United Nations

Ruthless Insurgency, Fragile Government Institutions, Massive Illegal Drug Economy

Head of Peacekeeping Says United Nations Mission Does Not Need Additional Powers, but, in Face of Evolving Situation, Mandate Must Be Sharpened    » read more »

Message For World Water Day

Following is the text of UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s message on World Water Day, to be observed on 22 March:

This year, World Water Day coincides with the International Year of Sanitation, challenging us to spur action on a crisis affecting more than one out of three people on the planet.

Every 20 seconds, a child dies as a result of the abysmal sanitation conditions endured by some 2.6 billion people globally. That adds up to an unconscionable 1.5 million young lives cut short by a cause we know well how to prevent.    » read more »

Bill Would Direct Funding to Activities Improving Women and Children's Health

February 29, 2008 -- Today, Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton introduced the United Nations Population Fund Restoration Act, legislation that would direct United States contributions to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) to essential women’s health services, including safe motherhood initiatives, infection prevention, and provision of health and hygiene supplies in disaster situations.    » read more »

Washington, D.C.—The world spent 228 times as much on its militaries in 2006 as it did on U.N. peacekeeping operations, according to the latest Vital Signs Update from the Worldwatch Institute. United Nations peacekeeping operations around the world between July 2007 and June 2008 are expected to run to $7 billion—substantially higher than the record $5.6 billion spent in 2006–07. Yet world military budgets stood at a staggering $1,232 billion in 2006.    » read more »

12 February 2008 -- The United Nations has appealed for $265 million in humanitarian aid for Iraqis this year.

The appeal Tuesday is aimed at providing emergency relief in such areas as food, water, education, sanitation, protection, housing and shelter, and health and nutrition.

The U.N. hopes some of the aid will focus on immediate relief for newly displaced people who cannot access their food rations. An estimated 4 million Iraqis are in need of food assistance.    » read more »

11 February 2008 -- U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon opened a two-day conference on addressing climate change Monday at the United Nations, urging international action this year on the issue. Some 100 countries are participating in the debate, along with members of the private sector, civil society and individuals from around the world.    » read more »

30 January 2008 -- The United Nations estimates there are more than a quarter million children worldwide who are being drawn into armed conflict as child soldiers. Internally displaced children living in camps are at special risk.

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon warns in his annual report to the Security Council that internal displacement and the recruitment of children as soldiers are closely linked. Refugee and IDP camps are prime recruiting grounds due to the concentration of vulnerable children in them.    » read more »

27 January 2008 -- Veteran British diplomat Paddy Ashdown has withdrawn his name from consideration as the new United Nations envoy to Afghanistan.

In a statement Sunday, Ashdown said the job can be done effectively only with the clear support of the Afghan government, and he does not believe such necessary support exists.

Afghan officials have indicated they favor British NATO Commander General John McColl for the post, which is expected to coordinate U.N., NATO and European Union efforts in the country.    » read more »

January 24, 2008 -- In March 2007, the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) took the unprecedented step of suspending its operations in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), commonly known as North Korea. In April, the UNDP withdrew from the country entirely, because North Korea had declined to allow UNDP to impose tighter controls on its activities to increase transparency and accountability.    » read more »

24 January 2008 -- The United Nations is warning that bird flu outbreaks have spread to 15 countries, making the disease a global threat that requires close monitoring.

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations released a statement Thursday, calling for more monitoring and greater efforts to contain the virus.

The outbreaks have been reported since December and involve mostly domesticated poultry infected with the virulent H5N1 strain.    » read more »

22 January 2008 -- Foreign ministers of the five permanent U.N. Security Council members and Germany said Tuesday they have agreed on the contents of a new sanctions resolution against Iran over its nuclear program. U.S. officials say it will toughen travel bans and asset freezes against Iranian leaders.

The agreement, which breaks a months-long stalemate over terms of a resolution, was announced by German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier in a brief statement capping a two-hour meeting in Berlin.    » read more »

17 January 2008 -- United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has welcomed the reduction in violence across Iraq and urged similar progress in the political arena.

In a report to the Security Council Wednesday, Mr. Ban said "improvements in the political arena" are necessary to sustain recent gains in the security situation.

Mr. Ban expressed disappointment at the political process in Iraq, saying it "has not shown the degree of progress that many had hoped for."    » read more »

12 January 2008 -- Pakistan's President Prevez Musharraf has ruled out a U.N. inquiry into the assassination of opposition leader and former prime minister, Benazir Bhutto.

Ms. Bhutto's party has been calling for a U.N. investigation, comparing her death to the 2005 killing of former Lebanese prime minister, Rafik Hariri. Many Lebanese blame Syria for that killing.    » read more »

14 January 2008 -- Former U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan is expected in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi Tuesday to try his luck at mediation to resolve Kenya’s post-election political crisis. African Union chairman President John Kufuor of Ghana failed last week to get President Mwai Kibaki and Raila Odinga of the opposition Orange Democratic Movement to meet face to face. Meanwhile, the opposition has called for three days of rallies from this Wednesday to protest the results of Kenya’s December 27th presidential election.    » read more »

08 January 2008 -- The U.N. refugee agency says it is seeking $261 million this year to help Iraqis driven from their homes by violence.

Tuesday's appeal by the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees is for money to help more than two-million people who are internally displaced or who have fled to neighboring countries, primarily Syria and Jordan.    » read more »