critical Archives - Career Meaning

Trade measures critical to ending plastic pollution

·August 1, 2025·2 min read

That assessment by UN trade and development body, UNCTAD, comes in an update published on Thursday ahead of the final round of talks to develop a legally binding international instrument against plastic pollution. “Although plastics are directly linked to the triple planetary crisis – pollution, biodiversity loss, and climate change – there...

UN forum to spotlight health, gender equality, oceans, in critical bid to meet development goals

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·July 14, 2025·4 min read

The 2025 High-Level Political Forum, or HLPF, follows two recent successful UN conferences focused on vital development issues: one in June in Nice, France, dedicated to ocean protection, and another held in Sevilla, Spain, centred on boosting financing for sustainable initiatives. The Sevilla meeting ended with a strong call to...

INTERVIEW: Sevilla ‘a critical test’ of multilateralism

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·July 3, 2025·2 min read

The promises were made at the opening of the Financing for Development Conference (FFD4), currently underway in the Spanish city of Sevilla, when delegates agreed on the Sevilla Commitment. During the conference UN News spoke to Li Junhua, the UN Under-Secretary General for Economic and Social Affairs and Secretary-General of...

Civilians ‘trapped and terrorised’: UN sounds alarm over collapse of critical protections

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·May 26, 2025·3 min read

Speaking at a high-level open debate in the Security Council on protection of civilians in armed conflict on Thursday, UN Emergency Relief Coordinator Tom Fletcher described a grim picture of accelerating harm, disintegrating norms and growing impunity. “The scaffolding built last century to protect us from inhumanity is crumbling,” he...

Aid data critical to crisis response threatened by funding cuts

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·April 8, 2025·1 min read

“Data is central to humanitarian action,” OCHA said, as aid organizations look to “focus their response to reach the communities with the most severe needs.” In its latest report on the State of Open Humanitarian Data OCHA said that “as the humanitarian system severely contracts due to unprecedented funding cuts and threats...

Post-Assad Syria faces critical test over eliminating chemical weapons

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·March 8, 2025·3 min read

Briefing ambassadors, Izumi Nakamitsu, UN High Representative for Disarmament Affairs, welcomed steps taken by the country’s new authorities to engage with the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) and work toward full compliance with international law. “Syria has started to take its steps towards this objective,” she said,...

DR Congo emergency: Next 24 hours are critical, warn UN agencies

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·January 28, 2025·4 min read

Dead bodies lie in the streets, hospitals are overwhelmed and there has been an uptick in reports of sexual violence, rape and looting. “Roads are blocked, ports are closed and those crossing Lake Kivu risk their lives in makeshift boats,” said Shelley Thakral, spokesperson for the UN World Food Programme...

Guterres hails Gaza ceasefire deal as ‘critical first step’

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·January 16, 2025·5 min read

Speaking to reporters at UN Headquarters, António Guterres commended mediators Egypt, Qatar and the United States for their dedicated efforts in brokering the agreement. “Their unwavering commitment to finding a diplomatic solution has been critical in achieving this breakthrough,” he said. He called on all relevant parties to uphold their...

Critical aid blocked in Gaza, as fuel shortages threaten lifesaving services

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·January 12, 2025·2 min read

On Thursday, only 10 out of 21 planned humanitarian movements were facilitated by the Israeli authorities. Seven were denied outright, three were impeded and one was cancelled due to security and logistical challenges, said UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric, at Friday’s media briefing in New York. OCHA is also deeply concerned...

Lebanon: Election of new President a critical first step

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·January 9, 2025·1 min read

General Joseph Auon was declared President on Thursday following voting in Lebanon’s parliament. UN Secretary-General António Guterres congratulated the new leader as he takes up his functions, saying this is a critical step towards overcoming Lebanon’s political and institutional impasse after over two years of presidential vacuum. The election of...

Syria: UN health agency launches $56.4 million appeal to meet critical needs

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·December 24, 2024·1 min read

In addition, the developments since late November, culminating with the overthrow of the Assad regime added new dimensions to the crisis, including population displacements as well as return of Syrian refugees from neighbouring countries. Since November 2024, over 882,000 Syrians have been displaced amid surging violence, further straining the country’s...

Haiti: ‘Very critical situation on the ground,’ warns Humanitarian Coordinator

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·November 20, 2024·2 min read

She updated journalists in New York on Wednesday on the worsening situation in Haiti, which has deteriorated dramatically since the installation of a new Prime Minister on 11 November. The verified toll of gang violence this year has reached more than 4,000 dead, though the actual numbers are likely higher,...