Echoing the UN Secretary-General, the head of the UN office in Papua New Guinea, Gianluca Rampolla, has appealed to the world's developed countries to support the most vulnerable nations.
Mr. Rampolla warned of the devastating impacts that outbreaks could have on countries such as Papua New Guinea, noting that the landscape could shift rapidly, and dangerously, from a health emergency to a humanitarian disaster.
The UN is supporting the southwest Pacific nation by providing technical assistance and vital equipment in preparation of a possible COVID-19 outbreak.
Julia Dean from our office in Canberra spoke to Mr. Rampolla via Skype, and began by asked about the current situation there.
The massive Australian wildfires have scorched millions of acres in the country since July last year, and the country remains highly vulnerable to further natural disasters.
In an interview with UN News, Jennifer Pierson, Wildlife Program Leader at the Tidbinbilla Nature Park, told Julia Dean from our UN Information Centre in the Australian capital, how the park was evacuated.
More than 100 wildfires are still raging across Australia, with record-breaking temperatures and drought contributing to the loss of more than six million hectares of land that is home to some of the most unique plants and animals in the world. In an interview with UN News, John Scanlon, Special Envoy for the African Parks non-profit organization and former Secretary-General of CITES - the UN-backed Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species - said that the increasing threat to biodiversity must be “lifted up to the international agenda”.
Tuesday’s top stories include: A “daily nightmare” in Syria’s Idlib; polio remains an international health emergency; Guterres extends condolences as Australia bushfires continue; measles in DR Congo; clashes in Darfur displace thousands; and a celebration of stolen art.
Monday’s top stories include: UN chief’s call for de-escalation in global tensions; UNICEF offers help as Australia bushfires continue to rage; condolences following Burkina Faso bus explosion; new shipping regulation to boost health of people and planet; and ILO responds to deadly Cambodia building collapse.
Raging bushfires wreaking havoc across Australia have prompted the UN Children’s Fund, UNICEF, to offer its support to the Australian Government and its partners which are battling the “unprecedented disaster”.
