The development comes 11 months after the country’s devastating civil war ended with the overthrow of the Assad regime by opposition forces loyal to new President Ahmad Al-Sharaa. Today, as Syrians return home in increasing numbers, the shattered country faces chronic shortages of inward investment, medicines, power and equipment. According to...
Methane is a powerful greenhouse gas with 80 times the warming potential of carbon dioxide over a 20-year period. Cutting emissions would deliver rapid, tangible climate benefits, with the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) reporting that cutting human-caused emissions by around half is one of the most cost-effective ways to slow...
26 September marks the International Day which highlights the ongoing scourge of the nuclear arms race – an opportunity for the international community to reaffirm its commitment to nuclear disarmament. Pledges to disarm, however, have yet to be honoured. “Nuclear weapons continue to menace our world,” said the UN’s Chef...
At least 841 people have been put to death by the Government of Iran since the beginning of the year, with ethnic minorities and migrants “disproportionately targeted”, said OHCHR spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani. Some executions have been carried out publicly, she added, with seven reported this year based on available information:...
While multiple Da’esh leaders have perished in the past few years, “the group has managed to retain its operational capacity”, Vladimir Voronkov, head of the UN Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT) told the Security Council Wednesday. Da’esh makes use of regional and domestic affiliates and continues to receive substantial global...
After a successful career that lasted 43 years, during which he worked in Saudi Arabia, for the Palestinian Ministry of Health and then the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), Dr. Awadallah decided to retire at the end of 2021. But, that was short-lived. As the crisis in Gaza escalated and polio...
While the city has been rebuilt, nuclear conflict remains a global threat, UN High Representative for Disarmament Affairs Izumi Nakamitsu said in remarks at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial. It was the only structure left standing near the hypocentre of the bomb, which marked the first use of an atomic weapon...
More than 1,180 cholera cases – including an estimated 300 in children – and at least 20 deaths have been reported in Tawila, a town that has absorbed over half a million people fleeing violence since April. Across the wider Darfur region, the toll is even more alarming: nearly 2,140...
“The human consequences of rising debt burdens, escalating trade tensions and steep cuts to official development assistance have been brought into sharp relief this week,” she told the closing session of the pivotal gathering, amid sizzling temperatures across southern Spain. Multilateralism at work But against that backdrop, the conference has...
Member States had paid just $1.8 billion towards the UN’s $3.7 billion regular budget for 2025, as of 9 May. Including unpaid contributions from previous years, total unpaid assessments stand at approximately $2.4 billion as of 30 April. The United States is the largest debtor at about $1.5 billion, as...
“Even when the guns fall silent, these remnants of war remain, lurking in fields and on pathways and roadways, threatening the lives of innocent civilians and the livelihoods of communities,” he described. From Afghanistan to Myanmar; from Sudan to Ukraine, Syria, the Occupied Palestinian Territory, and beyond; these deadly devices...
The two-day event was an opportunity to highlight the importance of women in peacekeeping, and delegates also discussed the current challenges to peacekeeping, and how the UN and Member States can work together to adapt to the new realities of today’s geopolitical landscape. This interview has been edited for clarity...
