Spate of deadly xenophobic violence in South Africa draws UN concern
Apr 18, 2015, at 02:25 pm
New York, Apr 18 (IBNS): The United Nations refugee agency has on Friday welcomed efforts by South Africa’s Government to contain a recent wave of xenophobic violence that has accounted for the deaths of six people in the past three weeks in South Africa.
UN officials condemn murders of politician, journalist in Ukraine
Apr 18, 2015, at 02:24 pm
New York, Apr 18 (IBNS): United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has voiced serious concern over recent reports regarding the killing of prominent political and media figures in Ukraine.
Syria: UN appeals for $30 million for besieged civilians in Yarmouk camp
Apr 18, 2015, at 02:22 pm
New York, Apr 18 (IBNS): The United Nations agency tasked with the ensuring the well-being of Palestinian refugees is appealing for $30 million to carry out life-sustaining assistance to 18,000 civilians from besieged Yarmouk refugee camp, including 3,500 children.
Public, private sectors essential for progress on climate change: UN chief
Apr 18, 2015, at 02:20 pm
New York, Apr 18 (IBNS): United Nations Secretary-General, in his remarks to the World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF) meeting on climate change in Washington D.C., said that collaboration and bold leadership from both the private and public sectors is needed to progress on climate change at this “enormous opportunity to chart a new path.â€
Accurate and timely data vital to post-2015 agenda: UN Assembly President
Apr 18, 2015, at 02:19 pm
New York, Apr 18 (IBNS): At an event on Friday where participants discussed the importance of the data revolution to sustainable development, the President of the United Nations General Assembly stressed the importance of data to negotiations on the post-2015 development agenda and on financing for development.
Ban appoints Director of UN Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute
Apr 18, 2015, at 02:17 pm
New York, Apr 18 (IBNS): The United Nations Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon has announced the appointment of Cindy Smith of the United States as Director of the UN Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute.
Human rights and counter-terrorism must go hand-in-hand, say UN experts
Apr 17, 2015, at 02:53 pm
New York, Apr 17 (IBNS): Only through a strict adherence to international human rights standards can the world’s counter-terrorism strategies ultimately succeed, two United Nations human rights experts have declared.
As Yemen crisis deepens, UN food relief agency calls on warring factions
Apr 17, 2015, at 02:51 pm
New York, Apr 17 (IBNS): The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) announced on Thursday that it will, along with partners, reach some 105,000 displaced people in Yemen’s main southern city of Aden over the next few days, while warning that with millions in need amid the deepening crisis, its supplies are now running low.
Washington: UN chief meets US Government officials
Apr 17, 2015, at 02:45 pm
New York, Apr 17 (IBNS): United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is in Washington, D.C. on Thursday where he is meeting with members of Congress and other Unites States officials to discuss the crises in Yemen and Syria and other pressing global issues, including Ebola and climate change.
Doha: At Crime Congress, UN spotlights epidemic of prison overcrowding
Apr 17, 2015, at 02:33 pm
New York, Apr 17 (IBNS): With over 10 million people in prisons worldwide, prison overcrowding has reached epidemic proportions in many countries, a senior official from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) said on Thursday at the 13th UN Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice.
UN urges commitment by States to save lives following Mediterranean tragedy
Apr 17, 2015, at 02:23 pm
New York, Apr 17 (IBNS): The European Union must intensify its efforts in placing the rights of migrants at the centre of its migration policies, a United Nations human rights committee affirmed on Thursday following the latest maritime tragedy in the Mediterranean Sea which may have claimed hundreds of lives.
Progress in fighting Ebola must be followed by long-term recovery efforts
Apr 17, 2015, at 02:20 pm
New York, Apr 17 (IBNS): Intense efforts to control the Ebola outbreak in the three most-affected West African countries in will continue, the United Nations health chief said in Washington, DC on Thursday, adding that the international community is also looking for ways to build on dramatic recent progress by aiding with efforts aimed at recovery from the outbreak.
Syria: UN agency continues to seek access to besieged Yarmouk camp
Apr 17, 2015, at 02:15 pm
New York, Apr 17 (IBNS): While ramping up assistance to Palestinian refugees and Syrian civilians that have fled a besieged camp on the southern edge of Damascus, the United Nations agency tasked with aiding Palestinians throughout the region said on Thursday that it is still seeking unhindered access to Yarmouk camp itself where thousands remain trapped by fighting among armed groups.
Need for sustainable energy targets in post-2015 agenda: UN deputy chief
Apr 17, 2015, at 02:13 pm
New York, Apr 17 (IBNS): The centrality of energy in a new global development agenda is clear and critical, United Nations Deputy Secretary-General Jan Eliasson said on Thursday as he delivered the opening remarks to a briefing for Member States on Sustainable Energy for All (SE4All).
Libya: Security Council condemns attacks on Republic of Korea, Morocco
Apr 16, 2015, at 02:52 pm
New York, Apr 16 (IBNS): The United Nations Security Council has condemned “in the strongest terms†the recent series of terrorist attacks against the embassies of the Republic of Korea and Morocco in the Libyan capital of Tripoli.
Somalia: UN envoy condemns terrorist attack against Ministry
Apr 16, 2015, at 02:51 pm
New York, Apr 16 (IBNS): The top United Nations official in Somalia condemned yesterday a terrorist attack against the Ministry of Culture and Higher Education in Mogadishu city that resulted in the death and injuries of civilians, members of the security forces and Government workers.
After migrant catastrophe in Mediterranean, UN urges for rescue operations
Apr 16, 2015, at 02:50 pm
New York, Apr 16 (IBNS): The latest maritime catastrophe to claim the lives of refugees crossing the Mediterranean Sea is yet another indication of the need for a “robust†rescue-at-sea mechanism aimed at preventing future tragedies, the head of the United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR) declared on Wednesday.
Millions of Yemenis face food insecurity amid escalating conflict: FAO
Apr 16, 2015, at 02:48 pm
New York, Apr 16 (IBNS): Nearly 11 million people in Yemen are severely food insecure and millions more are at risk of being unable to meet their basic food needs, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Agency (FAO) said on Wednesday, calling for $8 million in funding to support farmers amidst the escalating conflict.
UN rights chief urges Burundi’s politicians to pick right path at ‘critical moment’
Apr 16, 2015, at 02:47 pm
New York, Apr 16 (IBNS):The United Nations human rights chief said on Wednesday that inside and outside Burundi, stakeholders are extremely concerned about tensions rising sharply as a series of pivotal elections set to take place between May and August this year get under way, and, with the country at “a crossroads,†Burundian parties must choose the path to democracy and the rule of law.
Women’s empowerment key to end sexual violence in combat: UN envoy
Apr 16, 2015, at 02:46 pm
New York, Apr 16 (IBNS): As the great moral issue of our time, sexual violence in conflict is used to terrorise, displace and subjugate victims, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on the issue told the Security Council on Wednesday, urging the body to take action to deal with this growing threat.
UN relief wing says 1.2 million Ukrainians uprooted by conflict
Apr 16, 2015, at 02:43 pm
New York, Apr 16 (IBNS): The United Nations humanitarian office has reported that 1.2 million people in Ukraine have now been internally displaced because of conflict in the country.
Mali: UN mission condemns ‘cowardly and heinous’ attack on compound
Apr 16, 2015, at 02:42 pm
New York, Apr 16 (IBNS): The United Nations in Mali condemned Wednesday’s deadly attack on its Gao area compound that injured nine peacekeepers, killed at least three civilians and injured seven others, calling it a “cowardly and heinous†act.
Doha: UN anti-crime agency unveils new partnership to tackle match-fixing
Apr 16, 2015, at 02:41 pm
New York, Apr 16 (IBNS): The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) announced on Wednesday a new partnership with the International Centre for Sport Security (ICSS) to help strengthen cross-border investigations into match-fixing and manipulation of sports competitions, as well as bolstering measures to prosecute offenders.
UN envoy on Middle East peace meets Palestinian Prime Minister
Apr 16, 2015, at 02:39 pm
New York, Apr 16 ((IBNS): The United Nations official charged with coordinating the Middle East peace process said on Wednesday that he is pleased by commitment made by the Palestinian Government to assume its rightful responsibilities in the Gaza Strip.
World must do more to help support Syrian refugees in Lebanon: UN
Apr 16, 2015, at 02:38 pm
New York, Apr 16 (IBNS): The United Nations refugee chief called on Wednesday on the international community to step-up its efforts to ease the plight of Syrian refugees who continue to live in harsh conditions in informal settlements in southern Lebanon.
Ban calls on world’s athletes to help bolster UN sustainability agenda
Apr 16, 2015, at 02:37 pm
New York, Apr 16 (IBNS): Hailing the immense power of sport to make the world a better, more tolerant place for all, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Wednesday encouraged all sportsmen and women to throw their energy into advocating the new sustainable development agenda currently being crafted by United Nations Member States.
At a conference, Ban calls for investment to achieve sustainable energy
Apr 16, 2015, at 02:36 pm
New York, Apr 16 (IBNS): United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Wednesday called on business leaders to expand investment in low-carbon growth and opportunities to advance sustainable energy for all and tackle climate change, in a statement to The Future of Energy Summit 2015, organized by Bloomberg New Energy Finance.
Need to get 21 million children into school in Middle East, North Africa: UNICEF
Apr 16, 2015, at 02:35 pm
New York, Apr 16 (IBNS): Despite impressive progress in raising school enrolment over the past decade, one in four children and young adolescents in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) are either out of school or at risk of dropping out, according to the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).
UN official says innovation key for future of global postal sector
Apr 16, 2015, at 02:33 pm
New York, Apr 16 (IBNS): The head of the United Nations Universal Postal Union (UPU) has urged the international community to build over the next five years a postal world where innovation is “shared, promoted and driven for all†while helping to boost global efforts in achieving the sustainable development goals.
Libyan parties open new round of UN-backed political talks
Apr 16, 2015, at 02:32 pm
New York, Apr 16 (IBNS): A new round of political dialogue on Libya, hosted by Morocco and facilitated by the United Nations Support Mission (UNSMIL) in the country began in Skhirat, Morocco, today, aiming to end the crisis in the country.