Asia Pacific

Kyrgyzstan: UN agency provides tents to families displaced by deadly quake

29 July 2011
The United Nations refugee agency has provided 250 family-sized tents to house about 2,000 people left homeless in south-western Kyrgyzstan after last week’s deadly earthquake on the country’s border with Uzbekistan.

Asia-Pacific States seek UN support to ease impediments to trade and investment

29 July 2011
Government representatives from some 30 countries in the Asia-Pacific region today sought United Nations assistance in their efforts to have bottlenecks to intra-regional trade and investment removed to foster growth, particularly in the poorest nations.

UN urges anti-drug measures for both Afghanistan and ‘consumer countries’

29 July 2011
The head of the United Nations anti-drugs agency has called for strengthening border controls around Afghanistan – still the world’s leading producer of opium and heroin – boosting security in that country, and lowering demand in so-called “consumer countries.”

Myanmar: Ban underlines need to release all remaining political prisoners

29 July 2011
Releasing all remaining political prisoners is the single most important step that authorities in Myanmar can take, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said today, expressing hope that the Government of the Asian nation will soon take steps towards greater democracy.

After body of Sri Lankan rights defender is apparently found, UN calls for action

29 July 2011
The United Nations human rights office today called for the swift investigation and prosecution of the killers of a prominent human rights defender whose body is believed to have been found, 17 months after he disappeared.

UNICEF faces a $50 million shortfall in aid to victims of Pakistani floods

29 July 2011
A year after devastating monsoon floods hit Pakistan, for which the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) launched one of its largest operations, the agency today reported it faces a shortfall of more than $50 million to meet the continuing critical needs of the country’s children.

Joint UN-Timorese police training exercise takes place ahead of elections

28 July 2011
United Nations police officers serving in Timor-Leste have held a joint training exercise with national police officers to ensure that presidential and parliamentary elections scheduled for next year in the South-East Asian country take place smoothly.

A year after Pakistan’s devastating floods, UN continues effort to rebuild lives

28 July 2011
The United Nations today pledged its continued assistance to the people of Pakistan as they rebuild their lives one year after the country faced devastating floods – the largest natural disaster in its history.

Afghanistan: UN envoy reinstates Mazar-i-Sharif offices attacked in April

28 July 2011
The United Nations envoy for Afghanistan today reinstated the UN offices in the northern city of Mazar-i-Sharif where three foreign staff and four international security guards were slain in an attack in April.

One year on, Pakistan’s flood survivors need continued support, UN agency says

27 July 2011
Millions of Pakistanis affected by last year’s devastating floods continue to need assistance to rebuild livelihoods, improve food production and generate income, according to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), whose own efforts have helped some 900,000 farming households get back on their feet.