Curb throw-away culture, says UN-Habitat chief, highlighting world day
Oct 02, 2018, at 09:41 am
New York, Oct 2 (IBNS): Marking World Habitat Day on Monday, UN-Habitat – the agency mandated with promoting sustainable cities – has called for greater imagination and innovation in tackling the world’s waste management challenges, in particular at the municipal level.
Oct 02, 2018, at 09:05 am
New York, Oct 2 (IBNS): Timor-Leste, a country which the United Nations shepherded to independence from Indonesia 16 years ago, is a prime example of what the world Organization can do in resolving international conflicts and disputes, Delegation Chair Maria Helena Pires told the General Assembly on Monday.
Oct 02, 2018, at 09:00 am
New York, Oct 2 (IBNS): UN Secretary-General António Guterres has urged all political forces in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) to implement plans to undergo a formal name change, following a consultative referendum on Sunday, through the country’s institutions.
Rights of older people celebrated, as historic UN Declaration turns 70
Oct 02, 2018, at 08:57 am
New York, Oct 2 (IBNS): The UN International Day of Older Persons, celebrated each 1 October, promotes the human rights of older people worldwide and, this year, celebrates the continued importance of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), as it turns 70.
Oct 02, 2018, at 08:45 am
New York, Oct 2 (IBNS): The quality of a civilization, depends on how it treats the weak, the indigent, the elderly, the persons with disability, and by the place it gives them in community life, the representative of the Holy See told the United Nations General Assembly on Monday, urging everyone to value all human life and human dignity.
Oct 02, 2018, at 08:43 am
New York, Oct 2 (IBNS): While the world was in the midst of a crisis largely sparked by interventionism and “savage capitalism”, Nicaragua continued to bolster peace, strengthen security, “and…promote and defend human rights,” Minister for Foreign Affairs Denis Moncada Colindres told the United Nations General Assembly on Monday, underscoring his country’s commitment to the UN Charter.
Oct 02, 2018, at 08:38 am
New York, Oct 2 (IBNS): The United Nations needs to adapt to meet the challenges facing the world, Thailand’s Deputy Foreign Minister Virasakdi Futrakul told the General Assembly on Monday, endorsing Secretary General António Guterres’s efforts to make the Organization more effective.
Oct 02, 2018, at 08:29 am
New York, Oct 2 (IBNS): In spite of the criticism levelled against the United Nations, there is no other such platform for cooperation or a multilateral mechanism based on “equal and respectful attitude towards each and every country and their needs,” the foreign minister of Belarus told the General Assembly.
At UN, Somali Minister outlines country’s ongoing transformation; urges new partnerships
Sep 30, 2018, at 04:49 pm
New York, Sept 30 (IBNS): Even though Somalia has made “huge strides” in political and economic transformation, the country continues to grapple with terrorism, the nation’s Foreign Minister told world leaders gathered at the United Nations General Assembly on Saturday.
Sep 30, 2018, at 04:42 pm
New York, Sept 30 (IBNS): From the podium of the General Assembly, Niger – victim of the quadruple scourge of climate change, migration, poverty and terrorism – gave a ringing endorsement of the United Nations on Saturday as the “irreplaceable” Organization capable of resolving these and a host of other problems.
Sep 30, 2018, at 04:40 pm
New York, Sept 30 (IBNS): Osman Mohammed Saleh, Eritrea’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, told the United Nations General Assembly that the recently signed Peace Agreement between his country and Ethiopia “brings to an end a dark, two-decades-old, a chapter of war, constant tension, and strife.”
Regional, global solidarity indispensable to achieve sustainable development, says Lao PDR minister
Sep 30, 2018, at 04:37 pm
New York, Sept 30 (IBNS): National governments and the international community must work “hand-in-hand” to realize the lofty goals of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the Foreign Minister of Laos People’s Democratic Republic said at the United Nations General Assembly on Saturday.
UN remains only forum that can bring global solutions to global problems, Senegal tells Assembly
Sep 30, 2018, at 04:34 pm
New York, Sept 30 (IBNS): At a time of growing pessimism over the effectiveness of the United Nations, the international community must overcome political and ideological differences to strengthen the world Organization to address the multiple problems, from sustainable development and development aid to climate change and the fight against terrorism, Senegal told the UN General Assembly on Saturday.
Burundi should no longer be on UN Security Council’s agenda, says Foreign Minister
Sep 30, 2018, at 04:29 pm
New York, Sept 30 (IBNS): The United Nations Security Council should “have the courage to remove Burundi from its agenda”, Foreign Minister Ezekiel Nibigira said on Saturday from the rostrum of the General Assembly.
Trust with US must be built before Korean Peninsula can be reunited, DPRK insists at UN
Sep 30, 2018, at 04:25 pm
New York, Sept 30 (IBNS): Despite taking goodwill measures over the past year, including dismantling a nuclear test site, there was “no way” the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea would unilaterally disarm itself without rebuilding trust with the United States, DPRK’s Foreign Minister told the United Nations on Saturday.
‘We cannot abandon’ rules-based world order, Singapore urges in UN speech
Sep 30, 2018, at 04:22 pm
New York, Sept 30 (IBNS): Multilateralism may have occasionally been “oversold as a panacea”, but the world cannot abandon the rules-based world order which has brought peace and prosperity during the lifetime of the United Nations, Singapore’s Foreign Minister told the United Nations General Assembly on Saturday.
‘Lack of trust’ among nations threatens progress, rules-based order, Suriname Minister tells UN
Sep 30, 2018, at 04:20 pm
New York, Sept 30 (IBNS): Suriname agrees with the United Nations Secretary-General that a lack of trust among countries is the fundamental issue confronting the international community, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Suriname told UN General Assembly on Saturday.
Sep 30, 2018, at 04:17 pm
New York, Sept 30 (IBNS): The Philippines, under the leadership of President Rodrigo Duterte, is on track to reverse its decline towards becoming a “Narco State”, or one that is being “held hostage” by the rich and powerful, said its Foreign Affairs minister at the United Nations General Assembly’s annual debate on Saturday.
Sep 30, 2018, at 04:14 pm
New York, Sept 30 (IBNS): Welcoming the growing attention the world is paying to the Pacific Ocean, Rimbink Pato, Papua New Guinea’s Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, urged the international community to ensure that the Ocean becomes a “zone of cooperation, of stability and security, of pristine beauty and prosperity,” and expressed his hope that the it lives up to its name: “the Ocean of Peace.”
At UN, Syria slams US for ‘supporting terrorism’, thanks Russia for cooperation
Sep 30, 2018, at 04:12 pm
Denouncing the United States for supporting terrorism and war crimes in his conflict-torn country, Syrian Deputy Prime Minister Walid Al-Moualem reported to the United Nations General Assembly on Saturday that the seven-year war is almost over, calling all those opposing President Bashar al-Assad terrorists.
UN Chief praises efforts to reduce tension on Korean Peninsula
Sep 30, 2018, at 04:02 pm
New York, Sept 30 (IBNS): UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, has welcomed the latest efforts made towards building trust and reducing military tension on the Korean Peninsula, following his meeting with North Korea’s Foreign Minister Ri Yong Ho on Friday, during High-Level week of the General Assembly.
Up to 50 million accounts breached by hackers: Facebook
Sep 29, 2018, at 08:22 am
New York, Sept 29 (IBNS): Social media giant Facebook has said that up to 50 million of its accounts were breached by hackers recently.
Sep 29, 2018, at 08:10 am
New York, Sept 29 (IBNS): Addressing the United Nations General Assembly’s annual debate, a minister from Myanmar “resolutely rejected” an International Criminal Court (ICC) ruling in connection with the country’s restive Rakhine state, underscoring that the tribunal has “no jurisdiction over Myanmar whatsoever.”
Malaysian Prime Minister paints dismal world picture, underscores need for UN reform
Sep 29, 2018, at 08:07 am
New York, Sept 29 (IBNS): In the 15 years since he last addressed the General Assembly, little has changed in the world and it is in far worse shape now than it was then, Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad lamented in his speech to world leaders gathered at the United Nations.
Sep 29, 2018, at 08:04 am
New York, Sept 29 (IBNS): All parts of the United Nations “must embrace this opportunity to change and create real improvements to the benefit of the people,” Ulla Tørnæs, Denmark’s Minister for Development Cooperation, said on Friday, stressing that the world body’s Member States had thrown their support behind the Secretary-General's ambitions reform agenda and now it was time to make those proposals a reality.
Sep 29, 2018, at 08:01 am
New York, Sept 29 (IBNS): Germany’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, Heiko Maas, outlined on Friday at the United Nations General Assembly a list of crises in the world, singling out “the crisis of multilateralism” as being at the root, frustrating solutions.
Russia’s Lavrov denounces from UN podium West’s ‘brute force’ pursuit of domination
Sep 29, 2018, at 07:58 am
New York, Sept 29 (IBNS): Denouncing their use of “political blackmail, economic pressure, and brute force,” Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov mounted the podium of the United Nations General Assembly on Friday to accuse Western States of seeking to retain their self-proclaimed status as ‘world leaders.’
Uphold UN Charter, reject unilateralism, declares Cambodia’s Prime Minister
Sep 29, 2018, at 07:55 am
New York, Sept 29 (IBNS): Addressing world leaders at the United Nations General Assembly’s general debate on Friday, Prime Minister Hun Sen of Cambodia described the world as a fragile, unpredictable, and complicated place where countries “big and small must respect one another.”
‘Not in my backyard’ attitude will not resolve crises – Greek Prime Minister
Sep 29, 2018, at 07:52 am
New York, Sept 29 (IBNS): Recalling the challenges confronting Greece not so long ago, and the calls at the time from various quarters urging unilateral steps and disengagement with the international community, Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras underscored at the United Nations on Friday the importance of collective action and wisdom to overcome complex problems.
UN officials urge support as Darfur attempts to ‘turn the page’ from conflict to peace
Sep 29, 2018, at 07:49 am
New York, Sept 29 (IBNS): Stating that while the Darfur region of Sudan, which for years was torn by strife and displacement, is now increasingly stable, top United Nations officials on Friday urged continued international support to ensure that hard-won gains take hold.