World must invest in new sustainable development agenda: UN official
Aug 12, 2015, at 02:08 pm
New York, Aug 12 (IBNS): It is vital that countries make the necessary investments to carry out the new sustainable development agenda that will be formally adopted next month, says a senior United Nations official, warning that the world can ill afford the costs of not doing so.
UN stresses role of geospatial data to achieve sustainable development goals
Aug 12, 2015, at 02:05 pm
New York, Aug 12 (IBNS): Geographic information about people and the planet is critical to making better decisions and using resources more wisely, and will be vital to achieving the new Sustainable Development Goals that countries have recently agreed on, according to a United Nations expert on the issue.
With political will, Libyan parties can reach settlement by month’s end: UN envoy
Aug 12, 2015, at 02:04 pm
New York, Aug 12 (IBNS): With Libya’s disparate factions starting to coalesce around United Nations-backed proposals on a comprehensive settlement and a unity government, UN special envoy Bernardino León previewed the latest round of talks opening in Geneva on Tuesday, telling reporters that with political will, the parties could wrap up “this very difficult process†with an agreement by the end of August.
Central Africa: Ban 'dismayed' by allegations of abuse by UN 'blue helmets'
Aug 12, 2015, at 02:02 pm
New York, Aug 12 (IBNS): Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has expressed his consternation regarding a number of allegations concerning the conduct of United Nations peacekeepers deployed to the Central African Republic (CAR), a spokesperson for the Organization has confirmed.
Mali: UN alarmed at release of human rights abusers
Aug 12, 2015, at 02:00 pm
New York, Aug 12 (IBNS): The United Nations human rights office expressed deep concern over the reported release of detainees in Mali suspected of involvement in, or formally charged with, serious abuses, including war crimes, terrorist acts and gross human rights violations.
UN rights expert tells 'free voices are vital partners' after Myanmar visit
Aug 12, 2015, at 01:59 pm
New York, Aug 12 (IBNS): Expressing concern over curbs to free expression and possible voter disenfranchisement in Myanmar ahead of upcoming elections in November, a United Nations human rights expert on Tuesday urged the Government to “reconsider its fear and opposition to critical and independent voices,†which are “partners†not “threats.â€
Israeli settlement expansion cause of violence in Palestinian territories: UN experts
Aug 11, 2015, at 02:49 pm
New York, Aug 11 (IBNS): A United Nations human rights committee has completed its annual evaluation of the situation affecting millions of people living in the Occupied Palestinian Territories and has cited Israel's policy of settlement expansion as a primary driver of the escalating violence in the area.
Iraq: UN agency forced to cut critical food aid amid funding shortfall
Aug 11, 2015, at 02:45 pm
New York, Aug 11 (IBNS): A severe funding shortfall in Iraq is pushing the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) to cut the amount of aid it delivers to nearly one million displaced people in the war-torn country, the Organization has confirmed.
UN chief says education remains 'passport to dignity' for Gaza's children
Aug 11, 2015, at 02:34 pm
New York, Aug 11 (IBNS): Access to education can provide Gaza’s children with a "passport to dignity" and help break the cycle of poverty and violence that has afflicted the troubled enclave for decades, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said on Monday.
Ban condemns series of terrorist attacks in Turkey
Aug 11, 2015, at 02:21 pm
New York, Aug 11 (IBNS): United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has condemned Monday’s series of terrorist attacks in Turkey, including on the security forces, both in Istanbul and in the south-east provinces, as well as on the United States Consulate in Istanbul.
Ban urges better healthcare for world's indigenous peoples
Aug 11, 2015, at 02:17 pm
New York, Aug 11 (IBNS): Indigenous peoples must not be left out of the global community’s unfolding sustainable development agenda, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon affirmed on Monday as he marked the 2015 edition of the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples with a focus on their lagging access to health care services around the world.
UN chief voices concern over tensions on Korean Peninsula
Aug 11, 2015, at 02:13 pm
New York, Aug 11 (IBNS): United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has voiced concern over reports that the Korean People’s Army has placed new land mines in the southern half of the Demilitarized Zone in the Korean Peninsula, a spokesperson for the Organization has confirmed.
UN rights expert urges Mauritania to repeal bill threatening civil society groups
Aug 11, 2015, at 02:10 pm
New York, Aug 11 (IBNS): A United Nations human rights expert on Monday called upon the Mauritanian Parliament to reject a draft law on civil society associations that, without public consultations, was approved last month by the Council of Ministers.
Central Africa: UN investigating incident leading to death of five blue helmets
Aug 10, 2015, at 02:30 pm
New York, Aug 10 (IBNS): The United Nations mission in the Central African Republic (CAR) has launched an investigation into an incident on Saturday in which a Rwandan peacekeeper shot dead four of his colleagues and wounded eight others before he also died.
Yemen: UN official calls for scaling up efforts to meet humanitarian needs
Aug 10, 2015, at 02:26 pm
New York, Aug 10 (IBNS): The United Nations Humanitarian Coordinator for Yemen is appealing for significant contributions to scale up efforts to meet the “staggering†needs across the country, where some 21 million people, or 80 per cent of the population, require live-saving assistance.
Ban lauds efforts to achieve nuclear-weapon-free world
Aug 10, 2015, at 02:20 pm
New York, Aug 10 (IBNS): In a message commemorating the 70th anniversary of the atomic bombing of Nagasaki, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Sunday paid tribute to all those in the Japanese city and around the globe who are striving to rid the world of nuclear weapons.
Ban urges greater efforts to improve health and well-being of indigenous peoples
Aug 10, 2015, at 02:15 pm
New York, Aug 10 (IBNS): United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has called on the international community to commit to do more to improve the health and well-being of indigenous peoples, who face a wide range of challenges from inadequate sanitation and housing to high rates of diabetes, drug and alcohol abuse.
Ban and Security Council condemn deadly terrorist attack in Saudi Arabia
Aug 08, 2015, at 02:17 pm
New York, Aug 8 (IBNS): United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and the Security Council have condemned the terrorist attack that took place on Thursday in Saudi Arabia, resulting in the death of at least a dozen people, for which the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) has claimed responsibility.
Deploring Afghan attack, UN calls for perpetrators to be held accountable
Aug 08, 2015, at 02:15 pm
New York, Aug 8 (IBNS): The top United Nations envoy in Afghanistan has condemned the killing of at least eight civilians and the injuring of more than 200 in an attack that took place in Kabul on Friday.
Syria: Security Council approves probe into the use of chemical weapons
Aug 08, 2015, at 02:12 pm
New York, Aug 8 (IBNS): The United Nations Security Council on Thursday gave the greenlight for the establishment of a Joint Investigative Mechanism to identify those responsible for the use of chemical weapons in Syria.
Elections set to begin in Haiti, Ban urges peaceful campaigning
Aug 08, 2015, at 02:10 pm
New York, Aug 8 (IBNS): Welcoming the upcoming presidential, legislative and local elections in Haiti, which will begin on Sunday, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Friday stressed the need to ensure credible and peaceful polls.
Burundi: Assassination attempt prompts UN call for protection of human rights defenders
Aug 08, 2015, at 02:08 pm
New York, Aug 8 (IBNS): Following this week’s assassination attempt on one of Burundi’s leading human rights defenders, an independent United Nations expert has called on the Government to ensure the protection of all rights activists.
UN urges bold action to tackle deepening refugee crisis in Greece
Aug 08, 2015, at 02:05 pm
New York, Aug 8 (IBNS): The United Nations on Thursday called for bold and urgent action to address a deepening crisis in Greece, where some 124,000 refugees and migrants have arrived by sea this year – a staggering increase of over 750 per cent compared to the same period in 2014.
Conditions worsening for refugees in Calais, UN urges comprehensive response
Aug 08, 2015, at 02:04 pm
New York, Aug 8 (IBNS):The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) on Friday called once again for a comprehensive response to the worsening reception conditions for refugees and migrants in Calais, saying that the situation in the French port city is unmanageable.
Mali: UN strongly condemns ‘despicable’ attack in Mopti region
Aug 08, 2015, at 02:02 pm
New York, Aug 8 (IBNS): The United Nations peacekeeping mission in Mali has strongly condemned the attack that took place on Friday in the town of Sevaré, in the Mopti region, and led to the death of at least one person.
Extremists must not be allowed to escalate Israeli-Palestinian tensions: Ban
Aug 08, 2015, at 02:01 pm
New York, Aug 8 (IBNS): Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Friday spoke out against recent violence between Israelis and Palestinians and called on leaders on both sides not to allow extremists to escalate the situation and “take control of the political agenda.â€
Myanmar: UN allocates $9 million to rapidly scale up urgent flood relief
Aug 08, 2015, at 01:59 pm
New York, Aug 8 (IBNS): The top United Nations humanitarian official on Saturday allocated $9 million to help aid organizations rapidly scale up assistance in Myanmar in the wake of major flooding and monsoon rains that affected over 330,000 people and killed at least 88.
No more Hiroshimas. No more Nagasakis: Ban
Aug 07, 2015, at 02:12 pm
New York, Aug 7 (IBNS): United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Thursday renewed his resolve to advance the goal of achieving a world “free of the nuclear shadow,†in a message to mark the 70th anniversary of the atomic bombing of the Japanese city of Hiroshima.
Iraq: UN agency prioritizes most needy Syrian refugees for food assistance
Aug 07, 2015, at 02:10 pm
New York, Aug 7 (IBNS): In an effort to meet the food needs of the most vulnerable Syrian refugees living in Iraq, the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has announced that it will focus its resources this month on those living in the country’s Kurdistan region.
Libya: UN-facilitated political dialogue set to begin next week
Aug 07, 2015, at 02:08 pm
New York, Aug 7 (IBNS): With a new round of the United Nations-facilitated political dialogue set to begin next week, the top UN envoy for Libya, Bernardino León, has urged the parties to redouble their efforts to find a peaceful resolution to the conflict in the country.