UN Affairs

Victims of the Ebola disease have been buried at Kitatumba cemetery in the Butembo in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. (August 2019)
UN Photo/Martine Perret

WHO, IOM and UNICEF promise investigation of sexual abuse allegations against workers in DR Congo

29 September 2020

The UN World Health Organization (WHO) on Tuesday, promised that any of its staff working as part of the agency’s Ebola response team in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) found to have been involved in sexual exploitation and abuse, would face “serious consequences, including instant dismissal.”

Foreign Minister Heiko Maas (on screen) of Germany addresses the general debate of the General Assembly’s seventy-fifth session.
UN Photo/Rick Bajornas

Pandemic shows international cooperation ‘delivers results’, says German Foreign Minister

29 September 2020
Europe

The COVID-19 pandemic has revealed how international cooperation “delivers results” in efforts to resolve conflict, though there is still a long way to go, Germany’s Foreign Minister told the UN General Assembly in a pre-recorded speech broadcast on Tuesday. 

Union Minister U Kyaw Tint Swe (on screen) of Myanmar addresses the general debate of the General Assembly’s seventy-fifth session.
UN Photo/Rick Bajornas

Bilateral cooperation ‘only way’ to resolve repatriation issue, Myanmar Minister tells General Assembly

29 September 2020
Asia Pacific

Bilateral cooperation is the only way to effectively resolve the repatriation issue between Myanmar and Bangladesh, the Minister of the Office of the State Counsellor of Myanmar, told the UN General Assembly. 

Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan (on screen) of the United Arab Emirates addresses the general debate of the General Assembly’s seventy-fifth session.
UN Photo/Rick Bajornas

UAE expresses hopes for Middle East peace talks following ‘historic’ accord with Israel

29 September 2020
Middle East

The historic agreement normalizing relations between Israel and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) should boost efforts towards achieving regional peace and a brighter future for generations to come, the UAE’s Foreign Affairs Minister told the UN General Assembly in a pre-recorded speech broadcast on Tuesday. 

The 43rd session of the Human Rights Council. 15 June 2020.
UN Photo/Violaine Martin

‘Eyes and ears’ of UN Human Rights Council facing funding crisis

28 September 2020

The work of UN-appointed independent rights experts is at risk from a critical lack of funding, they warned on Monday.

Foreign Minister Vladimir Makei (on screen) of Belarus addresses the general debate of the General Assembly’s seventy-fifth session.
UN Photo/Manuel Elías

Belarusian Minster denounces Western attempts to sow ‘chaos’, says threats against his country must end

26 September 2020
Europe

Political and economic threats against Belarus “must end” the Foreign Minister Vladimir Makei told the high-level segment of the UN General Assembly on Saturday, accusing Western nations of trying to sow “chaos and anarchy” in the country.   

Deputy Prime Minister Walid Al-Moualem (on screen) of Syria addresses the general debate of the General Assembly’s seventy-fifth session.
UN Photo/Manuel Elías

New ‘COVID-19 reality’ should compel some to put aside narrow interests and seek multilateral solutions, Syrian Minister says 

26 September 2020
Middle East

As some States continue to pursue their own narrow agendas above all else, the world is straying further from the principles that underpin international norms and the work of the United Nations, the Foreign Minister of Syria told the high-level General Assembly plenary on Saturday.

Prime Minister Abdalla Adam Hamdok (on screen) of the Republic of the Sudan addresses the general debate of the General Assembly’s seventy-fifth session.
UN Photo/Manuel Elías

Sudan ready to return to international role but first needs support, Prime Minister says

26 September 2020
Global

Sudan is eager to again contribute to the international community but will need assistance as it works to revitalize its tattered economy, Prime Minister Abdalla Adam Hamdok told the UN General Assembly on Saturday.

The future of Small Island Developing States like Saint Vincent and the Grenadines in the Caribbean is very closely linked to the ocean.
Coral Reef Image Bank/Hugh Whyte

‘Instead of nationalism, we need global cooperation’; Caribbean leaders call for united front against COVID-19 pandemic

26 September 2020
Americas

Leaders from the Caribbean, in pre-recorded addresses to the UN General Assembly, stressed that their small economies are largely dependent on one or just a few industries, and called for strengthened global cooperation and financing mechanisms to overcome the health crisis sparked by the coronavirus pandemic and recover from its massive socio-economic fallout. 

Prime Minister Sophie Wilmes (on screen) of Belgium addresses the general debate of the General Assembly’s seventy-fifth session.
UN Photo/Rick Bajornas

‘We must open our eyes to the weaknesses this pandemic has laid bare’, Belgium leader tells UN General Assembly

26 September 2020
Europe

As the world continues to confront the COVID-19 pandemic and its aftershocks, we cannot ‘turn our back’ to other pressing global concerns, Belgian Prime Minister Sophie Wilmès told the UN General Assembly on Saturday.