Security Council welcomes talks between leaders of Sudan, South Sudan
New York, Dec 12 (IBNS) Welcoming recent talks between Presidents of Sudan and South Sudan, the United Nations Security Council on Thursday called on both governments to hold a high-level security meeting as soon as possible and urged all parties to refrain from violence against civilians and to expedite humanitarian access for the timely delivery of aid to all civilians in need of assistance.
Middle East: UN-backed reconstruction efforts continue in Gaza amid ‘dire’ conditions
New York, Dec 12 (IBNS) Reconstruction efforts in Gaza are continuing as thousands of people will soon have access to building materials for urgent repairs to their homes following last summer’s conflict in the war-ravaged enclave, the United Nations special envoy in the region has announced.
UN launches new tool to help to stop atrocity crimes 'before tensions escalate'
New York, Dec 12 (IBNS): With much more needing to be done to prevent crises and protect populations at risk of genocide, the Framework of Analysis for Atrocity Crimes offered a route to reaching that vitally important goal, the Deputy-Secretary-General Jan Eliasson said on Thursday at the tool’s official launch.
'The more we delay, the more we will pay,' says Ban, urginig action on climate
New York, Dec 12 (IBNS): The more action that is taken on Thursday on climate change, the more likely countries will push for stronger agreements on Friday, United Nations Secretary-GeneralBan Ki-moon told a high-level meeting on Thursday at the UN Climate Change Conference, known also as the 20th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 20).
UN agency reports record cereal crop as Ebola, conflict threaten food security
New York, Dec 12 (IBNS): Despite world cereal production likely to reach an all-time record of more than 2.5 billion tonnes in 2014, a total of 38 countries are at risk of food insecurity, including 29 in Africa, with food insecurity worsening in several countries due to civil conflicts, adverse weather and the Ebola outbreak, according to a United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) report released on Thursday.
As Sahel faces mounting threats, UN envoy urges Security Council to remain engaged in region
New York, Dec 12 (IBNS):Amid a proliferation of militant groups and “disquieting†levels of food insecurity, the situation in the Sahel has become increasingly fragile, a United Nations special envoy told the Security Council on Thursday, as she urged the international community to ramp up its efforts towards helping the diverse and troubled region.
Iran: UN atomic agency chief appeals for funds to extend monitoring mission until June 2015
New York, Dec 12 (IBNS): The United Nations atomic agency has made an appeal on Thursday for 4.6 million euros so that it can continue to undertake its monitoring and verification activities in Iran until June 2015 under the Joint Plan of Action with Iran agreed to by China, France, Germany, the Russian Federation, the United Kingdom and the United States last December.
UN envoy says international patience ‘wearing thin’ with warring parties in South Sudan
New York, Dec 12 (IBNS): Leaders on both sides of the conflict in South Sudan must inject “a new sense of urgency†into the peace process in order to reach a comprehensive peace agreement as soon as possible, the Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General said during a press conference in Juba on Thursday.
After CIA torture revelations, US must now recover moral high ground-UN expert
New York, Dec 12 (IBNS): The United States' use of torture when interrogating prisoners captured in its “War on Terror†has damaged the country's moral high ground and created a set-back in the global fight against the condemnable practice, a United Nations human rights expert has declared.
Amid warm welcome by PM Modi, President Putin visits India
New Delhi, Dec 11 (IBNS): Russian President Vladimir Putin landed in Delhi on Wednesday night for a 22-hour visit.
Security Council condemns actions of LRA in Central Africa, demands end to all attacks
New York, Dec 11 (IBNS): The Security Council on Wednesdayexpressed its concern at the grave security situation in parts of Central Africa, particularly the ongoing crisis in the Central African Republic (CAR) and its regional impact, the continuing threat of the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA), and the expansion of Boko Haram terrorist activities into countries in the sub-region.
Somalia: Security Council calls for unity amid political crisis
New York, Dec 11 (IBNS)The United Nations Security Council announced on Wednesdaythat it has taken note of a recent parliamentary vote of “no confidence†resulting in the political ouster of Somalia’s Prime Minister amid a surge of political instability and extremist violence in the East African country.
Spotlighting racism, stigma, UN launches International Decade of People of African Descent
New York, Dec 11 (IBNS) People of African descent still face racism in every country, region and continent of the world, said United Nations General Assembly President Sam Kutesa as the word body on Wednesdaykicked off its International Decade of People of African Descent.
On Human Rights Day, UN official calls for Member States to 'stamp out torture'
New York, Dec 11 (IBNS) Governments must ramp up their efforts in eradicating the practice of torture and compensate the victims of this “most vicious of crimes,†the top United Nations human rights official has urged, as he marked the 30th anniversary of the adoption of the Convention against Torture.
Central African Republic: UN mission captures rebel leader
New York, Dec 11 (IBNS) The Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA) has announced on Wednesdaythe arrest of Chadian rebel leader and former CAR official, Mahamat Abdul Kadre.