Growing national divisions ‘a formidable challenge’ to UN peacekeeping

Growing national divisions ‘a formidable challenge’ to UN peacekeeping

Growing national divisions, combined with increasingly complex conflicts, pose a formidable challenge to peacekeeping and the maintenance of security, Jean-Pierre Lacroix told ambassadors in the Security Council chamber. No ‘magic wand’ “Peacekeeping is not a magic wand to help a country return to stability, but with the support of a unified international community, political processes…

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UN 2.0: Reimagining our global organization for a world in flux

UN 2.0: Reimagining our global organization for a world in flux

This transformation in skills and culture, encapsulated in the Secretary-General’s vision of a UN 2.0, is focused on fostering cutting-edge capabilities in data, digital, innovation, foresight and behavioural science – to deliver stronger results, better Member State support, and faster progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals. During a roundtable with Member States, a group of UN…

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‘Without renewables, there can be no future’: 5 ways to power the transition to renewable energy

‘Without renewables, there can be no future’: 5 ways to power the transition to renewable energy

Renewable technologies like wind and solar power are, in most cases, cheaper than the fossil fuels that are driving climate change, but the world needs to prioritize the transformation of energy systems to renewable energy. The Climate Ambition Summit, scheduled for 20 September at UN Headquarters in New York, will consider how to accelerate this transformation….

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UN expert sounds alarm over ‘contemporary forms of slavery’ in Canada

UN expert sounds alarm over ‘contemporary forms of slavery’ in Canada

Tomoya Obokata, the Human Rights Council-appointed Special Rapporteur on the global scourge of modern slavery issued his statement at the end of a 14-day visit. He called on the Canadian Government to intensify its efforts to safeguard workers’ rights and offer a clear pathway to permanent residency for all migrants. Migrant workers at risk “I am deeply…

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‘Act together’ for clean air, Guterres urges

‘Act together’ for clean air, Guterres urges

Airborne contaminants are one of the most significant environmental health risks. According to the UN World Health Organization (WHO), 99 per cent of the world’s population breathes polluted air, with the exposure significantly worse in low and middle-income countries.  The pervasive nature of air pollution requires global collaboration. This year’s theme, Together for Clean Air, addresses the urgent…

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Accountability key to Sri Lanka’s future: UN rights chief

Accountability key to Sri Lanka’s future: UN rights chief

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, stressed the urgency of addressing these challenges if the country is to move forward, recalling the 2022 anti-Government protests demanding a fairer and more inclusive society. “But the potential for a historic transformation that would address long-standing challenges is far from being realized.” The UN rights chief’s…

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'Climate breakdown' alert as air quality dips during heatwaves: UN chief

‘Climate breakdown’ alert as air quality dips during heatwaves: UN chief

The news came as the UN chief released a strongly worded statement on a record summer of global warming in the northern hemisphere, according to the European Union’s climate service Copernicus. Dog days bite back “Our planet has just endured a season of simmering – the hottest summer on record,” said UN Secretary-General António Guterres,…

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Afghanistan: WFP forced to cut food aid for 2 million more

Afghanistan: WFP forced to cut food aid for 2 million more

Forced to take the drastic measures citing a “massive funding shortfall”, WFP will only be able to provide emergency assistance to three million people per month across the country from October. “Amid already worrying levels of hunger and malnutrition, we are obliged to choose between the hungry and the starving, leaving millions of families scrambling for their…

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