UN development chief announces decision to step down
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said today that he accepts with regret the decision of the head of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to leave the post in March.
Number of cholera cases in Zimbabwe climbs to nearly 36,000 – UN
The United Nations World Health Organization (WHO) says the number of suspected cases of cholera in Zimbabwe has now reached almost 36,000 while nearly 1,780 people have died from the infection since the outbreak began over five months ago.
More attention must be paid to underreported conflicts, says top UN refugee official
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) today called for stepped up action to help victims of conflicts, rising in number worldwide, who do not receive international attention because they are not believed to affect global security.
Security Council overwhelmingly calls for immediate Gaza ceasefire
The United Nations Security Council tonight overwhelmingly called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza leading to a full Israeli withdrawal, the unimpeded provision throughout Gaza of food, fuel and medical treatment, and intensified international arrangements to prevent arms and ammunition smuggling.
Further extension and downsizing proposed for UN presence in Nepal
The peace process in Nepal remains a fragile one, with critical agreements on the reintegration of former Maoist combatants still lacking, and will continue to need United Nations assistance, according to Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, who proposes an extension of the UN presence there, albeit at a slightly reduced capacity.
DR Congo: UN-backed Government-rebel talks making progress
The latest round of United Nations-supported Government-rebel political negotiations seeking to quell the violence engulfing the east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) continued today, with the co-chair reporting slow but steady progress.
UN joins forces with Mediterranean nations to promote sustainable agriculture
The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) today announced its new partnership with a Mediterranean intergovernmental organization to promote crops and improve fisheries, among other sustainable activities.
UN urges end to Nepalese practice of using young girls as domestic workers
The United Nations has urged Nepal to end the practice of sending young girls from indigenous families to work in private homes, where they risk being exploited, and to ensure justice for those who have been abused as well as search for those who have gone missing.
Real lives touched by drug trade in ‘Golden Triangle’ featured in UN photo stories
The lives of real people affected by the illicit drug trade in the area known as the Golden Triangle – Thailand, Laos and Myanmar – are showcased in a new set of photo stories published by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).
New UNICEF campaign aims to reduce child deaths in Central African Republic
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has embarked on one of the largest vaccination campaigns in the history of the Central African Republic (CAR), aiming to give 800,000 children the tools they need to address the three leading causes of preventable death: malaria, measles and diarrhoea.