Migrant arrivals in Europe top 100,000 in 2015: UN refugee agency
Jun 11, 2015, at 02:49 pm
New York, Jun 11 (IBNS): Refugee and migrant arrivals to Europe across the Mediterranean so far in 2015 have moved above 100,000, with record numbers now arriving every day in the Greek islands, the United Nations refugee agency has confirmed.
Geneva: UN envoy meets Syria stakeholders amid ongoing consultations
Jun 11, 2015, at 02:48 pm
New York, Jun 11 (IBNS): The United Nations Special Envoy for Syria is continuing a series of critical meetings with Syrian and international stakeholders as part of the ongoing Geneva Consultations and in an effort to find a political solution to the country’s five-year long conflict.
Religious leaders at forefront of fight against intolerance: UN chief
Jun 11, 2015, at 02:41 pm
New York, Jun 11 (IBNS): Religious leaders have a pivotal role to play in times of turmoil, during which they can provide a values-based glue to hold communities together and provide common ground for peace-making and problem solving, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said on Wednesday at a conference in Kazakhstan.
WHO begins review of MERS outbreak in Republic of Korea
Jun 11, 2015, at 02:38 pm
New York, Jun 11 (IBNS): A joint mission by the United Nations World Health Organization (WHO) and the Republic of Korea's Ministry of Health and Welfare to review the situation regarding the outbreak of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS CoV), has begun its work in Seoul, the agency confirmed on Wednesday.
Violence in Darfur having 'devastating' impact on civilians: Security Council
Jun 11, 2015, at 02:36 pm
New York, Jun 11 (IBNS): The security situation in Darfur is a very serious one, marked by a "deeply concerning" increase in violent attacks by armed assailants against United Nations peacekeepers and humanitarian personnel, the Assistant Secretary-General for UN peacekeeping operations told the Security Council on Wednesday.
Women in Africa 'being left behind' in fight against HIV/AIDS: UN report
Jun 11, 2015, at 02:33 pm
New York, Jun 11 (IBNS): Despite considerable advances made in the global response to the AIDS epidemic over the last several decades, young women and adolescent girls in Africa "are still being left behind," according to a new joint report from the United Nations and the African Union.
Libya: UN envoy urges parties to make political draft 'a final one'
Jun 11, 2015, at 02:15 pm
New York, Jun 11 (IBNS): Amid "very encouraging signs" in the United Nations-facilitated Libyan political dialogue, the Secretary-General's Special Representative on the North African nation on Wednesday said that "time has come to make an agreement" and if possible, before or at the beginning of Ramadan, which begins on 17 June.
UN committee on space issues renews focus on sustainability and climate change
Jun 11, 2015, at 02:12 pm
New York, Jun 11 (IBNS): The Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space opened its annual session in Vienna today with the role of sustainability and climate change in outer space activities taking centre stage, the United Nations space agency has reported.
As refugees flood Greek island, UN agency warns of strained resources
Jun 10, 2015, at 03:00 pm
New York, Jun 10 (IBNS): The United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR) is reporting the arrival of record numbers of refugees on the Greek island of Lesvos, severely straining local reception capacities and the island’s limited resources.
Tajikistan: Ban highlights need for safe water, sanitation and human rights
Jun 10, 2015, at 02:59 pm
New York, Jun 10 (IBNS): Kicking off a high-level event on water in Tajikistan on Tuesday, Secretary-GeneralBan Ki-moon urged nations in the region and beyond to renew their commitment to safe water and sanitation as the international community forges ahead with the post-2015 development agenda and climate change intensifies the need to act.
Increased militia violence could push Burundi over the edge: UN rights chief
Jun 10, 2015, at 02:58 pm
New York, Jun 10 (IBNS): Deeply worried at the increasingly violent and threatening actions by a pro-government militia in Burundi, the United Nations human rights chief on Tuesday urged the national authorities to take immediate and concrete measures to rein them in.
Bangladesh factory collapse: UN-backed fund reaches $30 million target
Jun 10, 2015, at 02:57 pm
New York, Jun 10 (IBNS): Set up in October 2013 with assistance from the International Labour Organization (ILO), the Rana Plaza Coordination Committee has announced that it met its $30 million target so that it can pay out full compensation to the victims and families of a deadly factory collapse in Bangladesh that claimed more than 1,100 lives and left scores of others injured.
Ukraine: UN reports uptick in internal displacement as country's conflict grinds on
Jun 10, 2015, at 02:55 pm
New York, Jun 10 (IBNS): The number of internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Ukraine has soared to over one million due to the ongoing conflict in the country's eastern regions, the United Nations humanitarian office reported on Tuesday.
UN envoy urges Libyan parties to 'heal rift that has torn your country apart'
Jun 10, 2015, at 02:51 pm
New York, Jun 10 (IBNS): Telling stakeholders in Libya's dialogue that "mothers across [the country] have their eyes on you," the United Nations envoy for Libya presented draft political proposal and said that the time had finally come for the parties to take the difficult decision to make peace and begin the process towards national reconciliation.
Ban welcomes 'milestone' agreement on new Nepal constitution
Jun 10, 2015, at 02:49 pm
New York, Jun 10 (IBNS): Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has welcomed the agreement of a new constitution for Nepal as "a major milestone" in the country's democratic development, a spokesperson for the United Nations confirmed on Tuesday.
UN official urges action to reduce exclusion and discrimination disabled people
Jun 10, 2015, at 02:47 pm
New York, Jun 10 (IBNS): Empowering persons with disabilities and securing their rights will advance society as a whole, United Nations Deputy Secretary-General Jan Eliasson said on Tuesday as he urged strengthening global cooperation and partnership on the matter at the Eighth Conference of States Parties to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
Washington: WHO and partners convene summit on improving health data
Jun 10, 2015, at 02:45 pm
New York, Jun 10 (IBNS): With more two-thirds of the world’s population living in countries that do not produce reliable statistics on mortality by age, sex and cause of death, the World Health Organization (WHO) and its partners are leading an international collaboration in measurement and accountability for global public health over the next 15 years.
Cote d'Ivoire will need UN support before Presidential elections: Security Council
Jun 10, 2015, at 02:42 pm
New York, Jun 10 (IBNS): For Cote d'Ivoire, the October presidential election represents an important milestone in the consolidation of the hard-won gains of recent years, the United Nations envoy for the West African country on Tuesday told the Security Council on Tuesday, outlining a very different environment from 2010, but nevertheless advocating for a continued UN presence there.
Millions in Iraq need greater humanitarian support: UN relief official
Jun 10, 2015, at 02:29 pm
New York, Jun 10 (IBNS): Millions of people are in need of a greater assistance across Iraq, said Stephen O'Brien, the new Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, following a two-day visit to the strife-torn country.
Uganda: UN-backed investments in small farmers yield impressive outcomes
Jun 10, 2015, at 02:28 pm
New York, Jun 10 (IBNS): Smallholder farmers in Uganda have made impressive progress in grain harvest and storage, thanks to a World Food Programme (WFP) investment plan which aims at improving their agricultural practices and market access.
The way cities are planned, run and managed is crucial for development: UN official
Jun 10, 2015, at 02:27 pm
New York, Jun 10 (IBNS): In his address to the World Cities Summit in New York on Tuesday, United Nations Deputy Secretary-General Jan Eliasson called on global leaders to adapt to the demographic and cultural shift that is taking place in cities worldwide in order to make them economically viable, environmentally sustainable and socially vibrant.
UN-backed forum: Africa's least developed countries to transform their economies
Jun 10, 2015, at 02:26 pm
New York, Jun 10 (IBNS): Voicing determination to transform the structure of their economies and graduate from their status as some of the world's poorest nations, Ministers from the least developed countries (LDCs) in Africa at a United Nations-supported meeting in Milan have pledged to draw on their countries' great potential to boost growth and lock in sustainable development.
UN envoy condemns continuing use of barrel bombs, killing of civilians in Syria conflict
Jun 09, 2015, at 10:39 pm
New York, Jun 9 (IBNS): The United Nations Special Envoy for Syria has condemned the continuing use of barrel bombs in the Middle Eastern country's ongoing conflict and called on all parties to respect the sanctity of civilian life, according to a spokesperson for the Organization.
Iraq: lack of funding for UN-led relief efforts leaves country on 'verge of collapse'
Jun 09, 2015, at 10:37 pm
New York, Jun 9 (IBNS): Crisis-torn Iraq, one of the world's most severe emergencies, is on the verge of collapse because of a lack of funding could force the closure of more than half the relief operations in the country over the coming weeks, the top United Nations humanitarian official there has warned.
Addressing Economic and Social Council, UN deputy chief advocates 'true global pact for development'
Jun 09, 2015, at 10:14 pm
New York, Jun 9 (IBNS): Experience in the past two decades, particularly the 15 years of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), has shown the potential of a "true global pact for development," the United Nations Deputy Secretary-General Jan Eliasson said on Tuesday during a commemoration of the 20th anniversary of the UN World Summit for Social Development.
Somalia: UN envoy applauds successes as country 'comes together'
Jun 09, 2015, at 10:12 pm
New York, Jun 9 (IBNS): The top United Nations official in Somalia on Tuesday lauded the progress made in the Horn of Africa country amid military and political gains on the ground and a successful partnership between international and national stakeholders.
At governing body, UN atomic agency chief spotlights uranium fuel bank: Fukushima report
Jun 09, 2015, at 10:09 pm
New York, Jun 9 (IBNS): A new report on the 2011 nuclear accident in eastern Japan's Fukushima area and two agreements related to the establishment of an International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reserve of low enriched uranium were among the key points highlighted by Director General Yukiya Amano to the Agency's Board of Governors on Tuesday.
Jun 09, 2015, at 10:07 pm
New York, Jun 9 (IBNS): Jose Graziano da Silva, two days after his re-election as the head of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) for another four years, on Tuesday announced that eradicating hunger, raising levels of nutrition and addressing climate change are among the agency’s top priorities during his second term.
Almost 1,000 civilians killed in Afghanistan conflict during first 4 months of this year
Jun 09, 2015, at 10:04 pm
New York, Jun 9 (IBNS):The conflict in Afghanistan is resulting in thousands of people being killed or wounded, forcing families to leave their homes and seek refuge in neighbouring communities, according to Mark Bowden, the UN Secretary-General's Deputy Special Representative in the country.
New UN report details litany of human rights violations, 'rule by fear' in Eritrea
Jun 09, 2015, at 10:00 pm
New York, Jun 9 (IBNS): Amid "systematic, widespread and gross human rights violations," the human rights situation in Eritrea has degenerated into a climate of fear in which dissent is stifled and large swathes of the population are subjected to forced labour and imprisonment, a new United Nations report has found.