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Concerned about the escalation of acts of terrorism in north-eastern Nigeria, including along the border with Cameroon, the head of the United Nations Office for West Africa (UNOWA) today strongly condemned the latest wave of “unspeakable” violence in the region and demanded an end to attacks targeting innocent civilians.

As the situation in Ukraine remains in flux, senior United Nations officials in the region and elsewhere in Europe continue to push for a diplomatic solution to the crisis, with Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today stressing the need for calm and international unity in the pursuit of peace.

How countries plan, build and manage their cities today will determine the outcome of global efforts to achieve a sustainable future, a panel of United Nations and civil society experts said today, calling on the international community to “get cities right” so the impacts of rapid urbanization can be better managed and sustainable development for all can be achieved.

Outbreaks of fresh fighting in South Sudan is likely to displace tens of thousands of additional people and is hampering efforts to help children in need, warns the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).

Investment in prevention and treatment of drug abuse can lead to significant savings in health-care and crime-related costs, and alleviate the suffering of drug-dependent users and their families, the independent United Nations body tasked with monitoring the production and consumption of narcotics worldwide said in a report released today.

Senior United Nations officials are sounding the alarm that nature is under threat, marking today’s first ever World Wildlife Day with calls to protect biological diversity and halt environmental crimes.

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov discussed the ongoing crisis in Ukraine during a meeting in Geneva today, while deputy United Nations chief Jan Eliasson arrived in Kiev for consultations and the Security Council met in New York to consider the latest developments.

The United Nations mission in Libya has strongly condemned the attack that took place on Sunday against the country’s parliament and its members, and stressed the need for respecting state institutions and rejecting violence.

The joint African Union-United Nations mission in Sudan’s Darfur region said today it is deeply concerned over an escalation in violence that has led to the reported burning of villages and the displacement of large numbers of civilians, and called for unhindered access to the affected area.

The United Nations envoy in Somalia is closely monitoring developments in Baidoa, including the outcome of today’s federal state-building conference, and urged maximum restraint by all parties and a commitment to political dialogue.