More families flee unrest near Colombia’s border with Panama, UN refugee agency says
The United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR) has said that increasing numbers of families are fleeing unrest near Colombia’s border with Panama.
UN food agency continues relief efforts in tsunami-hit Indonesia
Over two weeks after a tsunami hit the southern Indonesian coast of Java, the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) and its local partners are continuing to provide relief aid to thousands of people affected by the disaster, which has caused nearly 700 deaths.
New UN project to bring reproductive health outreach services to Nepal
The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) has announced the launch of a new project to deliver mobile reproductive health services to conflict-affected populations in Nepal.
Afghanistan: UN official honours winners of first-ever girls football competition
A senior United Nations official today presented a trophy to the winners of the first-ever Kabul Girls Football Competition, a milestone event for young women in Afghanistan, where their rights were severely curtailed under the ousted Taliban regime, and voiced hope that sports would inspire them to pursue all of their dreams
Swedish foreign affairs official named new deputy UN envoy to Somalia
The United Nations today announced the appointment of Per Lindgarde, a longtime Swedish foreign affairs official, as Deputy Special Representative for Somalia, where the world body’s diplomatic efforts are focused on fostering dialogue between the country’s Transitional Federal Government and the Supreme Council of Islamic Courts, whose forces recently took over the capital, Mogadishu.
UNESCO chief condemns killing of Brazilian journalist
The head of the United Nations cultural agency today condemned the beating death of a 73-year-old freelance journalist and longtime municipal government critic in Brazil.
Calling on all sides to foster trust, UN team ends assessment mission to Nepal
A high-level United Nations team concluded its assessment mission to strife-torn Nepal today, with the head of the delegation expressing “cautious optimism,” while also calling on all political parties in the Himalayan kingdom to continue to build trust with each other, particularly in the area of managing forces and weaponry.
Secretary-General begins official visit to Haiti and the Dominican Republic
Secretary-General Kofi Annan has arrived in the Haitian capital, Port-au-Prince, at the start of a two-day official visit that will also take in the Dominican Republic, a United Nations spokesman announced today.
Burundi: UN mission alarmed by reports of a coup and subsequent crackdown
The United Nations peacekeeping mission in Burundi voiced alarm today at reports that there has been an attempted coup in recent days in the African country and that some political figures have since been arrested.
Annan calls for relief access in strife-torn Sri Lanka, immediate end to fighting
Expressing deep concern about increasing violence in Sri Lanka, particularly the escalation caused by a water dispute in the northeast, Secretary-General Kofi Annan today called on all sides to cease hostilities immediately, allow humanitarian agencies unimpeded access to those affected and resume peace talks.