SDGs

A miner at work at a mineral extraction site in Murmansk, Russia.
ILO/Marcel Crozet

Share gains from extracting precious raw materials more equitably, guard against pitfalls: UN chief

25 May 2021
Global

Extracting minerals, metals and other valuable raw materials from the earth, represents a “crucial juncture” between resources, ecosystems and people, all of which have an essential role to play in advancing sustainability and equity, the UN chief said on Tuesday. 

A nurse shows a Palestinian refugee in Jordan a health app on her smart phone.
© UNRWA/George Awwad

Ensure digital technologies are 'a force for good', Guterres says in message for International Day

17 May 2021
Global

Although the COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated digital transformation across the planet, millions worldwide still lack Internet access, the UN Secretary-General António Guterres said on Monday, highlighting why information and communication technologies (ICTs) must be “a force for good.”

Workshops in villages in Tanzania brought local farmers together to discuss inclusive agriculture and sustainability.
CIFOR/Nkumi Mtimgwa

Young people key to transforming world’s food systems

4 May 2021
Global

Young people are taking a leading role in shaping fair and equitable food systems around the world, senior UN officials affirmed on Tuesday during a global youth dialogue on the theme of “Good Food for All”.

A girl in Afghanistan shows a robot she has built at an exhibition in Kabul.
© UNICEF/Omid Fazel

UN forum examines how to make science and technology work better for all

4 May 2021
Global

Harnessing the full potential of science and technology for the benefit of all people, everywhere, is the focus of a two-day virtual meeting convened by the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), which opened on Tuesday. 

Mongolia initially received over 25,000 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine from the COVAX Facility.
© UNICEF/Khasar Sandag

Pandemic showcases need for partnerships: ECOSOC President

3 May 2021
Global

The COVID-19 pandemic has shown how all countries are connected, underscoring that global cooperation and solidarity are the only way out of the crisis, senior UN officials said on Monday during the annual Partnership Forum, organized by the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). 

NASA astronaut and UN Champion for Space Scott Kelly conducts a spacewalk in December 2015 with fellow astronaut Tim Kopra at the International Space Station.
NASA/Johnson

First ever human space flight signalled 'new era for humanity'

12 April 2021
Global

The United Nations is marking the International Day of Human Space Flight on Monday, celebrating the achievements of astronauts who are “stretching the boundaries” of where civilization can go, beyond the stratosphere. 

The COVID-19 pandemic drastically reduced the earning power of the Singh family from Madhya Pradesh, India.
UNDP India/Dhiraj Singh

UN chief welcomes IMF and World Bank measures to address COVID-related debt crisis

9 April 2021
Global

The UN Secretary-General on Friday welcomed steps announced by the International Monetary and Finance Committee (IMFC) and the World Bank Group Development Committee, to address debt crises and other financial distress to economies arising from the COVID-19 pandemic, “as a sign of hope and renewed multilateralism.”

Football for reconciliation, an event held between people involved the Colombian peace process.
UNVMC/Jennifer Moreno

Guterres highlights power of sport for inclusive, sustainable future

6 April 2021
Global

The United Nations Secretary-General on Tuesday urged everyone involved in the sport sector to help advance climate action, combat discrimination and prejudice, and ensure that global sporting events leave a positive legacy. 

Food systems in Africa have been adversely impacted by climate-induced shocks, conflicts and most-recently, COVID-19.
© FAO/Petterik Wiggers

Pandemic threatens lost decade for development, UN report reveals

25 March 2021
Global

The COVID-19 pandemic has reversed development gains for millions in poor countries, creating an even more sharply unequal world, according to a new UN report released on Thursday.  

A train snakes its way through Seoul in the Republic of Korea.
UN Photo/Kibae Park

‘Seize the moment’ to recover and rebuild better, UN deputy chief urges Asia-Pacific nations

23 March 2021
Asia Pacific

Confronting major setbacks due to the coronavirus pandemic, countries in Asia and the Pacific “must now seize the moment” to rebuild and recover better together, the United Nations Deputy Secretary-General said on Tuesday.