are converted to agriculture and other uses, over the past 25 years, the rate of net global deforestation has slowed down by more than 50 per cent, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said in a report published on Monday.
After terrorist attack on West Bank, UN envoy urges end to extremist violence
Sep 08, 2015, at 02:30 pm
New York, Sep 8 (IBNS): The United Nations special envoy on the Middle East on Monday expressed deep sadness that Reham Dawabsha has succumb to the wounds she received in a terrorist attack in a West Bank village in late July that also killed her husband and infant son, calling the tragedy "a shocking example of the destructive nature of extremism."
Yemen: UN emergency fund releases $15 million for critical aid operations
Sep 05, 2015, at 03:48 pm
New York, Sep 5 (IBNS): The head of the United Nations humanitarian wing on Friday released an emergency allocation of $15 million to help alleviate the "almost incomprehensible" scale of human suffering in Yemen where a "shocking" four out of every five Yemenis are lacking in such basic items for survival as clean water, food, fuel, and medicines.
DR Congo humanitarian crisis must not fall off world's radar: UN official
Sep 05, 2015, at 03:06 pm
New York, Sep 5 (IBNS): Wrapping up a four-day mission to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), the United Nations Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, Kyung-wha Kang, called strongly on Friday for creative ways to reignite donor engagement and ensure that one of the world's most protracted crises does not "fall off the humanitarian radar."
We are making progress on Libya political agreement: UN envoy
Sep 05, 2015, at 03:03 pm
New York, Sep 5 (IBNS): The United Nations envoy facilitating efforts to restore peace in Libya said on Friday that real progress was being made as the participants wrapped-up the latest round of the political dialogue process, which has been taking place in Geneva.
Spotlighting sustainable development, 'Global Goals' campaign launched at UN
Sep 04, 2015, at 02:38 pm
New York, Sep 4 (IBNS): As United Nations Member States prepare to adopt a new set of Sustainable Development Goals, a ground-breaking collaboration of campaigners, public figures, companies and civil society groups is uniting to tell seven billion people in seven days that "it's time to change the world."
Baghdad had highest level of civilian casualties in August: UN Iraq mission
Sep 03, 2015, at 02:42 pm
New York, Sep 3 (IBNS): Terrorism, violence and armed conflict in Iraq killed more than 1,300 people and injured over 1,800 others last month, reflecting a “steadily increasing number of casualties,†according to casualty figures released by the United Nations Assistance Mission in the country (UNAMI).
Yemen: UN warns of 'untenable' humanitarian situation and increase in causalities
Sep 02, 2015, at 02:44 pm
New York, Sep 2 (IBNS): The UN human rights office said on Tuesday it is alarmed by the steep increase in the number of civilian casualties in Yemen's Taiz governorate in recent weeks, as well as by the "untenable" humanitarian situation which is being made worse by the blockage of supply routes into Taiz city by local "popular committees" affiliated with the Houthis.
Hurricane Katrina's 'true legacy' was to spur disaster risk management: UN official
Aug 29, 2015, at 03:12 pm
New York, Aug 29 (IBNS): The top United Nations disaster resilience official on Friday said on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina that the 'true legacy' of the costliest United States hurricane disaster, which devastated New Orleans and claimed more than 1,800 lives, was to raise the bar for disaster risk management worldwide.
Security Council: Officials warn political turbulence in Guinea-Bissau
Aug 29, 2015, at 03:04 pm
New York, Aug 29 (IBNS): With Guinea-Bissau facing political turbulence barely a year after the re-establishment of constitutional order, the top United Nations official there expressed hope on Friday that political leaders would rise to their "historic responsibility" to preserve the gains made so far in the interest of the country and people.
At Security Council, UN envoy says Libyan parties must come together, make 'final push' for peace
Aug 27, 2015, at 04:00 pm
New York, Aug 27 (IBNS) With the United Nations-supported political dialogue process in Libya nearing its last stages, "time is running out" for leaders on all sides and at all levels to make the "final push," the head of the UN Mission in the country (UNSMIL) told the Security Council today.
As momentum builds for December climate talks in Paris, Ban looks ahead to 'bold' outcome
Aug 27, 2015, at 03:56 pm
New York, Aug 27 (IBNS) Commending France's "exemplary leadership" on efforts to tackle climate change, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Wednesday affirmed that the international community is now at a stage where the final elements of the new climate agreement are being negotiated.
UN food relief now reaching more than 400,000 flood victims in Myanmar
Aug 27, 2015, at 03:38 pm
New York, Aug 27 (IBNS) The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) is now delivering rice, beans, cooking oil and salt to more than 400,000 people affected by flooding in Myanmar and "reachable only on foot, after floods and landslides destroyed roads across the country," the agency said today.
Aug 26, 2015, at 03:16 pm
New York, Aug 26 (IBNS) Voicing concern over continuing political violence and killing of protestors in Nepal, the United Nations human rights office on Tuesday called on the authorities to respect dissenting voices and seek a peaceful solution with demonstrators.
UN agency expresses concern over plight of civilians in southern Lebanon refugee camp
Aug 26, 2015, at 03:12 pm
New York, Aug 26 (IBNS) The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) called on Tuesday for restraint in the wake of 24 August clashes between various armed groups that have seriously impacted the refugee community in southern Lebanon's Ein el Hilweh Camp in Saida.
In France, Ban and President Hollande discuss global issues including upcoming Paris climate talks
Aug 26, 2015, at 03:09 pm
New York, Aug 26 (IBNS): In Paris today, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon met with the President of France, Francois Hollande, with whom he discussed a range of issues, including the climate change conference, which is due to start in December (COP-21) in the French capital, as well as the next steps to be taken to ensure an ambitious outcome.
Aug 26, 2015, at 03:05 pm
New York, Aug 26 (IBNS): Welcoming the decision by rival parties in South Sudan to convene tomorrow a 'mini-summit,' where the Government, "in the interest of peace," is expected to sign the agreement already endorsed by former Vice-President Riek Machar, the top United Nations official in the country on Tuesday said that the security situation on the ground remains "volatile and tense."
Aug 26, 2015, at 03:00 pm
New York, Aug 26 (IBNS) Alarmed by the dramatic increase in grave violations against Yemen's children, the United Nations Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict has called on all parties to respect their obligations under international law to safeguard civilians from harm, including children.
UN human rights chief urges Maldives to consider release of imprisoned former President
Aug 26, 2015, at 02:53 pm
New York, Aug 26 (IBNS): The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) on Tuesday expressed deep concern that Government of the Maldives after former President Mohammad Nasheed was once again sent to prison, calling the move a "serious set-back" for the country.