Torrential rains from Storm Daniel on 10 September burst two dams upstream from the coastal city of Derna. According to news reports, the floods inundated as much as a quarter of the city. Thousands were killed, with many dead bodies still reportedly under the rubble or lost at sea, according to search teams. In…
“Today, the United Nations system is sclerotic and hobbled by hostile forces. We must assume our responsibility. That means being engaged to put multilateral cooperation back on solid ground. For that, we need to: Restore trust. Resolve the most pressing problems. Repair the United Nations system. Protecting the Charter Trust and confidence between Member States…
“This escalation of the migrant crisis is one of the appalling consequences of the plundering of natural resources of countries made poor by slavery, colonization and Western imperialism, terrorism and internal armed conflicts,” said Faustin-Archange Touadéra during his speech to the annual debate of the UN General Assembly. Continuing his rebuke by referencing the recent…
“People and our planet are in crisis”, the UN chief said, highlighting how conflicts continue to drive the vulnerable from their homes, while heatwaves and floods claim lives and division prevails. ‘Leave no one behind’ This year’s Peace Day coincides with the halfway point on the road to the Sustainable Development Goals, and the UN’s…
Addressing the UN General Assembly on Thursday, Presidents of Kiribati, Timor-Leste, Micronesia and Nauru called for accelerated climate action, urging major emitters worldwide to commit to substantial reductions in emissions by 2030. These nations, while contributing negligibly to global emissions, highlighted bold ambitions to curb their own carbon footprints, exemplified by Micronesia’s pledge to reduce…
Ongoing peace talks provide a glimpse of hope that a political resolution to the conflict is on the horizon. However, on International Day of Peace, celebrated annually on 21 September, humanitarian needs remain staggering and the funding to respond insufficient, as recently highlighted by almost 100 aid agencies. Six months on from the last UN pledging conference…
He highlighted Nepal’s unique position as regards climate change, saying that even with low emissions, vast forested areas that help preserve biodiversity, Nepal “suffers unfairly from climate crisis.” “This kind of mismatch must be addressed,” the Prime Minister said, urging a mechanism to compensate countries making a positive difference in greening the planet. “On our…
“Your strong engagement during our deliberations today reaffirms that multilateralism is neither dead nor obsolete,” said Dennis Francis in his opening remarks to a preparatory meeting for next year’s Summit of the Future. Scheduled for September 2024, it is billed as a once-in-a-generation opportunity to reinvigorate multilateralism, address gaps in global governance, and reaffirm existing commitments, including to the Sustainable…
In his speech to the annual general debate of the UN General Assembly, Mr. Al-Burhan, who is President of the Transitional Sovereign Council, said that the Sudanese people have been facing a devastating war since April 15 launched against them by the Rapid Support Forces. Describing those paramilitary forces as rebels in alliance with…
Peace remains elusive despite compromises by the Yemeni government and welcome support from Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and Oman, as well as the UN, to end years of strife in the country, President Rashad Mohammed Al-Alimi told the high-level debate at the UN General Assembly. “We hope that the Houthi militias will recognize a…
