15 April 2014 – With the deadline for the globally agreed development targets fast approaching, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today called for a renewed global partnership to advance sustainable development and a life of dignity for all. “As the 2015 deadline draws near, all of us must do more to deliver on our commitments,” Mr. Ban said in remarks to the opening of the first High-level Meeting of the Global Partnership for Effective Development Cooperation, which is taking place in Mexico City. “And as we shape an inspiring post-2015 development agenda, the international community must be committed to supporting the future…
Author: UN News
15 April 2014 – The head of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) today voiced deep concern over the destruction caused by fires that have been raging around Valparaíso and pledged to help safeguard the Chilean city’s historic sites. The fires that began over the weekend have reportedly killed 13 people, consumed 2,150 acres and burned 2,000 homes across the coastal city. Irina Bokova, UNESCO’s Director-General, expressed her condolences to the people of Chile over the tragic loss of lives in Valparaíso, and promised the agency’s support in protecting the city’s Historic Quarter, which is inscribed on…
17 April 2014 – On the heels of his recent visit to the Central African Republic (CAR), where the deadly rift between Christians and Muslims continues to widen, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today in a radio message appealed to all Central Africans to build a unified country through peace. “Your future is not partition and bloodshed. It must be unity and peace,” Mr. Ban said in a personal appeal to fathers, mothers and children to end the increasing inter-communal violence that is tearing apart the country. He noted the Muslims and Christians “have always lived together in peace” in the CAR,…
17 April 2014 – The United Nations refugee agency announced today that following many months of suspension, family visit flights between Sahrawi refugees living in camps near Tindouf, Algeria, and their families in the territory of Western Sahara has resumed. The flights, under the agency’s Confidence Building Measures programme, resumed yesterday with a total of 192 people gathered from Tindouf and other nearby refugee camps taking part in the visits. “I am pleased that these flights have now resumed, enabling separated families to see each other again,” said Athar Sultan Khan, chief of staff of the UN High Commissioner for…
16 April 2014 – Disaster risk reduction and climate change are closely linked, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today stressed, reiterating to the world community his key priorities through the next year as preparations continue for the 2015 world conference on reducing risk from natural disasters. “The aim is simple: to leave a more resilient world to future generations,” Mr. Ban told high-level representatives of Member States attending a briefing on the Third World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction to be held next year in the Japanese city of Sendai. The main item on that agenda is agreement on a new post-2015…
17 April 2014 – Amid escalating violence in northern and central South Sudan, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon strongly condemned today’s attack on civilians and peacekeepers at the UN mission base in Bor, the war-torn capital of Jonglei state, by a mob of armed civilians who forced their way into the facility and opened fire on displaced persons sheltering inside. “This attack on a location where civilians are being protected by the United Nations is a serious escalation,” said Mr. Ban in a statement issued by his Spokesperson in New York, which reminded all parties that any attack on UN…
17 April 2014 – The United Nations today voiced concern over the arrest and detention of over 1,000 refugees and asylum-seekers who were rounded up during counter-terrorism operations launched by Kenyan security forces in Nairobi this month. Most of those who have been arrested in the operations targeting undocumented foreigners are Somalis, 82 of whom were deported to Mogadishu on 9 April, according to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). While the agency was able to secure the exemption of 10 registered refugees from this deportation, at least one refugee is reported to have been among those deported. “UNHCR…
16 April 2014 – A senior United Nations official today condemned the attack against the chief warden of Virunga National Park, and urged the international community to support the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) in protecting not only its World Heritage sites but also those who safeguard them. Irina Bokova, Director-General of the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), said she learned with “distress and anger” of the attack on Emmanuel de Merode, who was reportedly wounded when his vehicle came under fire as he was travelling from the eastern city of Goma to the town of Rumangabo.…
16 April 2014 – Spiraling violence has forced an increasing number of civilians in South Sudan’s oil-rich Unity state are seeking refuge with the United Nations peacekeeping mission, it was confirmed today. “The numbers of internally displaced persons currently sheltered at the UNMISS protection of civilians site in Bentiu are swelling,” UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said referring to the acronym for the UN Mission in the country. More than 12,000 civilians are currently seeking refuge, he noted. The majority of them are women and children. The figure comes one day after reports that opposition forces took control of the state…
16 April 2014 – United Nations humanitarian agencies and their partners today launched a joint appeal to donors to fund emergency operations in support of the growing number of people who have been fleeing the conflict in the Central African Republic (CAR) since last December. Nearly 200,000 Central Africans, third country nationals and returnees who escaped violence in Car over the past four months are now struggling to restart their lives in the impoverished countries of Cameroon, Chad, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Republic of Congo, according to a news release. The $274 million sought for the…
16 April 2014 – The Security Council today marked the 20th anniversary of the Rwandan genocide by calling on all countries to recommit to prevent and fight such serious crimes, as a senior United Nations official warned that many of today’s conflicts reveal that protection of populations from atrocities remains “lagging and elusive.” Unanimously adopting a new resolution during a special meeting devoted to commemorating what UN Deputy Secretary-General Jan Eliasson referred to as “one of the darkest chapters in human history,” the Council underscored the importance of taking into account the lessons learned from those tragic 100 days in…
16 April 2014 – The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has strongly condemned the reported abduction of some 100 school girls between 12 and 17 years old from their school hostel in north-eastern Nigeria yesterday, and called for their immediate and unconditional release. “UNICEF is deeply concerned about the persistent trend of attacks on schools in Nigeria,” Manuel Fontaine, the agency’s Regional Director for West and Central Africa, said today in a statement following the girls’ abduction in Chibok in Borno state on Monday night. Most recently, unidentified gunmen killed 53 children between 13 and 17 years old at the…
14 April 2014 – The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights today voiced grave concern at a bill presented to the Nepalese Parliament which could lead to amnesties for serious human rights violations, saying it would weaken the foundation for a genuine peace in the country. Under the bill, which is aimed at creating a truth and reconciliation commission and a commission on disappearances, these two bodies will be granted the powers to recommend amnesties, including for serious human rights violations, or to excuse perpetrators of such violations from prosecution. “While I welcome steps taken by the Government of…
13 April 2014 – Welcoming today’s announcement of the first batch of results in Afghanistan’s Presidential elections as a further step towards completing the electoral process, the United Nations Assistance Mission in the country (UNAMA) has noted that these results represent only a small proportion of the millions of ballots cast in the poll. The announcement made by the Independent Election Commission (IEC) is based on the tally of 10 per cent of the results from 26 of Afghanistan’s 34 provinces one week after the 5 April election, a real logistical achievement, according to the Mission. “While today’s release of…
15 April 2014 – The number of people seeking shelter at the United Nations Mission in South sudan (UNMISS) base in the Unity state capital, Bentiu, has doubled over the past few days, UN Humanitarian Coordinator Toby Lanzer said in Juba today. “We think we now have at least 9,000 people inside our base there,” Mr. Lanzer told a press conference, noting that this was up from 4,500 displaced people at the base two weeks ago. Mr. Lanzer said he felt “a certain sense of outrage”, as UNMISS, UN agencies and other aid agencies made efforts to deal with immediate…
14 April 2014 – Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today voiced his shock and sadness after a bomb attack at a bus station near the Nigerian capital of Abuja claimed dozens of lives, and called for the perpetrators to be brought to justice. More than 70 people have reportedly been killed in the bombing, which took place as commuters were about to board buses and taxis to go to work in the capital. Over 100 people are said to be injured in the attack. “The Secretary-General is shocked and saddened by the many lives lost today,” his spokesperson said in a statement,…
14 April 2014 – United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has applauded the people of Guinea-Bissau for their orderly and peaceful participation in yesterday’s presidential and legislative elections, and called on all candidates to respect the upcoming results. “By participating in high numbers, they have clearly expressed their desire for the full return to constitutional order in their country,” said Mr. Ban’s Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric in a statement. “The Secretary-General commends the election management bodies for their determined efforts to ensure the timely holding of the elections. He thanks Guinea-Bissau’s international partners for providing vital technical and financial support that contributed…
14 April 2014 – More than 70,000 people are now living in horrendous conditions crammed into the Central African Republic (CAR) Bangui airport – the lucky ones under weather-beaten tarps just yards from the runway. Others are in the open. “Like its stranded airport refugees, the Central African Republic is in dire need of a ticket out of its misery,” United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said in an op-ed today for The Washington Post on his recent trip to the country, where a 2012 rebel-led coup has given way to brutal sectarian violence and massive human rights violations that have…
12 April 2014 – Expressing deep concern about the crisis in South sudan and its impact on civilians, the top United Nations humanitarian official joined today with her counterparts from the United States and the European Union to urge more support for the war-torn country’s people, who have been severely affected by conflict, displacement and food insecurity. “We are here today to sound the alarm for South Sudan,” said Valerie Amos, head of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), who co-chaired a Humanitarian Ministerial Meeting in Washington, D.C., with Rajiv Shah, Administrator of the United States…
11 April 2014 – With preparations supported by the United Nations, voters in Guinea-Bissau head to the polls this Sunday in presidential and parliamentary elections many hope will bring stability to the tiny West African nation. Postponed several times, the elections will be the first to take place since the 2012 military coup which ousted interim President Raimundo Pereira. They are widely seen as essential to restoring constitutional order, economic growth and development. On the eve of the polls, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called on the people and institutions of Guinea-Bissau to ensure the conduct of peaceful and credible elections, adding…