Page 61 - United Nations

Sudan military ruler seeks removal of UN envoy in letter to UN chief

Sudan's military ruler demanded in a letter to the UN secretary general that the UN envoy to his country be removed, officials said Saturday. The UN chief was shocked by the letter, a spokesman said. The envoy, Volker Perthes, has been a key mediator in Sudan, first during the country's fitful attempts to transition to democracy and then after worsening tensions between military rivals exploded into open fighting last month. The fighting pits troops loyal to military chief Gen. Abdel-Fattah Burhan against a powerful paramilitary group, the Rapid Support Forces, headed by Gen Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo. Burhan's letter to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres was received Friday. The Secretary-General is shocked by the letter he received this morning, U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said. The Secretary-General is proud of the work done by Volker Perthes and reaffirms his full confidence in his Special Representative. Dujarric didn't reveal the contents of the letter. A senior Sudanese

Yemen's food insecurity remains serious threat, warns UN official

Despite the efforts of the UN and its partners, the problem of food insecurity in Yemen remains a severe threat, warned an official of the world body

UN regional group endorses Amazon city to host 2025 climate conference

Brazil's government announced Friday that a UN Latin America regional group has endorsed a Brazilian city in the Amazon region to host the 2025 UN climate change conference, though the world body has not yet publicly confirmed the venue. President Luiz Incio Lula da Silva initially said Brazil will hold the conference, known as COP 30, in the city of Belem, state of Para, in the heart of the Brazilian rainforest, reflecting his intention to bring attention to the Amazon. A statement from the Brazilian government later clarified that the region's support was merely a step in the selection process. The "support for the Brazilian candidacy demonstrates the region's confidence in Brazil's capacity to advance the agenda in the fight against climate change," the statement read. The latest UN climate conference was hosted by Egypt in Sharm el-Sheikh, and this year's will take place in Dubai. The UN has not yet announced the 2024 venue, let alone the 2025 one, but the locations tend to rot

Mukesh Ambani joins global business leaders in COP28 Advisory Committee

Mukesh Ambani, Chairman and Managing Director, Reliance Industries, has been appointed as the member of Advisory Committee to the President of the 28th Session of the Conference of the Parties (COP28)

Records of French slaves to be inscribed on UN world heritage register

Several hundred documents and items revealing the names and other details of victims of slavery in France's colonial empire is being added to UNESCO's Memory of the World register. This latest addition, which the UN cultural agency approved last week, marks the first time that France has pushed for the inscription of documents on the UNESCO register that were previously archived in France's present-day overseas territories. The Memory of the World program and register was set up in 1992 to safeguard the documentary heritage of humanity against collective amnesia, neglect, decay over time, according to UNESCO. The documents date from between the 17th and 19th centuries, from places including the modern-day nations of Haiti, Mauritius and Senegal and the French overseas territories of Guadeloupe, French Guiana, Mayotte, Martinique and Reunion. They represent just a fraction of some 4 million people "enslaved in the French colonial empire, whether victims of trafficking or born locall

Extreme weather events over half-century killed 2 mn, $4.3 trn damage: UN

Nearly 12,000 extreme weather, climate and water-related events over much of the past half-century around the globe have killed more than 2 million people and caused economic damage of $4.3 trillion, the U.N. weather agency said Monday. The stark recap from the World Meteorological Organization came as it opened its four-yearly congress among member countries, pressing the message that more needs to be done to improve alert systems for extreme weather events by a target date of 2027. The Geneva-based agency has repeatedly warned about the impact of man-made climate change, saying rising temperatures have increased the frequency and intensity of extreme weather including floods, hurricanes, cyclones and drought. WMO says early warning systems have helped reduce deaths linked to climate and other weather-related catastrophes. Most of the economic damage between 1970 and 2021 came in the United States totaling $1.7 trillion while nine in 10 deaths worldwide took place in developing

Ukrainian nuclear plant loses power supply again, is 'extremely vulnerable'

Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, Europe's largest atomic power station, switched to emergency diesel generators Monday after losing its external power supply for the seventh time since Russia's full-scale invasion of its neighbour, the head of the UN nuclear watchdog said. The nuclear safety situation at the plant (is) extremely vulnerable, Rafael Grossi, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, said in a tweet. We must agree to protect (the) plant now; this situation cannot continue, Grossi said, in his latest appeal for the area to be spared from the fighting between Ukrainian and Russian forces. IAEA staff are deployed at the plant, which is occupied by Russian troops. The plant's six nuclear reactors are protected by a reinforced shelter able to withstand an errant shell or rocket. But a disruption in the electrical supply could disable cooling systems essential for the reactors' safety. Emergency diesel generators can be unreliable. Fighting, especially ...

UN will remain 'talk shop' if it doesn't reflect reality, says PM Modi

The United Nations and the Security Council will remain just a "talk shop" if they do not reflect the realities of the present world, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Sunday, strongly pitching for reform of the global body. In an address at a G7 session in Hiroshima, Modi wondered why different forums have had to deliberate on issues relating to peace and stability when the UN was formed to deal with these challenges. "It is a matter of analysis, why do we have to talk about peace and stability in different forums? Why is the UN, which was started with the idea of establishing peace, not successful in preventing conflicts today? Modi asked. "Why, even the definition of terrorism has not been accepted in the UN? If one introspects, one thing is clear. The institutions created in the last century are not in line with the system of the twenty-first century," he said. The prime minister said the UN now does not reflect the current realities of the world. "They do not reflect the .

Myanmar military imported $1 billion in weapons since 2021 coup: UN expert

Myanmar's military has imported at least USD 1 billion worth of weapons and related material from Russia, China and other countries since its February 2021 coup, some of which it has used to carry out atrocities against civilians, according to a UN report released Wednesday. The weapons continue to flow to the military despite overwhelming evidence of its responsibility for the atrocities, including some that amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity, said Tom Andrews, the UN independent investigator on human rights in Myanmar. As an example of what he called the junta's brutality, Andrews pointed to its April 11 airstrike using a Russian Yak-130 fighter jet on a ceremony attended by some 300 opponents of army rule, which was quickly followed by an attack by Russian Mi-35 helicopters on those who came to help. He said at least 160 people were killed, including many children. In addition, the machine guns and bombs used in the attacks included parts and materials from companie

India remains a bright spot, likely to grow 6.7% in 2024: UNDESA report

UN retains CY23 forecast at 5.8%; investment, exports to remain weak

Risk of prolonged low growth economy looms large globally: UN report

According to the report, the world economy is now projected to grow by 2.3% in 2023 (+0.4 percentage points from the Jan forecast) and 2.5% in 2024 (-0.2 percentage points), a slight uptick

UN General Assembly declares Nov 26 as World Sustainable Transport Day

The UN General Assembly has adopted a resolution to designate November 26 every year as World Sustainable Transport Day

India remains a bright spot, economy expected to grow 6.7% in 2024: UN

However, higher interest rates and weaker external demand will continue to weigh on investment and exports in 2023, it said

UNEP suggests measures to reduce 80% of world's plastic pollution by 2040

The report highlights the magnitude and nature of changes required to end plastic pollution and to create a circular economy to replace the widespread use of single-use plastics

India hosts SG9 meeting to advance standards for Television technology

The meeting is being held from May 9- May 18, 2023, and this is the first physical meeting of SG9 since Covid-19 pandemic

UN demands China's answers on discrimination against Tibetan women in Tibet

Concerned about situation of Tibetan women in Tibet, United Nations Committee on Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) has questioned China on matter, reported Tibet Rights Collective

Beneficiaries of old UN system oppose its reform, says EAM Jaishankar

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has taken a dig at those opposing the UN reforms, saying those who are beneficiaries of the old system are resistant to that change as they feel it would "dilute" their positions of privilege. Jaishankar, who is on a three-day visit to Sweden, interacted with the Indian community in this Scandinavian country on Sunday and highlighted the transformations underway in India during his visit to Stockholm for bilateral talks and the European Union (EU) Indo-Pacific Ministerial Forum (EIPMF). Responding to a question if he sees any potential for India to become a permanent member of the Security Council, Jaishankar said that the effectiveness of the United Nations has come under question with each passing year and for the good, it should be reformed. "The UN was designed in the 1940s at a time when though India was an original signatory to the Charter, but India was not an independent country. And at that time the five countries who are still today .

UNHRC passes resolution on human rights abuses in Sudan, amid conflict

The United Nation's top human rights body adopted a resolution on Thursday that drew attention to mounting civilian deaths and rights abuses in Sudan since a bloody conflict erupted between the African country's two top generals last month. The violence in Sudan has so far killed more than 600 people, including civilians, and displaced hundreds of thousands. The fighting has also spread to other regions, namely the restive Darfur province. The Human Rights Council - made up of 47 UN member states - narrowly passed the resolution with 18 states voting for the resolution, 15 against and 14 other nations abstaining. The resolution aims to further scrutinise human rights violations taking place in Sudan since April 15. The fighting in Sudan started as a result of a power struggle between the chief of Sudan's military, Gen. Abdel Fattah Burhan, and rival Gen. Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, who commands the powerful paramilitary Rapid Support Forces. Arab and African nations - including Sudan -

Widespread locust infestation in Afghan provinces is huge concern: FAO

The UN food agency is warning that a widespread locust infestation in several Afghan provinces is of huge concern and could possibly decimate a quarter of the wheat crop. A statement from the Food and Agriculture Organisation, dated Wednesday, said that at least eight of Afghanistan's 34 provinces have been affected by the Moroccan Locust, ranked among the most economically damaging plant pests in the world. The reports of Moroccan Locust outbreak in Afghanistan's breadbasket is a huge concern," said Richard Trenchard, FAO's representative in Afghanistan. "It represents an enormous threat to farmers, communities, and the entire country. He added that the last two big outbreaks, 20 and 40 years ago, cost Afghanistan an estimated 8 per cent and 25 per cent of its annual wheat production respectively. Afghanistan's Taliban-appointed spokesman for the agriculture, irrigation, and livestock ministry said the authorities were aware of the dangers. We are aware of the situation and are .

China objects India's proposal to blacklist JeM leader Abdul Rauf Azhar

China has objected to a proposal by India to blacklist senior Jaish-e Mohammed (JEM) terrorist Abdul Rauf Azhar at the United Nations. It is learnt that China objected to the proposal from India to add the leader of a Pakistan-based terror organisation to the UN Security Council's 1267 ISIL and Al Qaida Sanctions list. Rauf Azhar, born in 1974 in Pakistan, had been sanctioned by the US in December 2010. In August last year, China put a hold on the proposal by India and the US to designate Rauf Azhar as a global terrorist and subject him to an assets freeze, travel ban and arms embargo. The US Department of Treasury had in December 2010 designated Abdul Rauf Azhar, a senior leader of Jaish-e Mohammed (JEM), for acting for or on behalf of JEM".