General News

As Somalia continues its efforts to rebuild and create functioning state institutions, it established a fire fighting unit early this year.

The government is increasing the number of fire-fighters and training them in new techniques such as airport fire fighting and rescue operations.

A group of 20 young men from Somalia’s first government-run Fire and Rescue unit recently received training in airport emergency fire and rescue management in Kenya.

The founding father of the United Republic of Tanzania, the late Julius Kambarage Nyerere, popularly known as “Mwalimu,” was honoured at the United Nations this week.

The Permanent Mission of Tanzania to the United Nations organized the commemoration of Mwalimu Nyerere Day on 14 October.

The event coincided with the launch of a book titled “Julius Nyerere: Africa’s Titan on a Global Stage.”

It has been co-edited by Prof. Ali Mazrui of Binghamton University in New York and Prof. Lindah Mhando, a Tanzanian Professor at Duke University in North Carolina.

World Food Day is observed on 16 October each year to focus attention on global efforts to eradicate hunger.

The day also marks the founding in 1945 of the Rome-based United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).

This year’s theme is “Sustainable Food Systems for Food Security and Nutrition”.

The United Nations estimates that 840 million people worldwide suffer from malnutrition.

Derrick Mbatha reports.

Duration: 3'49"

At least ten weddings take place in a refugee camp in Jordan every week, according to the UN Refugee Agency, (UNHCR).

The Za’atari refugee camp hosts 120,000 Syrians fleeing the violence in their country.

For the refugees, it’s simply a way of keeping their traditions alive.

Jocelyne Sambira has the story.

Duration: 2’52”

Fashion and fair trade may seem worlds apart, but a UN agency is bringing them together by connecting artisans in developing countries with industry professionals who use their textiles, bead work and other traditional crafts to produce exquisite clothing and accessories.

This is just one example of how the International Trade Centre (ITC) is both empowering women and supporting small businesses in the developing world to access global markets.

The Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre (KAIPTC) in the Ghanaian capital, Accra, has over the past ten years trained more than 10,000 people from all over the world.

Since it was established in 2003, the Centre has conducted more than 230 courses in various aspects of peacekeeping operations.

UN Radio’s Derrick Mbatha caught up with General Obed Akwa, Commandant of the Centre during his visit to New York recently.

He says its objective was to tap into the long-standing experience of the Ghanaian Armed Forces in international peacekeeping.

Families in Burundi are swapping kerosene lamps for energy efficient LED lights, according to the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF).

Not only are these lights environmentally friendly, but they are safe to use and can provide a safety net for young orphans.

Jocelyne Sambira reports.

Duration: 2’55”

Although the Philippines were hit by a typhoon over the weekend, the senior UN humanitarian official there is praising the country’s preparedness and resilience.

David Carden, who heads the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in the Philippines, reports that so far, 13 deaths have been attributed to Typhoon Nari, which slammed into the north of the country on Saturday.

The typhoon, locally known as “Santi,” has affected more than 700,000 people and has destroyed approximately 40,000 houses.

The Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization known as the GAVI Alliance says it is on track immunize a quarter of a billion children by 2015.

GAVI issued a report in Geneva on Monday on its four-year programme to save children’s lives through vaccinations.

It will be formally presented at a meeting of GAVI donors and partners in Stockholm on 30 October.

To find out more about the report, UN Radio’s Derrick Mbatha spoke on the line to Geneva with GAVI spokesperson, Dan Thomas.

Duration: 4’58”

The value of educating a girl is not well understood in conservative areas of Pakistan, according to the Director of the Khushal School and College in Swat.

Mariam Khalique is also a teacher of Malala Yousafzai, the student and education activist shot by the Taliban last year. The Taliban used to control Swat Valley, in northwestern Pakistan, enforcing Islamic law until Pakistani forces drove them out.

Ms. Khalique told UNICEF’s Alex Goldmark what lessons can be learned from Malala’s tragic shooting.

Duration:  2'25"