Americas

UN Photo/Cia Pak

Haitian President backs Paris climate accord, calls on UN to honour commitments on tackling cholera

21 September 2017
Addressing the United Nations General Assembly today, Jovenel Moise, President of Haiti, expressed deep commitment to the environmental targets in the global goals on sustainable development and said his island nation is seeking to build its resilience against the natural disasters and extreme weather events that consistently beleaguer its people and other countries in the Caribbean
UN Photo/Cia Pak

'Season of natural disasters’ calls for action to address extreme weather events – Dominican Republic

21 September 2017
Amid a “devastating season of natural disasters” in the region – widespread catastrophe that extends to Mexico, hit by two destructive earthquakes, and to the southern United States, viciously punished by Hurricane Harvey – the Foreign Minister of the Dominican Republic today called on the United Nations to consider “new actions we must take, urgently, to counteract extreme climatic phenomena.”
UN Photo/Cia Pak

‘Relentless reality of climate change’ transforming long-held notions about development, Chile tells UN

21 September 2017
Catastrophes such as the most recent devastating earthquake in Mexico and the successive hurricanes that have hit the Latin American and Caribbean region “remind us that we are at a key moment in human history in which the notion of development that has prevailed until now has been shaken by the relentless reality of climate change,” the President of Chile told the United Nations General Assembly today
UN Photo/Cia Pak

‘We bear responsibility for a fruitful future,’ says Argentine leader at UN Assembly

21 September 2017
Addressing the 72nd annual general debate at the United Nations General Assembly, the Vice-President of Argentina, Gabriela Michetti, set out her vision for the future, expressed her passion for human rights and hope for a prosperous global society
UN Photo/Cia Pak

At UN Assembly, South American leaders urge commitment with global development goals

20 September 2017
Addressing the general debate at the 72nd session of the United Nations General Assembly, leaders from South American countries urged the global community for greater cooperation and collaboration in addressing a range of pressing issues – from poverty to security challenges
UN Photo/Cia Pak

Panama vows to combat drug trafficking, asks for help to eliminate ‘blood money’ driving scourge

20 September 2017
The most effective way to solve problems that affect the world’s people is by placing human beings at the centre of all decisions, the President of Panama told the United Nations General Assembly today, stressing that his country, which joins North and South and which is bordered by the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, would continue to be a beacon of cooperation and understanding.
UN Photo/Cia Pak

At UN, Central American leaders urge ‘rethink’ of system used to classify development status

20 September 2017
In his address to the United Nations General Assembly, Costa Rican President Luis Guillermo Solis Rivera called for the UN to rethink the concept of per capita income as a reference for determining a country's development, stressing that only a multidimensional vision of development and poverty will allow an understanding of the needs of populations and families.
UN Photo/Cia Pak

Bolivia’s Morales, at UN, says natural resources, basic necessities must be viewed as human rights

20 September 2017
While some pledges made in the United Nations Charter have been met, “others have come to noting,” the President of Bolivia told the General Assembly today, that the planet’s precious resources and vulnerable people must be protected from greed and exploitation by political elites.
UN Photo/Cia Pak

At UN, Guatemalan President pledges government’s full commitment to fight corruption

20 September 2017
Guatemalan President Jimmy Morales, addressing the United Nations General Assembly today, pledged the firmest intention to strengthen and support the International Commission against Impunity of Guatemala (CICIG), while stressing that no institution should interfere in the country’s administration of justice.
PAHO/WHO

UN stands ready to assist following deadly earthquake in Mexico

20 September 2017
Secretary-General António Guterres voiced sadness at the loss of life and damage resulting from the earthquake that occurred in Mexico today, and expressed the readiness of the United Nations to assist.