UN chief says further probe needed to 'finally establish the facts' of Dag Hammarskjold's death
Jul 07, 2015, at 03:12 pm
New York, July 7 (IBNS) Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon announced on Monday that “a further inquiry or investigation would be necessary to finally establish the facts†of the death of the second Secretary-General of the United Nations, Dag Hammarskjöld, in a plane crash in Northern Rhodesia, now Zambia, along with 15 others more than 50 years ago.
At Oslo forum, Ban warns capacity to meet humanitarian needs under 'unprecedented strain'
Jul 07, 2015, at 03:10 pm
New York, July 7 (IBNS) The capacity of the United Nations and its partners to meet humanitarian needs is under "unprecedented strain," Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon warned on Monday at a forum in Oslo, Norway, where he highlight the critical role civil society plays as part of the global effort to save lives, support livelihoods and protect people from violence.
At high-level forum, UN official calls for final push towards new sustainability agenda
Jul 07, 2015, at 03:04 pm
New York, July 7 (IBNS) The international community stands on the cusp of eradicating extreme poverty and reaching the world's most vulnerable people with "a chance to live a life of dignity," the Vice-President of the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) declared on Monday, as he appealed to delegates to strengthen the platforms for implementing the new development agenda that will be adopted in September.
Nigeria twin bomb attacks kill 44
Jul 07, 2015, at 01:18 am
Jos, July 6 (IBNS): Twin bomb attacks rocked Nigerian city of Jos on Sunday which killed at least 44 people, media reports said.
A day after referendum verdict against austerity measure, Greek Finance Minister resigns
Jul 06, 2015, at 07:17 pm
Athens, July 6 (IBNS) Greek Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis has resigned a day after the country’s resounding rejection in a referendum to the eurozone’s austerity terms for a bailout.
UN hails cooperatives as vehicle to make sustainable development a reality for all
Jul 05, 2015, at 04:28 am
New York, July 4 (IBNS) Cooperatives will play an "invaluable role" in the international community's roll-out of a sustainable development goals, said United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, who today marked the International Day of Cooperatives with an appeal for all to recommit to the business model, which could help make the vision of a sustainable future a reality for everyone.
Jul 04, 2015, at 06:11 pm
New York, July 4 (IBNS): Increasingly concerned by the continued deadly incidents in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, against Israelis and Palestinians, United Nations Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Nickolay Mladenov Friday called for an immediate end to the violence.
Children bearing brunt of ongoing political instability and violence in Burundi, UN warns
Jul 04, 2015, at 06:08 pm
New York, July 4 (IBNS): Children, some as young as four years old, are bearing the brunt of the prolonged instability and election-related violence in Burundi, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) warned today, confirming reports of an additional three deaths of children over the last five days.
Jul 04, 2015, at 06:00 pm
New York, July 4 (IBNS): Condemning the destruction of archaeological treasures from the ancient Syrian city of Palmyra as a "perverse…new attempt to break the bonds between people and their history," the head of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Friday called on the international community, including the art market, to join forces and stop the traffic in cultural property.
UN agency welcomes new proposals by Southeast Asian States on region's refugee and migrant issues
Jul 04, 2015, at 05:58 pm
New York, July 4 (IBNS): The United Nations refugee agency Friday welcomed proposals by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to set up a task force and trust fund to respond to the irregular movement of refugees and migrants in the region.
Yemen: despite major obstacles and insecurity, UN continuing to deliver aid to displaced
Jul 04, 2015, at 05:55 pm
New York, July 4 (IBNS): The United Nations is working to deliver humanitarian aid in war-torn Yemen despite widespread insecurity, port delays and severe restrictions on access, several of the Organization's agencies and partners confirmed Friday, citing efforts to provide everything from emergency shelters to food and other basic necessities to tens of thousands of people displaced by fighting and airstrikes.
Mali: UN condemns attack which killed six peacekeepers
Jul 03, 2015, at 03:30 pm
New York, July 3 (IBNS) United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon condemned on Thursdaythe attack against a convoy of the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA), which killed six peacekeepers and injured five others.
Caribbean States 'lighting path' towards sustainable future, says UN chief in Barbados
Jul 03, 2015, at 03:30 pm
New York, July 3 (IBNS) This is a year for global action, with international community in the final stretch of preparing a transformative post-2015 agenda for sustainable development that will be agreed in New York in September, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon declared in Bridgetown, where, two decades ago, the Barbados Programme of Action was adopted to tackle vulnerabilities facing small islands.
Jul 03, 2015, at 03:28 pm
New York, July 3 (IBNS) Much more needs to be done to reverse the trend of an ever increasing number of children forced to work as a result of the conflict in Syria often "carrying heavy loads, being exposed to pesticides and toxic chemicals, and working long hours," according to a joint report released on Thursday by the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) and Save the Children.
South Sudan: UN deplores deadly attack as tensions in country simmer
Jul 03, 2015, at 03:26 pm
New York, July 3 (IBNS) Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has condemned a deadly attack against a United Nations 'protection-of-civilians' site in South Sudan amid a renewed flare-up of violence in the newfound nation.
Yemen: Amid unfolding humanitarian "catastrophe," Ban calls for end to hostilities
Jul 03, 2015, at 03:25 pm
New York, July 3 (IBNS) United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon repeated on Wednesday his call for an immediate end to the fighting in Yemen to help stem the unfolding humanitarian "catastrophe" in the country.
Recalling 'responsibility to protect' UN pays tribute to victims of Srebrenica genocide
Jul 02, 2015, at 08:24 pm
New York, July 2 (IBNS) During a high-level commemorative event in New York, United NationsSecretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Wednesdaypaid tribute to the victims of the Srebrenica genocide, perpetrated 20 years ago, and which, he said, “will forever weigh on the collective conscience of the international community.â€
UN rights chief urges concerted action to tackle Boko Haram's 'extensive and far-reaching' abuses
Jul 02, 2015, at 08:23 pm
New York, July 2 (IBNS) Describing a pattern of vicious and indiscriminate attacks by Boko Haram in north-east Nigeria that stretched back years, the United Nations human rights chief on Wednesdayurged the international community to help the subregion begin to repair the damage, and specifically appealed to Nigerian authorities to ease abortion restrictions for women and girls who had been sexually enslaved, raped and forced into so-called "marriages†by Boko Haram fighters.
Ban welcomes restoration of diplomatic ties between Cuba and the United States
Jul 02, 2015, at 08:11 pm
New York, July 2 (IBNS) United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon welcomed today's announcement that Cuba and the United States will reopen their embassies in Havana and Washington, D.C.
UN urges 'people-centred' approach to migrants and refugees in Southeast Asia
Jul 02, 2015, at 08:10 pm
New York, July 2(IBNS) Several senior United Nations officials on Wednesdaystrongly urged Southeast Asian countries to back a “people-centred†approach to migration by, among others, expanding avenues for safe and legal migration, while stepping up law enforcement to put a stop to human trafficking.
UN chief condemns latest Egypt terrorist attack
Jul 02, 2015, at 08:05 pm
New York, July 2 (IBNS): Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has condemned today's deadly attack in North Sinai.
Security Council urges Libyan parties to agree on government of national accord
Jul 02, 2015, at 07:09 pm
New York, July 2 (IBNS): Reiterating that there can be no military solution to the crisis in Libya, the United Nations Security Council on Wednesday urged the parties to the conflict to agree on a Government of National Accord and sign the proposal presented by the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) "in the coming days."
Ban urges global community to help Syria end 'cataclysmic conflict'
Jul 01, 2015, at 06:17 pm
New York, July 1 (IBNS) The international community should be ashamed that three years since the adoption of the Geneva Communiqué on Syria, the Middle Eastern country’s "cataclysmic conflict" continues unabated, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said today.
Michael Moller of Denmark, appointed Director-General of the United Nations office at Geneva
Jul 01, 2015, at 06:12 pm
New York, July 1 (IBNS) Michael Møller, of Denmark, was appointed on Tuesdayas Director-General of the United Nations Office at Geneva (UNOG) by Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.
UN rights office urges Mexican authorities to pursue investigation into extrajudicial killings
Jul 01, 2015, at 05:56 pm
New York, July 1 (IBNS) The United Nations human rights office has called on the Government of Mexico to extend their investigations into a series of alleged extrajudicial executions and human rights violations committed by authorities last year.
Amid election-related tensions, thousands flee Burundi for neighbouring countries - UN
Jul 01, 2015, at 04:58 pm
New York, July 1 (IBNS) Some ten thousand refugees fled Burundi over the weekend before authorities managed to close the borders ahead of yesterday’s parliamentary elections, the United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR) reported today.
Risky occupations drive vulnerability in Latin America and Caribbean region, UN warns
Jul 01, 2015, at 04:17 pm
New York, July 1 (IBNS) Half of the 220 million "vulnerable" men and women in the in Latin America and Caribbean region – who live slightly above the poverty line but below middle-class levels-are working under precarious conditions, according to initial findings of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
Year of sustained violence across Iraq has hit children hardest, UN says
Jul 01, 2015, at 04:15 pm
New York, July 1 (IBNS) The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) on Tuesday said that over the past year in Iraq, it has seen a 75 per cent increase in grave violations against children that include killing and maiming, abduction, recruitment as soldiers, sexual violence, attacks against schools and denial of humanitarian access.
As Yemen crisis deteriorates, UNICEF says children at increasing risk of disease, hunger
Jul 01, 2015, at 04:11 pm
New York, July 1 (IBNS): The ongoing conflict in Yemen is having a devastating impact on the country's health system and has exposed millions of children to the threat of preventable diseases, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) has warned.
Internal displacement doubles in Libya since September, UN refugee agency warns
Jul 01, 2015, at 04:07 pm
New York, July 1 (IBNS) According to the United Nations refugee agency, the number of people displaced within Libya has almost doubled from an estimated 230,000 last September to more than 434,000 amid escalating fighting this year in different parts of the crisis-gripped North-African country.