On second day in Mali, UN chief visits regional counter-terrorism force base
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres on Wednesday continued his visit to Mali, making a strong appeal for more predictable financial support to the regional force tackling terrorist threats in Africa’s Sahel region.
Shortly after arriving in Mopti, Mr. Guterres visited the G5 Sahel Force Base in a nearby city and congratulated all the men and women who make up the international quick response force, which is dedicated to protecting civilians across the region, facing the growing threat of terrorism.
He added that the UN has proposed securing more funding that would allow the Force to better plan its operations: “We are asking the international community for a big investment for the development of the Sahel, because there is no peace without security and there is no development without peace,” he said.
The G5 Force was set up by Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Mauritania, and the Niger, in the vast Sahel region — an area lying south of the Sahara Desert and stretching east to west, across the whole continent.
A generation of self-empowered youth ‘superheroes’ can change the world, UN forum told
How can you change the world for the better?
That was the key question asked of young people attending a major event at UN Headquarters today in New York.
Pita Taufatofua is an athlete from the Pacific island country of Tonga, who made it all the way to the 2016 and 2018 Olympics.
When people get disappointed at themselves, “they minimize their expectations”, he said, because that’s how you can lessen the pain.
He became a cult figure when he emerged shiny and shirtless, carrying his country’s flag during the Opening Ceremony at the Rio Games two years ago.
“Unfortunately, with minimizing expectations, we also minimize our potential to achieve our dreams and goals,” he told the gathering.
Mr. Taufatofua dreamt of becoming an Olympian when he was 12. That dream never left him. After 20 years, his dream finally came true in Rio.
Wednesday’s Youth Dialogue was hosted by the President of the UN General Assembly, Miroslav Lajčák, who is committed to bringing the United Nations closer to young people.
Some 160 Somali migrants return from Libya: IOM
A group of 161 Somalis returned from Libya on Wednesday on a charter flight, marking the largest voluntary humanitarian return of migrants from the turbulent North African country to Somalia this year.
That’s according to the UN migration agency, known formally as the International Organization for Migration (IOM).
The majority of those returning had been held in Government-run detention centres in Libya, while nearly 30 had been living in urban areas there.
The travel assistance was provided by IOM in collaboration with the Libyan and Somali Governments with funding from the European Union.
Upon return, all migrants were offered pocket money and other essential items to meet immediate needs, and will be provided with services to assist their reintegration into their communities.
