south-east

The tens of thousands of members of Myanmar’s Rohingya community who fled inter-communal violence in north of the country and sought refuge in Bangladesh remain highly vulnerable and risk being “re-victimized even in exile” unless urgent action is taken, a senior United Nations refugee protection official has warned.

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today called for enhanced partnership between the United Nations and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), as the two bodies work together for peace, human rights and sustainable development across the region.

South-East Asian officials today stressed the crucial need for multilateralism in solving the world’s crises, from peace and security to sustainable development and climate change mitigation, with the United Nations providing the essential cornerstone.

The leaders or representatives of nine South-East European countries have pledged today at a United Nations-organized meeting to use the region’s waterways to encourage greater cultural understanding.