United Nations

While fossil fuels would continue to satisfy the lion’s share of the world’s growing energy needs in the coming decades, new and diverse energy sources must be explored in order to put the world, and developing countries in particular, on a greener path to economic growth, the Commission on Sustainable Development was told today, as it continued the high-level segment of its fifteenth session.    » read more »

Amid heightened concerns over, and growing awareness and acceptance of, the implications of global warming, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today opened a high-level gathering at Headquarters of environment and development leaders seeking to chart a sustainable course of action on the interlinked issues of energy, climate change, air pollution and industrial development.    » read more »

09 May 2007 -- The human rights organization, Amnesty International, has presented an appeal from 147 countries to the United Nations to maintain an independent and effective system of human rights experts. A petition signed by more than 12,500 people calling for stronger measures to help victims of human rights abuse was presented to the president of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva on Wednesday. Lisa Schlein reports for VOA.    » read more »

09 May 2007 -- The government of Eritrea is defending its right to send troops into the disputed border region with Ethiopia.

Eritrean officials told a government-run newspaper Wednesday they blame the United Nations for the region's instability, saying it has failed to implement a five-year old border agreement.

On Tuesday, the United Nations Security Council said it is "deeply concerned" by growing tension between Eritrea and Ethiopia.

The council urged both countries to withdraw their forces from within and near the buffer zone.    » read more »

At a time of unprecedented awareness of the dangers of climate change, nations must adopt a common front to balance economic growth with responsible energy consumption and environmental protection, the three newly appointed United Nations Special Envoys on Climate Change said at a Headquarters press conference today.    » read more »

May 7, 2007 -- Countries that care about upholding human rights should present themselves as candidates for the upcoming May 17 elections to the UN Human Rights Council, Freedom House said today at an event highlighting the first anniversary of the Council. Together with UN Watch, the organization released a joint evaluation of the current candidates for the Council, and emphasized that it is critical that democratic countries not elect human rights violators for membership.    » read more »

More than 70 delegations, including the International Monetary Fund (IMF), World Bank and the Arab Development Bank had participated in officially launching the implementation phase of the International Compact with Iraq following a nearly year-long preparatory process, Ibrahim Gambari, the Special Adviser on the International Compact with Iraq and Other Political Issues, said at a Headquarters press conference today.    » read more »

07 May 2007 -- The U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights, Louise Arbour, says countries in Central Asia continue to use the war on terrorism as an excuse to violate the human rights of their citizens. Arbour has just returned from a two-week visit to Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, and Tajikistan. Lisa Schlein reports for VOA on a news conference given by the High Commissioner on her return to Geneva.    » read more »

May 4, 2007 -- Washington, DC - "Today's report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change only underscores that it's time to get to work tackling global warming.    » read more »

04 May 2007 -- A U.N. body committed to defending the rights of the world's over 370 million indigenous peoples meets later this month (May 14-25) in New York. Among the topics of discussion will be ways to increase international recognition of indigenous rights and to improve the participation of native peoples in their own development. From Washington, VOA reporter William Eagle looks at the upcoming Sixth UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues.    » read more »

Says Package On Way Forward Must Be Launched At Bali Conference

The following statement was issued today by the Spokesperson for UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon:    » read more »

May 4, 2007 -- PARTICIPANTS:

Dr. Harlan Watson, U.S. Senior Climate Negotiator And Special Representative, U.S. Department Of State

Jim Connaughton, Chairman, White House Council On Environmental Quality

Stephen Eule, Director Of The Climate Change Technology Program, U.S. Department Of State

6:13 A.M. EDT

DR. WATSON: Just on a rundown for those of you who are not familiar with the IPCC working group three, this is the group that assesses the technological and economic aspects of the mitigation of climate change, primarily focused on reductions of greenhouse gas emissions.    » read more »

3 May 2007 -- Following is the text of UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s remarks at the launch of the International Compact with Iraq, delivered in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, on 3 May:

"I would like to thank all of you for participating in the launch of the International Compact with Iraq. Your presence is a clear sign of your commitment to stand in solidarity with the people and Government of Iraq at a time when they need our support.    » read more »

03 May 2007 -- The World Food program says it is stepping up efforts to deliver food to thousands of people forced from their homes in Mogadishu by fighting between Somali insurgents and government forces backed by Ethiopian troops. All told, about 365,000 people have fled Mogadishu, and WFP officials say they expect the number of people needing food aid to rise to as many as 150,000. Lisa Schlein has more for VOA from Geneva.    » read more »

26 April 2007 -- Addressing correspondents at a Headquarters press conference this afternoon, David Morrison, Communications Director for the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), made clear that former UNDP assets, now in the possession of the authorities of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, did not contain United Nations financial data or other information that might be needed for an upcoming audit of UNDP operations in that country.    » read more »