Violence, use of teargas at Greek border 'matter of great worry' – UN refugee agency
New York, Apr 12 (Just Earth News/IBNS): The United Nations refugee agency on Monday expressed concern about yesterday's violence at the border between Greece and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia near Eidomeni and the extensive scenes of teargas in use.
UN agencies step up joint response to help drought-affected northern Somalia
New York, Apr 12 (Just Earth News/IBNS): The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the World Food Programme (WFP) are intensifying joint efforts to assist communities in northern Somalia coping with a severe drought exacerbated by El Niño conditions.
Yemen: UN officials welcome cessation of hostilities
New York, Apr 12 (Just Earth News/IBNS): The United Nations Special Envoy for Yemen has welcomed the start of the cessation of hostilities that began at midnight, 10 April, urging all parties to work to ensure that the terms are fully respected and create a conducive environment for the peace talks scheduled to resume next week.
New York, Apr 10 (Just Earth News/IBNS): Ahead of a cessation of hostilities set to start on 10 April, the senior United Nations relief official for Yemen on Saturday expressed hope that all parties to the conflict in that country abide by the ceasefire agreement, noting that only a political solution can bring the lasting peace Yemenis deserve and are demanding.
UN envoy urges Libyan House of Representatives to vote on national unity government
New York, Apr 10 (Just Earth News/IBNS): Welcoming yesterday's executive meeting of the House of Representatives, the United Nations envoy for Libya on Saturday called on the House to convene in the Libyan port city of Tobruk over the coming days to vote on the national unity government.
New York, Apr 9 (Just Earth News/IBNS): The United Nations special coordinator on sexual exploitation and abuse is in Central African Republic (CAR) to discuss stronger measures to respond to the scourge.
Greece: UN agency urges full hearings for stranded refugee and migrant children
New York, Apr 9 (Just Earth News/IBNS): With the process of returning refugees and migrants from the Greek islands to Turkey underway as part of a European Union-Turkey agreement, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) is reminding States of their duty to care and protect all children and give them a full and fair hearing when deciding on their future.
Selecting a new UN Secretary-General: a job interview in front of the whole world
New York, Apr 9 (Just Earth News/IBNS): The selection process for a new United Nations Secretary-General, traditionally decided behind closed-doors by a few powerful countries, will for the first time in history involve public discussions with each candidate campaigning for the world’s top diplomatic post.
Ban welcomes G20 support for Paris climate accord signing
New York, Apr 9 (Just Earth News/IBNS): Photo: United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Friday welcomed the statement of China, this year’s President of the Group of 20, affirming the G20’s full support for the 22 April signing of the Paris Agreement on climate change, and calling for the accord’s entry into force as early as possible.
New York, Apr 9 (Just Earth News/IBNS): In the wake of last week’s leak of a trove of confidential financial documents from a Panama law firm, a United Nations human rights expert called on the international community to urgently put an end to financial secrecy.
New York, Apr 8 (Just Earth News/IBNS): Violent extremism is an affront to the very purposes and principles of the United Nations, the Head of the world body’s Geneva headquarters said on Thursday, urging government delegations and experts gathered there to back the comprehensive approach needed to proactively address the drivers of the scourge, including through support of the Secretary-General’s action plan on the issue.
Global food prices edge up in March; cereal production outlook robust – UN
New York, Apr 8 (Just Earth News/IBNS): World cereal production in 2016 is set to reach 2,521 million tonnes, just 0.2 per cent below last year’s and the third-highest on record, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said on Thursday.
New York, Apr 7 (Just Earth News/IBNS): Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon continued his programme in California on Wednesday, where he received an honorary doctorate from Loyola Marymount University, after addressing yesterday the Los Angeles World Affairs Council, where he gave the audience an overview of United Nations efforts to meet on Wednesday’s global challenges, from humanitarian crises to climate change to sustainable development.
UN agency condemns large-scale home demolitions in West Bank
New York, Apr 7 (Just Earth News/IBNS): The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) has condemned on Wednesday’s large scale home demolitions by Israeli authorities in the Bedouin refugee community of Um al Khayr in the South Hebron Hills.
Prosecutor to appeal UN tribunal's acquittal of Vojislav Šešelj of war crimes in the Balkans
New York, Apr 7 (Just Earth News/IBNS): The long-serving Prosecutor of the United Nations tribunal for the former Yugoslavia on Wednesday announced that he will appeal The Hague-based court's recent acquittal of Serbian politician Vojislav Šešelj on war crimes charges in connection with actions committed by Serbian forces between August 1991 and September 1993.