Interviews

When threatened by the effects of climate change, humans can quickly move from one location to another, but animals are slower to adapt.

That’s according to Bradnee Chambers, who oversees a UN environmental treaty known as the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals, known as CMS.

Migratory species include birds, whales and lions, and representatives from 125 countries have gathered in Manila this week for a CMS meeting looking at emerging problems facing wildlife.

Urban demand could be “a lever” for industrialization across Africa.

That’s according to Giovanie Biha, Deputy Executive Secretary at the UN Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), which has launched a report on industrial development on the continent.

With an increasing fraction of the population living in cities, Africa faces growing challenges in terms of services and infrastructure.

Ms Biha spoke with Priscilla Lecomte about how this rapid urbanization could be beneficial, and propel economic growth.

There’s never been a time when the pollinating power of the lowly honey bee has been more important to the planet than now.

That’s the view of some diplomats at UN Headquarters in New York who are making the case for giving bees their own official international day.

Ambassador Darja Bavdaz Kuret of Slovenia, argues that we need bees to cope with many of the global challenges laid out in the Sustainable Development Goals, such as hunger and biodiversity.

Yet, she says they are under threat like never before, due to climate change and pesticides.

Rapid urbanization in Africa is creating opportunities to strengthen rural economies, as demand for food rises in cities and towns.

That’s according to a major new report from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), published on Monday, which argues that a “sweeping transformation” is needed to unlock the potential of the countryside and stop the depopulation of rural areas.

On-going violence both against civilians and aid workers trying to protect them, has left the Central African Republic (CAR) “on the brink of a humanitarian crisis”.

That’s the view of Joseph Iganji, who heads the UN Humanitarian Affairs office (OCHA) in the capital, Bangui.

Around 23,000 civilians have fled into the bush in western areas of the country, and the instability and violence has led to the temporary suspension of all relief activities.

The Central African Republic (CAR) is facing a multifaceted array of problems that do not have a single clear solution.

That’s the view of Parfait Onanga-Anyanga, head of the UN Stabilization Mission there (MINUSCA), who took part in a dialogue in New York this week about continuing violence in CAR.

Rebel groups which control large areas of the country have displaced more than half a million people and left hundreds dead.

Discussions over a new partnership with the Sudanese government to bring humanitarian relief to civilians in the volatile Darfur region are in their final phase.

That’s according to the deputy chief in charge of protection, for the UN and African Union joint Mission in Darfur, UNAMID.

Bintou Keita, UNAMID Deputy Joint Special Representative, has been advocating on behalf of the Mission for a new Temporary Operating Base for the UN in the former rebel stronghold of Golo, in Jebel Marra.

The number of people from South Sudan seeking refuge in Uganda has reached one million, the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) has warned.

An average of 1,800 South Sudanese civilians have been crossing into Uganda every day during the past year.

Another one million or more South Sudanese are being hosted by Sudan, Ethiopia, Kenya, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Central African Republic.

The allegations of sexual exploitation and abuse by peacekeepers in the Central African Republic or CAR came as a “huge shock” to the UN Mission there also known by the acronym, MINUSCA.

That’s what Diane Corner, the Deputy Head of MINUSCA said during a visit to UN Headquarters in New York on the last day of her tenure.

International troops serving as peacekeepers in CAR were accused of sexually abusing a number of young children in exchange for food or money between 2013 and 2015.

Tourism in Africa can reduce poverty but the industry needs help to resist challenges from conflict, climate change and health emergencies, the UN said on Wednesday.

In a new report from UN trade agency UNCTAD, latest data indicates that the sector accounts for one in 14 jobs on the continent – with women and young adults playing a key role.