Striving for peace, decent life for all, ‘very pertinent’ UN Assembly theme, says Ugandan President

Sep 20, 2017, at 04:16 pm

New York, Sept 20(Just Earth News): Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, President of the Republic of Uganda, took the podium expressing support for the theme of the United Nations 72nd General Assembly – ‘Focusing on People: Striving for Peace and a Decent life for all on a Sustainable Planet’ – questioning why the world’s elites failed to see its pertinence.

Government bodies must serve people, Uzbek President stresses at UN assembly

Sep 20, 2017, at 04:04 pm

New York, Sept 20(Just Earth News): Noting efforts to advance socio-economic development in Uzbekistan, the President of the country highlighted that the ultimate goal is to build a democratic State and a just society, where the priority is implementation of the principle that “human interests come first.”

Leaders meeting at UN underscore need to fast-track climate action

Sep 20, 2017, at 04:03 pm

New York, Sept 20(Just Earth News): Leaders from various levels of government, the private sector and civil society highlighted the need for climate action as they convened at United Nations Headquarters, where Secretary-General António Guterres warned that current pledges and plans are insufficient to keep global temperature rise to well below 2 degrees.

At General Assembly, Baltic leaders spotlight human rights, UN reform among vital concerns

Sep 20, 2017, at 04:02 pm

New York, Sept 20(Just Earth News): The international community must give the United Nations a voice to raise against human rights abuses and nationalistic rhetoric, or see it become irrelevant, the Lithuanian president said in her address to the United Nations General Assembly’s high-level debate.

‘No room for double standards’ in combatting terrorism, stresses Egyptian President at UN Assembly

Sep 20, 2017, at 03:59 pm

New York, Sept 20(Just Earth News): Noting that comprehensively addressing terrorism is vital for the future of the regional and international order, the President of Egypt called on Tuesday for an approach to do so that is based not only on eradication of terrorism but also of its root causes, as well as challenging its supporters and those that grant it safe havens.

Mali’s President, at General Assembly, calls on world to help equip regional anti-terror force

Sep 20, 2017, at 03:57 pm

New York, Sept 20(Just Earth News): Mali’s President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita took the podium of the General Assembly on Tuesday to praise United Nations efforts in aiding his West African country recover from rebel attacks, and called on the international community to help fund a new five-nation force to combat terrorism in the region.

In wake of Hurricane Irma, UN launches $55 million plan to assist Cubans in need

Sep 20, 2017, at 03:56 pm

New York, Sept 20(Just Earth News): The United Nations system in Cuba on Tuesday launched an action plan requiring $55.8 million to address the urgent needs of over 2 million people severely affected by Irma, the strongest hurricane ever reported in the Atlantic.

Netanyahu, at General Assembly, denounces ‘absurdities,’ anti-Semitism in UN decisions

Sep 20, 2017, at 03:52 pm

New York, Sept 20(Just Earth News): Citing “a great revolution in Israel’s standing” in the world, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday denounced the “absurdities” and “global ant-Semitism” in United Nations decisions on Israel and warned Iran of the “mortal peril” it faced in threatening to annihilate his country.

French initiative to create global environment pact deserves support, says Secretary-General

Sep 20, 2017, at 03:51 pm

New York, Sept 20(Just Earth News): United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres on Tuesday urged global support for France’s initiative to create the first international legally binding document on the environment, at an event held on the margins of the annual leaders’ summit of the General Assembly.

World must unite in fight against terrorism, Qatar urges leaders at UN Assembly

Sep 20, 2017, at 03:48 pm

New York, Sept 20(Just Earth News): Underscoring that extremism and terrorism remain the most serious challenges confronting the world, the Amir of Qatar called on leaders to take concerted action against terrorist organizations and their extremist ideologies to maintain global security and stability.

UN chief hails transformative power of women’s economic empowerment

Sep 20, 2017, at 03:46 pm

New York, Sept 20(Just Earth News): Extoling the benefits of women’s economic empowerment, both for economies as well as societies as a whole, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres on Tuesday encouraged governments, the private sector, multilateral institutions and others to take measures to achieve the full and equal participation of women in the economy.

At UN Assembly, Turkey calls on world to fulfil aid pledges for hosting Syrian refugees

Sep 20, 2017, at 03:45 pm

New York, Sept 20(Just Earth News): Stressing that his country has spent over $30 billion to care for more than three million Syrians and 200,000 Iraqis fleeing war in their own homelands, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan took to the podium of the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday to call on the world to fulfil its pledges of aid.

No one country can resolve global challenges single-handedly, Zambia stresses at UN Assembly

Sep 20, 2017, at 03:44 pm

New York, Sept 20(Just Earth News): Reaffirming Zambia’s commitment to international cooperation to address the challenges facing the planet, the country’s President on Tuesday called on world leaders to come together and act boldly for the sake of the shared future.

‘To each his own’ not a viable alternative in a world facing shared challenges, Swiss President says

Sep 20, 2017, at 03:43 pm

New York, Sept 20(Just Earth News): With the world facing complex challenges such as climate change, humanitarian disasters and migration, all spanning geographical borders and requiring collective efforts to effectively address, the President of Switzerland told delegations in the General Assembly on Tuesday that a strong multilateral system centered on a strong United Nations must be established.

At General Assembly, France urges return to optimism, values that underpinned UN’s founding

Sep 20, 2017, at 03:42 pm

New York, Sept 20(Just Earth News): Citing a litany of world crises and quoting directly from victims of man-made and natural disasters, French President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday called for a return to the optimism and universal values that inspired the founding of the United Nations 72 years ago, taking into the account the new realities of the 21st century.

The 21st century will be an African century, Guinean President tells UN General Assembly

Sep 20, 2017, at 03:41 pm

New York, Sept 20(Just Earth News): The 21st century will see Africa take its rightful place on the world stage, Alpha Condé, the President of Guinea, which also holds the current presidency of the African Union, told the United Nations 72nd General Assembly on the opening day of its general debate on Tuesday.

All nations should embrace their sovereignty, US President tells world leaders at UN Assembly

Sep 20, 2017, at 03:37 pm

New York, Sept 20(Just Earth News): Noting that the present world is one that offers both immense promise and great peril, the President of the United States told global leaders at the United Nations that it was “entirely up to us” to either lift the world to new heights, or let it fall into a valley of disrepair.

Mexico: 7.1 M quake strikes country, kills at least 149 people

Sep 20, 2017, at 03:01 pm

Mexico City, Sep 20 (IBNS): A powerful earthquake measuring 7.1 on the Richter Scale struck Mexico on Tuesday, killing at least 149 people and injuring several others, reports said.

International solidarity key to address global challenges, urges Nigerian President Buhari

Sep 20, 2017, at 05:36 am

New York, Sept 19(Just Earth News): Highlighting the importance of international cooperation to address many pressing challenges around the globe, Muhammadu Buhari, the President of Nigeria, urged world leaders to sustain such collaboration, particularly in instances where there resources are insufficient and capacity weak at the national level.

‘We need more diplomacy, more negotiating’ Brazilian President tells UN Assembly

Sep 20, 2017, at 05:32 am

New York, Sept 19(Just Earth News): The President of Brazil, the first Head of State traditionally to address the annual United Nations General Assembly’s general debate, pledged on Tuesday that his country will sign the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons – reiterating that the nuclear powers undertake additional disarmament.

Repair 'world in pieces' and create 'world at peace,' UN chief Guterres urges global leaders

Sep 20, 2017, at 05:30 am

New York, Sept 19(Just Earth News): Addressing the annual gathering of world leaders at the United Nations Headquarters, Secretary-General António Guterres on Tuesday spotlighted several threats – including the nuclear peril, climate change, and ongoing conflicts – that must be overcome to create a better world for all.

Over 40 million people caught in modern slavery, 152 million in child labour – UN

Sep 20, 2017, at 05:29 am

New York, Sept 19(Just Earth News): More than 40 million people around the world were victims of modern slavery – forced labour and forced marriage – in 2016, a United Nations study has found, revealing the true scale of such practices that disproportionately affect women and girls.

President of UN General Assembly urges world leaders to engage in working for the people

Sep 20, 2017, at 05:28 am

New York, Sept 19(Just Earth News): Opening the annual general debate, the President of the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday stressed the need for more work on prevention, a greater focus on people, and keeping promises made to advance prosperity and protect the planet.

UN launches initiative to reach equal pay for equal work by 2030

Sep 19, 2017, at 10:17 am

New York, Sept 19(Just Earth News): Striving to raise up women’s pay across the world to equal men’s, a new global coalition – which includes the United Nations labour agency and Organization’s entity promotion of women’s rights – launched on Monday on the eve of the General Assembly debate.

UN General Assembly’s annual debate to ‘focus on people,’ ensuring decent life for all

Sep 19, 2017, at 10:16 am

New York, Sept 19(Just Earth News): Global leaders gathering at United Nations Headquarters in New York this week for the annual round of top-level diplomatic talks known as the General Debate will shine a spotlight on the needs of the world’s people, with discussions on vital issues such as sustainable development and climate change, and set the stage for what the President of the UN General Assembly has dubbed a “year of firsts,” which will see the negotiation of the first intergovernmental compact on migration and the signing of the first agreement on the elimination of nuclear weapons.

As climate change makes bad weather worse, countries must strengthen resilience, UN officials urge

Sep 19, 2017, at 10:15 am

New York, Sept 19(Just Earth News): Noting the ever-increasing impact of extreme weather events, top United Nations officials, including Secretary-General António Guterres and Miroslav Lajčák, the President of the General Assembly on Monday urged efforts to boost resilience and strengthen damage mitigation measures.

Conflict keeps 27 million children out of school, with girls at high risk of abuse – UN report

Sep 19, 2017, at 10:09 am

New York, Sept 19(Just Earth News): Some 27 million children are out of school due to conflict, with girls facing a heightened risk of sexual and gender-based violence, the United Nations said in a report released on Monday, calling on States and international organizations to integrate all uprooted children into the education system where they live.

‘Window of opportunity’ closing on non-communicable diseases, warns UN health agency

Sep 19, 2017, at 10:08 am

New York, Sept 19(Just Earth News): Millions around the globe are dying prematurely from diseases such as cancer or heart disease, the United Nations health agency warned, urging governments to step up efforts to control non-communicable diseases (NCDs).

Iran implementing its nuclear commitments, UN atomic agency chief stresses

Sep 19, 2017, at 10:07 am

New York, Sept 19(Just Earth News): Iran is implementing its commitments under “the world’s most robust nuclear verification regime,” the United Nations atomic agency head said on Monday, while at the same time voicing “grave concern” at the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea’s (DPRK) nuclear programme.

UN chief outlines three-part strategy to reshape global finance for sustainable development

Sep 19, 2017, at 04:42 am

New York, Sept 18(Just Earth News): As the high-level week of the United Nations General Assembly gets underway, Secretary-General António Guterres on Monday stressed the role of the UN to help reshape “unproductive and unrewarding” finance and redirect investment to creating a better world for all.