Relief efforts in Syria hampered by lack of access – senior UN humanitarian official
Oct 31, 2014, at 03:44 pm
New York, Oct 31 (IBNS) Escalating fighting, insecurity and a lack of access to deliver critical assistance continue to hamper United Nations efforts to respond to the worsening humanitarian situation in Syria, a top UN relief official said on Thursday.
Ban urges calm, inclusive dialogue as mass protests sweep Burkina Faso capital
Oct 31, 2014, at 03:43 pm
New York, Oct 31 (IBNS) Greatly concerned by the deteriorating security situation in Burkina Faso, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Thursday called for an end to the violence and announced that he is dispatching his special envoy for West Africa to the crisis-gripped country.
Asia-Pacific better poised to respond to disasters as experts agree on statistics standards
Oct 31, 2014, at 03:25 pm
New York, Oct 31 (IBNS) Marking a milestone towards better disaster risk management in Asia and the Pacific, a United Nations-backed group of experts agreed this week on core principles for establishing a common basic range of disaster-related statistics.
In Kenya, UN chief kicks off global media campaign to end female genital mutilation
Oct 31, 2014, at 03:23 pm
New York, Oct 31 (IBNS) The practice of female genital mutilation (FGM) must come to a quick end and the global media can play a critical role in making that happen, Secretary-GeneralBan Ki-moon affirmed on Thursday during his visit to the Kenyan capital of Nairobi.
South Africa poised to be key player in humanitarian assistance, says UN relief chief
Oct 30, 2014, at 06:46 pm
New York, Oct 30 (IBNS) Learning from the experiences of the Eastern and South Africa region will be vital in global efforts to reform humanitarian action, a top United Nations humanitarian official said on Wednesday in Pretoria, South Africa, at the opening of the regional consultation for Eastern and Southern Africa of the World Humanitarian Summit.
Ban pays tribute to late Zambian President Michael Chilufya Sata
Oct 30, 2014, at 06:43 pm
New York, Oct 30 (IBNS) Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon paid tribute on Wednesday to Zambia’s late President Michael Chilufya Sata, praising his vision for the country and commitment to addressing the needs of Zambia’s poor.
UN Asia-Pacific forum helps foster youth volunteerism to counter unemployment
Oct 30, 2014, at 06:40 pm
New York, Oct 30 (IBNS) The United Nations has helped set up a youth alliance committed to serving their communities through volunteerism in the Asia-Pacific region, where more than 80 million young people of working age are unemployed, the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) said on Wednesday.
Oct 30, 2014, at 06:37 pm
New York, Oct 30 (IBNS) The ongoing civil war in Syria and its spillover effects continue to inflict a devastating human and humanitarian toll on neighbouring Iraq, Lebanon and Jordan, a senior United Nations relief official said on Wednesday, warning that rising numbers of displaced persons, increasing pressure on refugee hosting countries and dwindling international support left the UN “racing against the clock†to meet the needs on the ground.
'Status quo not viable option' in Jerusalem, UN political chief tells Security Council
Oct 30, 2014, at 06:33 pm
New York, Oct 30 (IBNS) Ongoing tensions in East Jerusalem and the West Bank cannot be separated from the larger reality that remains unresolved in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, a senior United Nations official told the Security Council on Wednesday.
Ban 'deeply troubled' by findings of review of allegations of misreporting by joint Darfur Mission
Oct 30, 2014, at 06:27 pm
New York, Oct 30 (IBNS) United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said he is “deeply troubled†by the findings of a review conducted into recent allegations that the UN-African Union peacekeeping force in Sudan’s Darfur region intentionally sought to cover up crimes against civilians and peacekeepers.
UN study finds 'substantial' skills mismatch for European workers
Oct 30, 2014, at 06:24 pm
New York Oct 30 (IBNS) Europe’s labour market is facing a “substantial†mismatch between supply and demand as a sizeable percentage of continental workers are currently over- or under- qualified for their jobs, a new United Nations study has found.
Youth policy must bridge gap between 'haves and have nots,' expert tells UN-backed forum
Oct 30, 2014, at 06:14 pm
New York, Oct 30 (IBNS) Deliberations on a modern youth policy framework continued on Wednesday in Azerbaijan’s capital, Baku as hundreds of experts, policymakers, researchers and activists met for the second day of a United Nations-backed meeting, which is expected to usher in a set of focused guidelines to assist counties in defining, planning, financing, implementing and evaluating youth policy.
Ukraine: Ban deplores planned holding of November 'elections' by rebel groups
Oct 30, 2014, at 06:03 pm
New York, Oct 30 (IBNS) United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Wednesday deplored the planned holding by armed rebel groups in eastern Ukraine of their own "elections" on 2 November, calling the potential polls a "breach of the constitution and national law."
South Sudan: UN officials welcome launch in of campaign to end use of child soldiers
Oct 30, 2014, at 05:53 pm
New York, Oct 30 (IBNS) The United Nations stands ready to support the Government of South Sudan in its renewed commitment to end the recruitment and use of children in the army, top UN officials declared on Wednesday as the Organization launched a new initiative in the country.
UN applauds donation by Malala Yousafzai for reconstruction of Gaza schools
Oct 30, 2014, at 05:45 pm
New York, Oct 30 (IBNS) As the United Nations ramps up its reconstruction efforts of war-ravaged Gaza, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, Malala Yousafzai, has announced a contribution of $50,000 to help with the rebuilding of UN schools heavily damaged during the recent fighting in the enclave.
Farming sector hit by insecurity as Central African Republic crisis grinds on UN report
Oct 30, 2014, at 05:35 pm
New York, Oct 30 (IBNS) The continuing crisis in the embattled Central African Republic has taken a large toll on agricultural production and is eroding the capacity of the country’s population to secure sufficient food, a new report by the United Nations food and agriculture agencies has found.
In Somalia, Ban lauds country's progress towards stability, urges 'continuity'
Oct 30, 2014, at 02:58 pm
New York, Oct 30 (IBNS) Somalia has made "remarkable progress" as it continues down the road towards economic and political stability, United Nations UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said on Wednesday as he arrived in the capital city of Mogadishu – the third stop in a tour of the Horn of Africa aimed at promoting development and consolidating peace and security across the wider region.
IS group shot 30 men dead in Iraq
Oct 30, 2014, at 03:25 am
Baghdad, Oct 29 (IBNS): The Islamic State group militants on Wednesday lined up 30 men in western Iraq and shot them dead, media reports said.
UN chief urges continued global support for Lebanon amid ongoing regional crises
Oct 29, 2014, at 03:10 pm
New York, Oct 29 (IBNS) Lebanon remains "a beacon of tolerance and co-existence" in an otherwise combustible region, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon declared on Tuesday, adding that in the face of growing challenges along its borders, the Middle Eastern country will need to continue its close collaboration with the United Nations and other international stakeholders.
UN expert urges General Assembly to refer DPR Korea rights report to International Criminal Court
Oct 29, 2014, at 03:10 pm
New York, Oct 29 (IBNS) : A United Nations human rights expert called on the General Assembly on Tuesday to refer a UN-mandated report documenting wide-ranging and ongoing crimes against humanity in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) to the International Criminal Court (ICC).
Iraq: condemning destruction of shrine, UNESCO urges end to 'cultural cleansing'
Oct 29, 2014, at 03:03 pm
New York, Oct 29 (IBNS) The Director-General of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) strongly condemned the destruction of the Imam Dur shrine in the governorate of Salah-e-Din in Iraq, and called for an end to such acts of "cultural cleansing."
UN reaffirms importance of women's empowerment for global peace, security
Oct 29, 2014, at 03:01 pm
New York, Oct 29 (IBNS) As the world is swept by unparalleled levels of displacement, festering conflicts, and a convergence of crises, the international community must fully endorse the role of women's empowerment and gender equality in ensuring global peace, security and development, the Security Council and top United Nations officials declared on Tuesday.
Culture must be considered in approaches to disaster risk reduction – UN-backed report
Oct 29, 2014, at 02:59 pm
New York, Oct 29 (IBNS) Disaster risk reduction approaches must recognize why people live with risks and how their behaviour and attitudes related to culture affect their exposure and sensitivity to hazards, a new United Nations-backed report out on Tuesday warns.
Leaders of on Wednesday must be heard on Tuesday, Ban tells Global Forum on Youth Policies
Oct 29, 2014, at 02:57 pm
New York, Oct 29 (IBNS) Young people around the world must “raise your voices†so they are heard loud and clear, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon told a packed audience of youth Ministers, experts, activists and volunteers this morning, kicking off the First Global Forum on Youth Policies, in Azerbaijan, itself a nation with more than half of its population under age 29.
In Addis Ababa, Ban hails new UN facility as symbol of shared 'strong desire for peace'
Oct 29, 2014, at 02:56 pm
New York, Oct 29 (IBNS): The United Nations is "better placed to deliver better results," declared Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, as a new office facility was inaugurated on Tuesday at the UN Economic Commission for Africa compound in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
UNESCO chief condemns killing of Mexican journalist, urges investigation
Oct 29, 2014, at 02:50 pm
New York, Oct 29 (IBNS) The head of the United Nations agency mandated to defend press freedom on Tuesday denounced the recent killing of Mexican journalist Antonio Gamboa Urias, the editor of a local magazine in the Mexican state of Sinaloa, and urged authorities to conduct a quick and thorough investigation into the murder.
UN's Ban, global leaders join forces in multi-billion dollar Horn of Africa pledge
Oct 28, 2014, at 09:50 pm
New York, Oct 28 (IBNS): Spearheading a high-level delegation of global and regional leaders in a visit to the Horn of Africa, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon Monday announced a new $8 billion development initiative aimed at boosting economic growth, reducing poverty and spurring business activity across the African region’s eight countries.
DR Congo: amid fresh violence, 'presence without action, undermines our credibility' UN envoy
Oct 28, 2014, at 09:44 pm
New York, Oct 28 (IBNS): Amid continuing flare-ups of deadly violence and a tenuous humanitarian situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), the head of the United Nations peacekeeping mission (MONUSCO) in the vast African nation today underlined the need for a “proactive, not reactive†response in countering the country’s rebel groups and boosting protection for civilians.
South Sudan: 60 civilians injured in fighting near UN base
Oct 28, 2014, at 09:41 pm
New York, Oct 28 (IBNS): More than 60 civilians were injured yesterday after fighting broke at a protection of civilians site next to the United Nations House on the outskirts of Juba, South Sudan, according to a UN spokesperson.
Citing 'surge' in executions, UN expert voices deep concern about right to life in Iran
Oct 28, 2014, at 09:38 pm
New York, Oct 28 (IBNS): The human rights situation in Iran remains of deep concern, an independent United Nations expert said today, flagging issues related to the right to life, the judicial system, religious persecution, and discrimination against women.