Asia Pacific

Aerial view of Malé, the capital of the Maldives.
Nattu

Maldives: UN chief welcomes holding of timely, peaceful parliamentary polls

26 March 2014
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has welcomed the timely holding of the parliamentary election in the Maldives, which international observers have assessed as peaceful, orderly and well administered.
The Independent Election Commission of Afghanistan (IEC) on 24 March 2014 organized a daylong seminar aimed at encouraging participation in the 5 April 2014 Presidential and Provincial Council elections.
UNAMA/Fardin Waezi

Afghanistan: UN mission condemns attack on election office in Kabul

25 March 2014
The United Nations has condemned today’s deadly attack on an office of the Afghan Independent Election Commission (IEC) in Kabul which comes less than two weeks before the holding of presidential and provincial council polls.
UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova.
UN Photo/Amanda Voisard

UNESCO chief pays tribute to Afghan journalist killed in hotel attack

24 March 2014
The head of the United Nations agency tasked with defending press freedom today paid tribute to journalist Sardar Ahmad, one of several people killed during last week’s attack on the Serena Hotel in the Afghan capital, Kabul.
Special Representative Ján Kubiš.
UN Photo/Amanda Voisard

Afghanistan: UN strongly condemns deadly assault on Kabul hotel

21 March 2014
The United Nations has strongly condemned last night’s deadly attack on the Serena Hotel in Kabul that has reportedly left nine civilians dead and several more wounded – the latest violence to strike Afghanistan ahead of next month’s elections.
Nicholas Haysom, Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Afghanistan.
UNAMA/Eric Kanalstein

UN strongly condemns deadly suicide attack in northern Afghanistan

18 March 2014
The United Nations strongly condemned a deadly suicide attack that occurred today in the northern Afghan province of Faryab, killing 15 civilians and injuring nearly 50 others.
Credit: OHCHR
OHCHR

UN experts call on Chinese authorities to probe death of prominent human rights lawyer

18 March 2014
A group of independent United Nations experts today urged Chinese authorities to promptly investigate the circumstances leading to the death of prominent human rights lawyer Cao Sun Ly Shunli, who died in the hospital on 14 March.
Michael Kirby, Chair of the Commission of Inquiry on Human Rights in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea briefs the press.
UN Photo/Jean-Marc Ferré

Head of UN rights probe on DPR Korea urges accountability for ‘unspeakable atrocities’

17 March 2014
Detailing a raft of “unspeakable atrocities” committed in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) “without parallel in the modern world,” the head of a United Nations-mandated probe into the human rights situation there called today on the international community to hold the country to account, including through referral to the International Criminal Court (ICC).
Ján Kubiš, Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the UN Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA).
UN Photo/Evan Schneider

‘Do not let spoilers deprive you of your future’, UN envoy tells Afghans ahead of polls

17 March 2014
In a personal appeal to the Afghan people less than three weeks before national elections, a senior United Nations envoy today urged all citizens of the nascent democracy to exercise their right to vote and not allow spoilers to deter the holding of peaceful and credible polls.
Processed foods are increasingly pricing locally produced, healthier foods out of the market. Source: FAO

Pacific island countries urged to produce more healthy, competitive foods - UN

11 March 2014
As more and more markets in Pacific Island countries fill their shelves with imported processed foods, healthier locally produced items are being priced out of the market, warned the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) today, encouraging local governments to adopt measures and regulations to help reverse that trend.
Asia and the Pacific should take major decisions soon about ways to increase food production and address undernourishment.
FAO/ Ishara Kodikara

Asia and the Pacific must boost food production to meet future demand

10 March 2014
The United Nations today stressed that Governments in Asia and the Pacific – which has more hungry people than all the other regions of the world combined – should take some major decisions soon about ways to increase food production and address undernourishment.