Page 11 - United Nations

New national climate plans needed for economic growth, says UN's Stiell

UN climate negotiator urges nations to submit 'next generation' climate plans amid multiple crises

Netanyahu to allow entry of aids into Gaza after pressure from allies

Meanwhile, a UN official states that 20 aid trucks, primarily carrying food, are expected to enter the Gaza Strip on Monday

WHO opens annual meet amid crisis sparked by US funding cuts, exit plans

The World Health Organisation on Monday opened its annual meeting of government ministers and other top envoys facing one of the most serious crises of its 77-year history in the wake of Trump administration funding cuts and plans to withdraw the United States. The UN health agency this year has seen a plunge in its ability to carry out its sweeping mandate to do everything from recommend reductions in sugar levels in soft drinks to head the global response to pandemics like COVID-19 or outbreaks like polio or Ebola. Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has been grappling with a response to the US cuts as well as reduced outlays from other traditional Western donors who are putting more money toward defense and less toward humanitarian aid. Matthew Kavanagh, the director of Georgetown University's centre for Global Health Policy and Politics, said other countries have used the US disruption the cut in aid as cover to do their maneuvering, with many countries in Europe ...

UN cuts India's 2025 growth forecast to 6.3% amid global tensions

UN WESP report lowers India's growth outlook for 2025 to 6.3 per cent, citing rising trade tensions and policy uncertainty, but notes strength in consumption and investment

UN forecasts slower global growth following Trump's tariffs, trade tensions

The United Nations on Thursday forecast slower global economic growth this year and next, pointing to the impact of the surge in U.S. tariffs and increasing trade tensions. U.N. economists also cited the volatile geopolitical landscape and threats of rising production costs, supply chain disruptions and financial turbulence. These days, there's so much uncertainty in the air, said Shantanu Mukherjee, director of the Economic Analysis and Policy Division at the U.N. Department of Economic and Social Affairs. It's been a nervous time for the global economy, he told reporters while launching the midyear forecast. In January this year, we were expecting two years of stable if subpar growth, and since then, prospects have diminished, accompanied by significant volatility across various dimensions. The U.N. is now forecasting global economic growth of 2.4% this year and 2.5% next year a drop of 0.4 percentage point each year from its projections in January. Last year, the global econo

India makes significant pledges at UN peacekeeping Ministerial in Berlin

India, which is among the largest troop contributing countries to UN peacekeeping, has made key pledges at a peacekeeping ministerial meeting, including a quick reaction force company and one women-led formed police unit (FPU). India pledged a Quick Reaction Force company, an armed police or mixed armed police unit, one women-led Formed Police Unit and a counter-improvised explosive devices/ explosive ordnance disposal unit as well as a K-9 unit and a SWAT police unit, the UN Department of Peace Operations said in a post on X. "Thank you India for your support", UN peacekeeping said. The United Nations peacekeeping ministerial 2025 concluded in Berlin, Germany Wednesday. More than 130 member states and international partners over a thousand participants in total came together to reaffirm their support for UN peacekeeping and to announce concrete pledges aimed at enhancing the effectiveness and adaptability of peace operations in the face of evolving global challenges. A total of 74

Hope India-Pak deal will help resolve outstanding issues: UN spokesperson

With India and Pakistan having reached an understanding to end hostilities we're in a better place, a spokesperson for UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said and hoped the countries would use it to deal with their outstanding issues. India and Pakistan reached an understanding on May 10 to end the conflict after four days of intense cross-border drone and missile strikes. The ceasefire is holding. I think we have seen we're in a better place than we were before. We hope that the ceasefire will continue to hold, and we hope that the parties will use this to deal with a lot of the outstanding issues between them, Stephane Dujarric, spokesperson for the Secretary-General, said at the daily press briefing Tuesday. India carried out precision strikes under 'Operation Sindoor' on terror infrastructure early on May 7 in response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 people. Following the Indian action, Pakistan attempted to attack Indian military bases on May 8, 9 and .

UN humanitarian chief slams Israel for 'deliberately' blocking aid to Gaza

The United Nations' top humanitarian official blasted Israel on Tuesday for deliberately and unashamedly imposing inhumane conditions on Palestinians, including the risk of famine one of the strongest condemnations by a high-ranking U.N. official during the war in Gaza. Tom Fletcher, head of the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, briefed members of the Security Council, describing this work as a grim undertaking since Israel began blocking all humanitarian aid from entering Gaza more than 10 weeks ago. He went as far as saying that the council must act now to prevent genocide. Israel vehemently denied that is taking place. I ask you to reflect for a moment on what action we will tell future generations we each took to stop the 21st century atrocity to which we bear daily witness in Gaza, said Fletcher, a longtime British diplomat who took up the U.N. post in November. It is a question we will hear, sometimes incredulous, sometimes furious but always there

UN aviation body indicts Russia for 2014 downing of Malaysia Airlines MH17

The International Civil Aviation Organization held Russia accountable for the 2014 downing of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17, confirming its role in the tragic incident that killed 298 passengers

India ranks 130th on Human Development Index, says UNDP 2025 report

India's HDI value has increased by over 53 per cent since 1990, growing faster than both the global and South Asian averages

India climbs 3 spots to 130 on United Nations' Human Development Index

India now stands at par with Bangladesh, while Sri Lanka, Nepal and Pakistan rank 89th, 145th and 168th, respectively, on the UN Development Programme's 2025 Human Development Report

US seeks to weaken global development finance efforts, shows UN document

With ongoing changes at the World Bank and International Monetary Fund in the fight against climate change already facing pushback from U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent

UN Secy Gen urges India, Pakistan to show maximum restraint, avoid conflict

Condemning the attack Guterres expressed grief over the relation between both counties reaching to a 'boiling' point

UN Security Council to hold closed-door meeting today on India-Pak tensions

The UN Security Council meeting, scheduled for this afternoon by the Greek Presidency, was convened at Pakistan's request

Pakistan to brief UN Security Council on latest regional developments

Pakistan has decided to brief the UN Security Council on the latest regional developments in the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack, the foreign office said on Sunday. Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar directed Pakistan's UN Permanent Representative, Ambassador Asim Iftikhar, to take immediate steps to convene a meeting of the Security Council, the statement said. The decision comes amid tensions between Pakistan and India following the Pahalgam terror attack. Terrorists killed 26 people in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam on April 22, in the deadliest attack in the Valley since the Pulwama strike in 2019. "Pakistan will inform the UNSC about India's aggressive actions, provocations, and provocative statements, the foreign office said. Pakistan will specifically highlight India's illegal actions to suspend the Indus Waters Treaty, it said, adding that the country would clarify how New Delhi's actions are jeopardising peace and security in the region. This important diplomatic move is part of

WHO to back use of weight-loss drugs for adults globally, raises cost issue

More than a billion people now have obesity worldwide, according to the WHO, and around 70% of them live in low and middle-income countries, the World Bank estimates

UN memo lays out proposals for sweeping reforms, consolidation of its ops

United Nations officials have circulated proposals for a vast consolidation of its operations and other sweeping reforms to root out inefficiencies, overlaps and cost overruns as the world body faces a critical funding crunch, according an internal memo obtained by The Associated Press. The proposals, which are in the early stages of discussion and are far from certain to be adopted, would amount to one of the biggest overhauls of the UN, which has been upended by funding cuts from its biggest donor, the United States, under President Donald Trump's administration. The document, labelled strictly confidential, falls under a reform initiative known as UN80 that Secretary-General Antonio Guterres launched in March. It comes as the United Nations is set to celebrate its 80th anniversary this summer with its ability to work on resolving conflicts; help feed and house the poor, destitute and displaced; fight disease; and many other of its lofty humanitarian ambitions increasingly in ...

UN agencies that provide aid worldwide cut jobs, costs as US funding drops

Several UN agencies that provide aid to children, refugees and other vulnerable people around the world are slashing jobs or cutting costs in other ways, with officials pointing to funding reductions mainly from the United States and warning that vital relief programs will be severely affected as a result. The UN World Food Program is expected to cut up to 30 per cent of its staff. The head of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees said it would downsize its headquarters and regional offices to reduce costs by 30 per cent and cut senior-level positions by 50 per cent. That's according to internal memos obtained by The AP and verified by two UN officials who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the internal personnel decisions. Other agencies like UNICEF, the UN children's agency, and OCHA, the UN humanitarian agency, have also announced or plan to make cuts. One WFP official called the cuts the most massive seen by the agency in the past 25 years, and that as a result, operatio

India slams Pak at UN over Khwaja Asif's 'open confession' on Pahalgam

Ambassador Yojna Patel slammed Pakistan for exploiting the United Nations forum to 'indulge in propaganda and make baseless allegations against India'

UN court opens hearings on Israel's responsibility for Gaza aid access

The United Nations' highest court opened hearings Monday into Israel's obligation to ensure and facilitate urgently needed humanitarian assistance to Palestinian civilians in the occupied territories, bringing the ongoing conflict in Gaza back into focus in The Hague. Israel's Foreign Minister Gideon Saar called the hearings part of a systematic persecution and delegitimisation of his country. Speaking in Jerusalem as the hearings began in The Hague, Saar said the court was becoming completely politicised. He called the proceeding shameful. A week of hearings has been scheduled in response to a request last year from the UN General Assembly, which asked the International Court of Justice to weigh in on Israel's legal responsibilities after the country blocked the UN agency for Palestinian refugees from operating on its territory. In a resolution sponsored by Norway, the General Assembly requested an advisory opinion, a non-binding but legally important decision from the court, on ..