22 January 2014 – Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today opened a concerted new effort to end the brutal civil war in Syria, urging the Government, the opposition, and representatives of some 40 other countries and regional organizations to seize the historic opportunity to end the bloodshed. “After nearly three painful years of conflict and suffering in Syria, today is a day of fragile but real hope,” he told the opening session of the high-level segment of the United Nations peace conference on Syria in Montreux, Switzerland. “For the first time, the Syrian Government and the Syria opposition, countries of the region,…
Author: UN News
22 January 2014 – Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today congratulated Yemen on successfully concluding nearly year-long talks on which the country’s new constitution will be founded, but warned that obstacles remain and called on citizens to work together towards building a new Yemen. “Yemen has demonstrated to the region that positive change is possible when pursued through dialogue and compromise,” Mr. Ban said in a statement from his spokesperson. He commended the commitment of all political actors to achieve a peaceful transition – particularly the leadership and determination of President Abdrabuh Mansour Hadi and the delegates of the Conference – which…
22 January 2014 – Independent United Nations human rights expert today called on the Government of Iran to urgently halt executions, given reports that at least 40 people have been hanged so far this year. “We are dismayed at the continued application of the death penalty with alarming frequency by the authorities, despite repeated calls for Iran to establish a moratorium on executions,” said the UN Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, Christof Heyns, in a news release from the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR). He stressed “the inherently cruel, inhuman and degrading nature…
21 January 2014 – Urging restraint amid widespread anti-Government protests in Ukraine, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay called today for sustained and inclusive dialogue to defuse tensions in the country. “The violent clashes over the past few days in the centre of Kiev, which reportedly resulted in many people being injured, are very worrying,” said Ms. Pillay. “I appeal to all parties to engage in constructive dialogue to avoid further escalation of the unrest. “The longer they wait, the more difficult it will become to resolve the impasse,” she added. Demonstrators have…
21 January 2014 – The Security Council once again today acknowledged the role of the United Nations regional office in assisting countries in Central Asia to respond to threats and challenges, including terrorism and religious extremism, and reaffirmed the importance of the use of preventive diplomacy and early warning mechanisms to assist in the peaceful settlement of disputes. In a statement to the press, the Council acknowledged the role of the United Nations Regional Centre for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia (UNRCCA) in assisting those countries, in accordance with its mandate and through regional cooperation, to respond to domestic and…
20 January 2014 – The United Nations agricultural agency today issued a new warning that bird flu viruses are on the rise again in China and urged neighbouring countries to be extra vigilant head of the upcoming Chinese New Year festivities. “FAO [Food and Agricultural Organization] called upon neighbouring countries to remain vigilant in the face of A(H7N9) and other avian influenza viruses, such as highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1,” the UN agency said in a news release from Rome. The number of human infections of H7N9 has considerably increased since late December in East and Southeast China, the UN…
20 January 2014 – United Nations today flew its flags at half-mast in honour of four staff members killed in Friday’s terrorist attack in Kabul, with Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and other senior officials pledging to continue working in active support of Afghans. “As the United Nations mourns this terrorist attack and its victims, we remain committed to work for the peace, stability and development of Afghanistan,” Mr. Ban said in a message delivered by his special representative Jan Kubiš. “We fully support the transition of Afghanistan toward a better future in peace, development and security.” Vadim Nazarov of Russia, Basra…
19 January 2014 – Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon voiced alarm at the attempt on Sunday by senior members of South Sudan’s Government and army to forcibly enter into the United Nations compound in Bor where civilians are sheltering from the ongoing violence in the country. The UN Mission in South sudan (UNMISS) has been providing protection for nearly 70,000 civilians at its bases, including in Bor in Jonglei state, since conflict erupted in the world’s youngest nation just over a month ago. “The Secretary-General is particularly disturbed that United Nations staff were threatened by South sudan military when they refused to…
19 January 2014 – Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has welcomed the validation of the final results of Madagascar’s presidential election, and called on the new administration to reach out to the opposition and to lead the country in the interest of all its citizens. “He calls on all candidates to abide by the ruling of the Special Electoral Court and to channel any complaints peacefully through the established legal avenues,” Mr. Ban’s spokesperson said in a statement issued on Saturday. Hery Rajaonarimampianina was reportedly announced the winner of the 20 December presidential run-off by Madagascar’s electoral court on Friday after attaining…
21 January 2014 – Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon arrived in Switzerland today on the eve of a United Nations-led conference on ending the nearly three-year-old civil war in Syria, and he immediately held talks with participants from various countries and regional organizations involved, as well with a delegation from the Syrian opposition. Mr. Ban, who will tomorrow open the high-level part of the conference in Montreux, held discussions while still in Geneva with the High Representative of the European Union (EU) for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Catherine Ashton, on various aspects of the crisis, including efforts to bring humanitarian relief…