Month: September 2023
World News in Brief: Ukraine nuclear plant update, Sudan health crisis, reproductive rights
Addressing the opening of the IAEA’s General Conference in Vienna on Monday, Mr. Grossi said that 53 missions mobilizing more than 100 agency staff have been deployed as part of a continued presence inside Ukraine’s five nuclear power plants. These include the Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant, or ZNPP, on the Dnipro River in southern Ukraine,…
Read MoreHaitian Prime Minister calls for urgent deployment of multinational force to quash gang violence
Armed groups control areas of the capital, Port-au-Prince, and some towns, blocking roads, driving citizens from their homes, and forcing the closure of schools, hospitals and businesses. Lives in danger The “non-exhaustive” list of violations and crimes they have committed includes massacres, kidnappings, pillaging, sexual violence, human trafficking and child recruitment, he said. Insecurity has…
Read MoreWorld must pass ‘AI stress test’, UK Deputy PM says, announcing summit
Mr. Dowden said the so-named AI Safety Summit, set for November, will aim to preempt the risks posed by frontier AI and explore how it can be used for the public good. “AI is the biggest transformation the world has known,” he emphasized, noting that it is going to change everything we do, the way…
Read MoreWe can’t keep putting the interest of the few before the lives of many, Mia Mottley says at UN
Describing the Sustainable Development Goals as “the promise of development and the conferral of dignity on our people,” the Prime Minister of Barbados questioned whether the world’s actions since the adoption eight years ago of the 2030 Agenda will be sufficient to attain the 17 targets on poverty, gender equality, the environment, and more. “Will…
Read More‘It’s crunch time’ to reach the SDGs, Mohammed tells Global Citizen Festival
“Come rain or shine, we’re here because we are committed to our planet”, said Amina Mohammed, addressing the Global Citizen Festival, against the backdrop of the UN General Assembly High Level Week, taking place down the road. All to play for at halftime She highlighted the race to reach the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs),…
Read MoreAt UN, Horn of Africa nations urge global solidarity and real reform
Leaders from Somalia, Ethiopia, Djibouti and Eritrea painted a grim picture of a planet marred by the unforgiving impacts of climate change. They left no room for equivocation: This is an existential crisis that demands immediate, collective action. They highlighted the upcoming COP-28 climate conference in the United Arab Emirates as an unparalleled opportunity for…
Read MoreSaudi Foreign Minister outlines plans for better, greener Middle East
Describing the national vision for 2030, Faisal bin Farhan Al Furhan Al-Saud said it centred on promoting development for future generations and empowering women and young people by developing their creativity. Human rights are of utmost importance, he said, adding that Saudi Arabia has adopted laws to protect its citizens and is also working on…
Read MoreRussian Foreign Minister hits out at West’s ‘empire of lies’
Sergey Lavrov said power was slipping through the hands of the old order, dominated by Washington, which has long rejected the principle of equality. Americans and Europeans “make all sorts of promises…and then just don’t fulfil them”, he told delegates. Quoting President Vladimir Putin, he said the West was “truly an empire of lies” which…
Read MoreUN calls for ‘clear-eyed’ vision for peace and security, as peacebuilders meet in New York
The Secretary-General’s New Agenda for Peace aims to address these complex challenges through multilateralism, rooted in the UN Charter and international law, centred on trust, solidarity, and universality. It comes amid criticism from some Member States that the UN is no longer playing an effective role in peacebuilding and peacekeeping, as calls for overall reform…
Read MoreAt critical moment for peacekeeping in Africa, Ghana steps up to host key summit
The gathering of defence ministers and others committed to peacekeeping efforts will focus on civilian protection, addressing misinformation and disinformation, promoting safety and security, protecting mental health, and boosting the pivotal role of women in UN missions. Ghana’s Foreign Minister Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, together with senior UN officials, said the flagship biennial meeting will help…
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