Articles

21 September 2023UN Affairs The President of the Central African Republic on Thursday accused Western countries of triggering a migration crisis by pillaging Africa’s natural resources and impoverishing the continent through slavery and colonization. “This escalation of the migrant crisis is one of the appalling consequences of the plundering of natural resources of countries made poor by slavery, colonization and Western imperialism, terrorism and internal armed conflicts,” said...

Torrential rains from Storm Daniel on 10 September burst two dams upstream from the coastal city of Derna. According to news reports, the floods inundated as much as a quarter of the city. Thousands were killed, with many dead bodies still reportedly under the rubble or lost at sea, according to search teams. In recent days the aid response has focused on collecting the dead, fearing the spread of disease, but for the tens of thousands of Derna residents who survived the flood, trauma...

“I am appealing to the international community to avail resources to help refugees and displaced persons who crossed into South Sudan,” Mr. Kiir told world leaders attending the UN General Assembly’s annual debate. He added: “While the world is dealing with multiple crisis, we call for a provision of sustained support to these displaced persons as we work on how to restore peace and stability in Sudan.” “We are committed to global efforts aimed at addressing challenges that we face as a...

20 September 2023UN Affairs After the decades-long presence of a large UN peacekeeping mission, the Democratic Republic of the Congo will, by the end of the year, aim to take full control of its destiny and become the primary actor in its own stability, the country’s President told the General Assembly on Wednesday. President Félix-Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo thanked the international community and the UN for their support and partnership, adding that the gradual withdrawal of the...

Ongoing peace talks provide a glimpse of hope that a political resolution to the conflict is on the horizon. However, on International Day of Peace, celebrated annually on 21 September, humanitarian needs remain staggering and the funding to respond insufficient, as recently highlighted by almost 100 aid agencies. Six months on from the last UN pledging conference for Yemen, only a fraction of what is required to meet the needs of millions has been pledged. A displaced family in...

A recurring theme in speeches delivered by the Presidents of Seychelles, Namibia, Ghana, Angola, Sierra Leone and Liberia was the urgent need to rebuild trust and rekindle global solidarity in the face of complex changes. They expressed unwavering support for the 2030 Agenda and its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), emphasizing that the current trajectory falls short of ambitions, further exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. In their addresses, leaders also highlighted the need for...

President Paul Kagame of Rwanda addresses the general debate of the General Assembly’s 78th session. 20 September 2023UN Affairs In his address to the UN General Assembly in New York, Rwandan President Paul Kagame discussed the lack of progress toward achieving Sustainable Deveopment Goals (SDGs), reducing conflict around the globe, and finding ways to boost international cooperation. The SDG summit held in New York earlier this week highlighted the disappointing progress made...

“Even among those who have a lot, rather than building trust and solidarity they spend their resources by investing in a competition fueled by mistrust,” said Filipe Jacinto Nyusi. With this in mind, he highlighted three areas that require urgent action: “First, we need to renew our political will and redouble efforts to accelerate the achievement of targets of the Agenda 2030. Secondly, we must intensify integrated policies with concrete actions to eradicate poverty, reduce...

19 September 2023UN Affairs The President of South Africa, Cyril Ramaphosa, addressed the UN General Assembly on Tuesday, stating that while every human effort should be directed towards realizing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, “our energies have once again been diverted by the scourge of war.” “Over millennia, the human race has demonstrated an enormous capacity for resilience, adaptation, innovation, compassion and solidarity … these qualities must be evident in how we...

18 September 2023Humanitarian Aid UN teams are working tirelessly to deliver vital assistance to communities devastated by the unprecedented floods that hit eastern Libya. Over the weekend, agency staff led missions into Derna, Shahat, Soussa and al Bayda, delivering emergency medical supplies, food, water purification kits and shelter material. ‘Horrific’ situation The situation is “horrific” in Derna, said Rana Ksaifi, leading a UN refugee agency (UNHCR) team to the city. Derna...