Syrian refugee numbers pass four million as war rages on - UN
Jul 10, 2015, at 04:48 pm
New York, July 10 (IBNS) The exodus spawned by the four-year long Syrian conflict has now become the United Nations refugee agency's largest crisis in almost a quarter of a century and risks deteriorating even further as fighting in the country shows no sign of abating.
Forecasting positive 2015 world crop prospects, UN agency warns of food insecurity 'hotspots'
Jul 10, 2015, at 03:45 pm
New York, July 10 (IBNS) Favorable worldwide conditions for cereal crops will lead to better-than-expected production this growing season at the global level, on Thursday said the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
Jul 09, 2015, at 07:09 pm
New York, July 9 (IBNS): As the United Nations Security Council failed to adopt a resolution that some of its permanent members called “vital†and others called “divisive,†senior UN officials stressed that the horror of the genocidal massacre at Srebrenica continued to haunt the Organization 20 years after thousands of ethnic Bosnian Muslim men and boys were slaughtered during a week of preventable brutality.
South Sudan: four years on, UN marks 'grim' independence anniversary amid ongoing conflict
Jul 09, 2015, at 07:05 pm
New York, July 9 (IBNS) The people of South Sudan are preparing to mark the fourth anniversary of their country's founding amid ongoing suffering, unconscionable levels of violence and unspeakable sexual abuse, according to United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.
With fast action to rescue staple crops 'we can save lives' in DPR Korea, 'UNICEF says
Jul 09, 2015, at 06:59 pm
New York, July 9 (IBNS) Children are already suffering as a result of drought in some parts of the Democratic Peoples' Republic of Korea (DPRK), where deaths of young children attributed to diarrhoea have increased seriously in the first six months of 2015 in the drought-affected provinces, according to the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF).
Amid stalled reconstruction, UN official says 'root causes' of Gaza crisis still unresolved
Jul 09, 2015, at 06:51 pm
New York, July 9 (IBNS) The root causes of last year's conflict in Gaza – which claimed nearly two thousand lives and ravaged large swathes of the Palestinian enclave – remain unaddressed despite a growing humanitarian crisis in the area, the head of the United Nations agency assisting Palestinian refugees has warned.
Greece pledges to enact reforms next week
Jul 09, 2015, at 01:33 am
Athens, July 8 (IBNS) Greece on Wednesday said the country will implement pension and tax reforms next week.
Nigeria: Ban strongly condemns Boko Haram attacks targeting Muslims and Christians
Jul 08, 2015, at 03:23 pm
New York, July 8 (IBNS)United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today strongly condemned attacks by Boko Haram in Lake Chad Basin countries, including the deliberate targeting of Christian and Muslim worshippers during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan in Nigeria's northeast states of Borno and Yobe.
Jul 08, 2015, at 03:21 pm
New York, July 8 (IBNS) One year after the escalation of hostilities in Gaza, the United Nations Humanitarian Coordinator for the occupied Palestinian territory, Robert Piper, today expressed concern over the ongoing humanitarian situation and the slow pace of reconstruction there.
UN rights chief concerned by 'broad scope' of China's new security law
Jul 08, 2015, at 03:17 pm
New York, July 8 (IBNS) The top United Nations human rights official today expressed deep concern about the human rights implications regarding the scope of a new law on national security adopted by China on 1 July.
South Sudan: UN Mission deplores killing of civilian in Organization compound
Jul 08, 2015, at 03:13 pm
New York, July 8 (IBNS) The United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) has condemned "in the strongest terms" the fatal shooting of an internally displaced person (IDP) at one of its 'protection-of-civilians' sites - the second attack of its kind to strike the African nation and the Organization in less than a week.
Education 'essential to vision of a life of dignity for all,' says Ban at Norway summit
Jul 08, 2015, at 03:08 pm
New York, July 8 (IBNS) The Oslo Summit on Education for Development is a chance to reaffirm the human right to education, an opportunity to mobilize political commitment, and “our moment†to galvanize international support for education, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon declared today in Norway, where he has been attending a number of high-level events over the past two days.
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.