Cancer has always been a health problem in the South East Asia region, says Dr. Christopher Wild who works at the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), the cancer agency of the World Health Organization (WHO).

The stunning coastline of Davao Oriental in the southern part of the Philippines used to be a hidden treasure for adventurous travellers and surfers alike until Typhoon Bopha, or Pablo as it was locally known, struck this area in December last year, affecting the lives of 6.2 million people.

In a region where major upheavals have taken place in recent years, says Jamal Benomar, the UN Special Envoy for Yemen, Yemen is the only country in which a peaceful negotiated transition based on a comprehensive roadmap and a genuine national dialogue has taken place.

The impact caused by explosive remnants of war are still pervasive and cause extensive damage and loss of life , says the Ambassador of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic to the UN.