17 December 2014 – The top United Nations political official today voiced the Organization’s “unwavering commitment” in helping Ukraine address the range of political, humanitarian, security and development challenges it continues to face amid ongoing fighting in the country’s east. Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs Jeffrey Feltman’s words of support came during his visit to the Eastern European country in which he met with both Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko and Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk. Mr. Feltman’s trip was also marked by meetings with the Speaker of the Ukrainian Parliament, Volodymyr Groysman, as well as a presentation to the Government of the…
Author: UN News
16 December 2014 – In the Netherlands, assisting migrants living on the streets is not a matter of charity but rather an obligation of the Government, a group of United Nations human rights experts said today as they urged Dutch authorities to immediately provide irregular migrants with “bed, bath and bread”. As it stands, the Netherlands refuses to give emergency food, clothing, and shelter (popularly called “bed, bath and bread” in the country), despite repeated disapproval by international and regional human rights bodies. Recently, the Dutch central Government denied an appeal for help from over 60 local municipalities for 15…
15 December 2014 – As the conflict in eastern Ukraine heads into its tenth month, continued fighting and bitter cold temperatures are placing more than five million people at risk, the top United Nations human rights official warned today as he described conditions for those still living in conflict-affected areas as becoming “increasingly dire.” “The situation of many people, including those held against their will, in areas under the control of the armed groups may well be life-threatening,” High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein said in a news release following the presentation of the UN rights office’s…
14 December 2014 – The United Nations Security Council has condemned in the strongest terms the 12 December terrorist attack on the Israeli Embassy in Athens, Greece, underscoring the continuing threat posed by terrorism to global peace and security. In the early hours of Friday morning, a number of assailants reportedly sprayed the Embassy of Israel in the Greek capital with gunfire, hitting the building multiple times. According to media reports, the attack did not cause any casualties or serious damage. In a press statement issued yesterday evening, the 15-member Council commended the Greek Government’s response to the incident including…
20 December 2014 – Cautioning that much remains to be done to wipe out Ebola in Guinea, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said today that joint national, regional and global efforts have “significantly” slowed the spread of the deadly virus, giving hope to thousands of people and providing space for communities to look ahead to socio-economic recovery. “Thanks to the determination of national authorities, the mobilization of affected populations and with partners around the world, the spread of the virus has been significantly slowed in some regions of the country,” said Mr. Ban during a press conference in Conakry alongside…
18 December 2014 – The United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention today welcomed the recent release of a number of detainees in Cuba and the United States, some of whose cases have been followed by the expert group. The release was announced after moves to normalize relations between the two countries were unveiled earlier this week. Media reports say that, as part of a deal negotiated over a period of 18 months, the US will restore full diplomatic relations with Cuba and open an embassy in Havana for the first time in more than 50 years. “Although the release…
19 December 2014 – The United Nations Security Council has strongly condemned the recent resurgence of violence in the Central African Republic (CAR) and reiterated its appeal to all parties to the conflict to “immediately and permanently” lay down their arms, release all children from their ranks, and embark upon the path of dialogue as the only viable means towards achieving lasting peace. In a statement presented by Moussa Faki Mahamat, Minister for Foreign Affairs and African Integration of Chad, which holds the body’s December presidency, the Council condemned “the continuous cycle of provocations and reprisals by armed groups, both…
18 December 2014 – As Syria’s war rages on into its fifth year, the needs for food, shelter and medicine are astronomical, several United Nations agencies said today as they launched a major appeal, requesting over $8.4 billion to help nearly 18 million people in Syria and throughout the region. Presented to donors at a meeting in Berlin, the 2015 appeal incorporates, for the first time, development aspects in addition to the life-saving humanitarian needs of over 12 million displaced people inside Syria, and the millions of Syrian refugees scattered throughout the region and the countries that host them. “This…
17 December 2014 – Secretary-General Ban Ki-mon has strongly condemned the bomb attacks in Radaa in Yemen’s Al Bayda province yesterday, which killed more than 25 people, including at least 15 schoolchildren. According to media reports, a school bus carrying the 15 school girls was hit by a car bomb as it passed a checkpoint in the Yemeni province of Al Bayda, south of the country’s capital of Sana’a. In a statement issued by his spokesperson in New York, Mr. Ban expressed his sympathies and sincere condolences to the families of the victims of these heinous attacks. “There is absolutely…
17 December 2014 – Two out of five children urgently needing humanitarian aid in Central African Republic are without it, thanks to a critical lack of funding and continued conflict, a year after extreme violence tore through the country, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has said today. “Children in the Central African Republic (CAR) are no longer making headlines, but over 2.5 million of them continue to live in constant fear,” said Manuel Fontaine, UNICEF Regional Director for West and Central Africa. “They have little access to essential services and rely entirely on humanitarian aid. As we prepare to mark…