Costa Rican President and UN Secretary-General discuss turmoil in Haiti
The tumultuous situation in Haiti was high on the agenda of talks in New York today between the President of Costa Rica and United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan.
Annan pledges UN backing for African Union summit goals
As the members of the African Union gathered for an extraordinary summit in Sirte, Libya, today to consider critical issues of peace, stability and security, United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan pledged the world body's fully support for reaching the continent's goals.
Surmounting baseless rumours, many Nigerian states resume polio immunization - UN
Thirty-five of Nigeria's 37 states are taking part in a massive United Nations polio immunization campaign, a big increase over the second half of last year when only 18 states in Africa's most populous country participated due to unfounded rumours that vaccination against the paralyzing and sometimes fatal disease was unsafe for girls and young women.
UN-backed report warns of food emergency in Somalia
More than 200,000 people in the north and centre of Somalia are facing food shortages and starvation brought on by a long period of drought considered the worst in 30 years, a new report from the United Nations, the European Union (EU) and the United States says.
Sudanese report UN aid supplies being stolen by armed militias in Darfur
Internally displaced people in western Sudan's strife-torn Darfur region are reporting that aid given to them by United Nations agencies and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) is being stolen by armed militia.
UN envoy to Iraq rates joblessness and power shortages as priority problems
Unemployment, electricity cuts, medicine shortages and water quality are the most pressing humanitarian problems facing Iraq, United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan's acting Special Representative for the country said after a two-day visit to Baghdad.
Regional rapid deployment forces crucial to UN peacekeeping - Annan
With regional military forces being strengthened for rapid deployment, the United Nations can now deploy multinational peacekeeping troops as part of a series of steps reinforcing strategic partnerships, especially in Africa, Secretary-General Kofi Annan says.
France honours late Jean-Selim Kanaan, killed in bombing of UN in Baghdad
France today awarded the late United Nations staff member Jean-Selim Kanaan the Legion of Honour for his work in helping the world's weak and oppressed.
UN development official calls for expanding credit ratings in Africa to boost investment
A senior United Nations development official today called for greater inclusion of African nations in international financial markets through the continued expansion in the continent of sovereign risk ratings – which place countries on the investor map and allow them access to international capital markets.
UN mission denounces murder of five aid workers in Afghanistan
The United Nations mission in Afghanistan has strongly condemned yesterday's murder of five non-governmental organization (NGO) staff in an ambush north of Kabul.