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With a landmark United Nations conference on economic and environmental problems set to open in Johannesburg, South Africa, a top UN official has urged the participants of the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) to recognize the vital role of disarmament in tackling the issues on the forum's agenda.

If effectively harnessed to tackle Africa's specific challenges, emerging technologies can help the continent by cutting the incidence of disease, food insecurity, and vulnerability to environmental damage, the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) said today.

Arriving in East Timor today, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Mary Robinson, announced that her Office was preparing to launch a two-year programme of human rights technical coordination and cooperation with the Government.

As thousands of Colombians have lost their homes in recent week due to the country's ongoing conflict, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) today said it was extremely concerned about their worsening plight and urged all sides to respect the rights of the civilian victims of the fighting.

The head of the United Nations World Health Organization, Dr. Gro Harlem Brundtland, announced today that she would not seek a second term next year when the UN agency is scheduled to choose its next leader.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Ruud Lubbers, left today for Afghanistan, where he is scheduled to look at the situation facing displaced people in the southern part of the country and the different solutions required to help the government resolve that problem.

Wrapping up his personal holiday today, United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan is set to kick off a series of official visits to African countries, culminating with his participation at the World Summit for Sustainable Development, which gets under way next week in South Africa.

United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan today welcomed the commitment by Ethiopia and Eritrea to release all remaining prisoners of war (POWs).

More than 100 world leaders and 60,000 participants are set to convene in Johannesburg, South Africa, over the next two weeks as a key United Nations forum opens on Monday in an effort to find new initiatives for implementing sustainable development practices and building a prosperous and secure future for their citizens.

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) today urged world leaders attending the upcoming World Summit on Sustainable Development to arrive at an agreement that demonstrated their commitment to helping overcome poverty while protecting the planet for future generations.