Vatican: Ban and Pope Francis discuss climate change, Mediterranean migration
Apr 29, 2015, at 02:31 pm
New York, Apr 29 (IBNS): During a meeting with His Holiness Pope Francis on Tuesday, United NationsSecretary-General Ban Ki-moon said he very much looked forward to the Pontiff's encyclical on climate change, which he said he believed would act as a moral voice on the issue.
Burundi: Ban condemns violence after President nominated as candidate
Apr 29, 2015, at 02:29 pm
New York, Apr 29 (IBNS): United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has on Tuesday condemned the outbreak of violence in Burundi following the nomination of President Pierre Nkurunziza as the presidential candidate of the country’s ruling party, and appealed to all Burundians to “safeguard the hard won gains†made in peace and democracy.
UN refugee agency assists hundreds of Libyans rescued at sea
Apr 29, 2015, at 02:28 pm
New York, Apr 29 (IBNS): The heads of United Nations agencies with a stake in the current crisis in the Mediterranean Sea have pledged to working closely with the European Union (EU) following its decision “to mobilize all efforts at its disposal to prevent further loss of life at sea and to tackle the root causes of the human emergency.â€
Security Council extends UN Western Sahara mission through April 2016
Apr 29, 2015, at 02:27 pm
New York, Apr 29 (IBNS): The Security Council on Tuesday extended for another year the mandate of the United Nations mission tasked with monitoring the ceasefire in Western Sahara, known by the acronym MINURSO.
Air pollution in Europe costs $1.6 trillion a year in deaths and diseases: UN study
Apr 29, 2015, at 02:26 pm
New York, Apr 29 (IBNS): The United Nations health agency reported on Tuesday in first-of-its-kind study that air pollution across Europe is costing “a staggering†$1.6 trillion a year in deaths and diseases, which amounts to nearly one tenth of the region’s gross domestic product.
UN official in South Sudan urges release of remaining child soldiers
Apr 29, 2015, at 02:25 pm
New York, Apr 29 (IBNS): The United Nations Special Representative for South Sudan, Ellen Margrethe Løj, travelled to Pibor town in the eastern part of the country, where she met some of the recently released child soldiers and urged the release of the remaining children still being held by a militia group in the region.
Yemen: UN warns of impact to relief efforts amid ongoing fighting
Apr 29, 2015, at 02:24 pm
New York, Apr 29 (IBNS): The continuing violence in Yemen has heavily impacted the country’s healthcare facilities and services further aggravating an already precarious humanitarian situation, the United Nations relief arm has warned.
UN peacekeeping chief wraps up trip to Central African Republic
Apr 29, 2015, at 02:22 pm
New York, Apr 29 (IBNS): The United Nations peacekeeping chief finished a four-day trip to the Central African Republic on Tuesday, his visit to the country coinciding with the UN stabilization Mission there achieving full operational capability for the first time.
Ban warns global tide of nuclear abolition has ebbed causing tensions
Apr 29, 2015, at 02:21 pm
New York, Apr 29 (IBNS): Achieving a world free of nuclear weapons is “one of the most crucial debates of our time,†United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said on Tuesday, emphasizing that the international tide of nuclear abolition – so strong in 2010 – has ebbed and mounting tensions between nuclear-armed States have produced a return to Cold War mind sets.
Mali: UN official urges parties to ‘immediately cease hostilities’
Apr 29, 2015, at 02:20 pm
New York, Apr 29 (IBNS): Amid an upsurge in violence in Mali, the top United Nations official there on Tuesday warned parties about the serious consequences their actions could have on the country’s peace process.
Ban welcomes peaceful presidential election in Togo
Apr 28, 2015, at 03:39 pm
New York, Apr 28 (IBNS): United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Monday welcomed the peaceful conduct of the presidential election in Togo, which took place on Saturday.
UN unveils alternative policy agenda to transform economies
Apr 28, 2015, at 03:37 pm
New York, Apr 28 (IBNS): A major new report released on Monday in seven locations around the world by the United Nations entity for gender equality and women’s empowerment (UN Women) calls for the transformation of economies to make women’s rights and equality a reality.
UN report finds world’s rural populations excluded from healthcare access
Apr 28, 2015, at 03:36 pm
New York, Apr 28 (IBNS): The majority of the world’s rural populations continue to live and work without essential healthcare services, in stark contrast to their urban-dwelling counterparts, according to a new report released on Monday by the United Nations International Labour Organization (ILO).
Central Africa is becoming largest forgotten humanitarian crisis: UN
Apr 28, 2015, at 03:34 pm
New York, Apr 28 (IBNS): The Central African Republic (CAR) is quickly becoming the largest forgotten humanitarian crisis of our time with some 60 percent of its population in need of aid, including nearly 900,000 people forcibly displaced by conflict, but assistance programmes remain “dramatically underfunded,†the United Nations refugee agency said on Monday.
UN chief warns of ‘dangerous return’ to Cold War mentalities
Apr 28, 2015, at 03:32 pm
New York, Apr 28 (IBNS): Progress in working towards global nuclear non-proliferation has stalled and the trend towards “nuclear zero†is reversing, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon warned today as he called on Member States to urgently ramp up efforts in tackling nuclear disarmament.
Burundi: UN working to help relocate civilians fleeing election-related violence
Apr 28, 2015, at 03:31 pm
New York, Apr 28 (IBNS): Civil unrest erupted in Burundi this weekend after the ruling party overwhelmingly elected President Pierre Nkurunziza on Saturday as its candidate for the 26 June presidential election, the humanitarian wing of the United Nations reported on Monday, appealing for $11.6 million dollars to plan a response for the influx of people seeking refuge in neighbouring countries.
UN platform aims to bring pastoralists’ voices to global decision-making stage
Apr 28, 2015, at 03:29 pm
New York, Apr 28 (IBNS): Millions of pastoralists – from the Bedouin of North Africa to the Sherpa in Nepal and Navajo in North America – will benefit from a new online knowledge hub launched on Monday by the United Nations that will help them raise their voices in international policy debates and share valuable information to strengthen their agricultural livelihoods.
Ban urges action to ease plight of migrants crossing Mediterranean
Apr 28, 2015, at 03:28 pm
New York, Apr 28 (IBNS): The Mediterranean Sea has sadly become “a sea of tears, a sea of misery,†said United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Monday aboard an Italian naval ship, where he called on the global community to unite and take action to address the root causes of the migrant crisis.
Gaza: Security Council receives report of inquiry into incidents during conflict
Apr 28, 2015, at 03:27 pm
New York, Apr 28 (IBNS): In a letter transmitting to the Security Council the public summary of a report of the Board of Inquiry regarding incidents in Gaza during the recent conflict, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Monday expressed his "profound and continuing concern†for civilian populations of the Gaza Strip and Israel.
Sustainability agenda must harmonize man’s relationship with planet: UN
Apr 28, 2015, at 03:25 pm
New York, Apr 28 (IBNS): As United Nations Member States prepare to adopt and move toward implementing a new development agenda, the President of the General Assembly said it is critical to ensure that “a harmonious relationship with our planet underpins our quest to achieve sustainable development.â€
Cyprus: UN envoy welcomes Turkish Cypriot leader’s commitment to negotiations
Apr 28, 2015, at 03:23 pm
New York, Apr 28 (IBNS): The Secretary-General’s Special Adviser on Cyprus, Espen Barth Eide, has spoken with Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci, according to the United Nations Good Offices Mission.
Chernobyl disaster anniversary: Ban reiterates UN's commitment to those affected
Apr 27, 2015, at 02:10 pm
New York, Apr 27 (IBNS): In a message to mark the 29th anniversary of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster, the United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Sunday remembered the hundreds of emergency workers who responded to the accident and the more than 330,000 people uprooted from their homes in its aftermath.
UN alarmed by malnutrition among children displaced from Yarmouk camp
Apr 27, 2015, at 02:08 pm
New York, Apr 27 (IBNS): As the United Nations agency tasked with supporting Palestine refugees continued on Sunday to provide essential humanitarian assistance to civilians who have been displaced from Yarmouk and to those hosting them, evidence of acute malnutrition was found in a large number of children.
UN forum agrees draft action plan for religious leaders on preventing violence
Apr 25, 2015, at 03:09 pm
New York, Apr 25 (IBNS): A United Nations-backed forum on Friday concluded in Fez, Morocco, having developed a plan of action aimed at preventing incitement to violence that could lead to atrocity crimes.
Mali: Ban voices concern over series of targeted attacks against UN mission
Apr 25, 2015, at 03:07 pm
New York, Apr 25 (IBNS): Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has voiced deep concern over a series of attacks targeting the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) which have resulted in numerous casualties, a statement issued by a UN spokesperson said Friday.
Azerbaijan: UN experts welcome 'unhindered access' to places of detention
Apr 25, 2015, at 03:06 pm
New York, Apr 25 (IBNS): A United Nations human rights body has welcomed the decision by the Government of Azerbaijan to allow it “unhindered access†to places of detention across the Central Asian country while also urging authorities to do more to protect the rights of people in custody.
UN mission peacekeepers repel two attacks in South Darfur
Apr 25, 2015, at 03:04 pm
New York, Apr 25 (IBNS): Peacekeepers with the African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID) have repelled two attacks by unidentified armed men in Kass, 85 kilometres north-west of Nyala, the capital of South Darfur.
UN rights chief urges UK to curb tabloid hate speech
Apr 25, 2015, at 03:03 pm
New York, Apr 25 (IBNS): After decades of “sustained and unrestrained anti-foreigner abuse,†and in the wake of a recent article in the Sun newspaper calling migrants ‘cockroaches,’ the United Nations human rights chief on Friday urged British authorities and media to take steps to curb incitement to hatred by tabloid newspapers, in line with the country’s obligations under national and international law.
Libya: UN condemns ‘horrific’ week of human rights violations
Apr 25, 2015, at 03:02 pm
New York, Apr 25 (IBNS): The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) on Friday condemned the “successive horrific incidents†in Libya this past week – ranging from the appalling loss of life in the Mediterranean of those escaping violence, the execution of Christians and the killings of several members of a prominent family by the so-called ‘Islamic State in Libya.’
Mediterranean crisis: UN welcomes EU measures on migrants
Apr 25, 2015, at 03:00 pm
New York, Apr 25 (IBNS): The United Nations refugee agency welcomed the European Union's (EU) mobilization of resources in response to the ongoing migrant crisis in the Mediterranean, while also urging increased efforts aimed at saving lives and integrating asylum seekers in accordance with human rights.