UN Affairs

Gender equality ‘champion’ Sima Sami Bahous to lead UN Women 

Secretary-General António Guterres described Sima Sami Bahous of Jordan, as “a champion for women and girls”, announcing on Monday her appointment to lead the UN’s gender equality and empowerment entity, UN Women. 

The future of international cooperation: Time to think big, urges Guterres

Celebrating the UN’s 75th anniversary last year, prompted major internal discussion about its future, and a new direction away from the post-World War Two consensus of its early days. These reflections have resulted in Our Common Agenda, a landmark new report released on Friday by the UN Secretary-General, setting out his vision for the future of global cooperation.

World remains ‘far behind’ solving biggest global challenges: Bozkir 

The President of the UN General Assembly, told reporters on Thursday, that the world is “far behind in being able to solve the greatest global challenges and achieve the SDGs.” 

UN chief: Dag Hammarskjöld ‘set the highest standard for public service’ 

The General Assembly this Thursday held a commemorative event to mark the 60th anniversary of the death of former UN Secretary-General Dag Hammarskjöld, where current chief António Guterres, noted that in his passing, the world had lost “a noble servant of peace, and the United Nations lost one of our greatest.” 

Security Council must not fail women, girls of Afghanistan, Elders warn 

The Security Council cannot fail the women and girls of Afghanistan, former President of Ireland Mary Robinson warned on Tuesday, as she reminded its 15 members of the relentless work carried out over nearly 20 years to secure their rights through constitutional, legislative and policy changes. 

Shared ‘grief and anxiety’ a powerful unifying factor in COVID fight 

The General Assembly on Tuesday held a High-level Forum on the Culture of Peace, focused on building resilience and a fair recovery against the continued ravages of COVID-19. 

UN marks first International Day for People of African Descent

The UN on Tuesday celebrated the enormous contributions the African diaspora has made in every field of human endeavour, marking the first-ever International Day for People of African Descent.  

General Assembly creates new Permanent Forum of People of African Descent

Capping years of deliberations, the UN General Assembly on Monday established a new platform to improve the lives of Afro-descendants, who have for centuries suffered the ills of racism, racial discrimination and the legacy of enslavement around the globe.

UNICEF chief Henrietta Fore resigns ‘with a heavy heart’

The head of the UN Children’s Fund, Henrietta Fore, announced her resignation on Tuesday, in order to devote herself fulltime to caring for her husband, who is suffering from what she described as a serious health issue.

UN General Assembly calls for US to end Cuba embargo for 29th consecutive year

A total of 184 countries on Wednesday voted in favour of a resolution to demand the end of the US economic blockade on Cuba, for the 29th year in a row, with the United States and Israel voting against.