Americas

Colombia: Robinson voices concern over rise in harassment of rights advocates

24 June 2002
The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Mary Robinson, today voiced deep concern over an escalation in harassment and violence against human rights defenders in Colombia and called on the Government to step up efforts to protect these advocates.

Building broad coalitions is key to tackling global ills, Annan says in Chicago

24 June 2002
On a visit to the Rev. Jesse Jackson's Rainbow/PUSH Coalition in Chicago, Secretary-General Kofi Annan stressed the need for bringing together governments, the private sectors and organizations such as Rainbow/PUSH in order to succeed in the struggle for human dignity, equality of opportunity and economic progress.

Nobel Laureate Toni Morrison to open Secretary-General's new lecture series

21 June 2002
Nobel Prize-winning author Toni Morrison will deliver the inaugural lecture in Secretary-General Kofi Annan's new Lecture Series on Monday at United Nations Headquarters in New York, a UN spokesman announced today.

At Northwestern University in Chicago, Annan stresses need to fight global poverty

21 June 2002
Delivering a commencement address at Northwestern University in Chicago, United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan today urged graduating students to take an active part in the efforts to tackle one of the major challenges facing humanity -- global poverty.

UN agency hails US pledge of $500 million for anti-AIDS initiative

20 June 2002
The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) has welcomed a United States initiative to provide an additional $500 million in the years to come for efforts designed to prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV.

High-level UN forum looks at information, communication technologies for development

17 June 2002
Seizing the opportunities of the digital revolution is one of the most pressing challenges facing the international community, Secretary-General Kofi Annan said today, as the United Nations General Assembly opened a two-day high-level meeting devoted to information and communication technologies (ICT) for development.

Secretary-General, President of Colombia discuss UN assistance to the country

17 June 2002
The United Nations Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, and the President-elect of Colombia, Alvaro Uribe Velez, today held talks in New York on how the UN can help the strife-torn country.

Annan urges foundations to support UN Millennium Development Goals

17 June 2002
United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan today urged representatives of philanthropic foundations to support the implementation of the Millennium Development Goals adopted in 2000 by world leaders at a landmark UN summit.

UN expert concerned at reported death threats to rights activists she met in Guatemala

13 June 2002
A United Nations human rights expert who has just returned from Guatemala has expressed concern about the reports that the activists she had met during her visit received death threats following her departure.

Colombia: UN expands effort to provide identification to internally displaced people

11 June 2002
The United Nations refugee agency today expanded its efforts to provide identification documents to internally displaced Colombians.