UN News

• FROM THE FIELD: Protecting the post-pandemic planet
  An emphasis on sustainable development and fighting climate change will benefit countries around the world as they recover from the unprecedented economic and social impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, says the UN Development Programme, (UNDP).
• President Ghani sets out ‘clear plan’ to advance UN values in Afghanistan
  President Ashraf Ghani of Afghanistan told the 75th session of the UN General Assembly on Wednesday that his country was moving into the next five years “with a clear plan for progressing the values of the UN”, which are enshrined in its own constitution.
• Despite military wins against extremists, Iraq’s combat against terrorism is ‘far from won’, says President Salih
  Before and after the emergence of the coronavirus, Iraq faced epidemics that were “no less deadly and dangerous to the world – terrorism and corruption,” President Barham Salih told world leaders in a pre-recorded address to the UN General Assembly. 
• At UN Assembly, Lebanese leader appeals for help to rebuild after Beirut explosion
  Lebanon will need support from the international community to rebuild in the aftermath of the devastating explosion in the port of its capital, Beirut, the country’s President told world leaders, gathered virtually at the United Nations General Assembly.  
• ‘COVID-19 has exposed our past mistakes and failures’ says Kazakhstan President
  The COVID-19 pandemic has been a stress test for the world, and has exposed our past mistakes and failures, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, the President of Kazakhstan, told world leaders, during his address to the General Debate of the UN General Assembly on Wednesday.
• Saudi King outlines country’s contributions to pandemic response, denounces attack on its oil facilities
  Saudi Arabia continues to promote global response efforts and help countries reeling under the devastating impact of COVID-19, King Salman Bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud told world leaders, gathered virtually at the United Nations General Assembly. 
• Guterres advocates for digital world that ‘strengthens human rights, advances peace’
  Amidst a technological era that “beckons with vast opportunity”, new risks exist to global peace, stability and development, the UN chief told a side event of the General Assembly on Wednesday, aiming to help ensure access to digital technologies for all.
• Countries urged to act against COVID-19 ‘infodemic’
  The UN and partners have urged countries to take urgent action to address what they have described as the “infodemic” that has surfaced in tandem with the COVID-19 pandemic, both in the real world and online. 
• Put ‘people before politics’ in Lebanon, urges Guterres, following Beirut disaster
  It’s time that leaders across Lebanon put “people before politics” following last month’s explosions in Beirut port, said the UN chief on Wednesday, which must serve as a wake-up call following a year of upheaval and clamour for reform on all fronts.
• European unity is an example to the world: Bosnia and Herzegovina Head of State
  Šefik Džaferović, the Bosnia and Herzegovina Head of State, used his address to the General Debate of the General Assembly on Wednesday to praise the European Union’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the help it has given to non-EU countries, such as his own.
• Impact on workers of COVID-19 is ‘catastrophic’: ILO 
  COVID-19 has had a “catastrophic” impact on workers, the head of the International Labour Organization (ILO) said on Wednesday, with lost working hours higher than originally forecast, and equivalent to 495 million full-time jobs globally in the second quarter of the year. 
• UN stands ready to support landlocked nations in pandemic recovery
  The UN system is standing in solidarity with landlocked developing countries, which lack access to vital trade links, and supporting them in their efforts to rebuild once the global coronavirus pandemic abates, Secretary-General António Guterres said on Wednesday. 
• We learnt lessons from the Ebola outbreak; DR Congo President says country moved swiftly to curb coronavirus spread
  Learning its lessons from the Ebola outbreak, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) took swift and decisive measures to contain the spread of the coronavirus, when the first cases were detected in March, the country’s President told world leaders, gathered virtually, at the UN General Assembly. 
• Mali: Rights expert calls for ‘immediate release’ of former officials detained during coup
  An independent UN human rights expert has called on Mali’s coup leaders to release former government officials, who have been detained for more than a month. 
• Sri Lankan President calls on WHO to facilitate ‘universal access’ to COVID vaccine
  The President of Sri Lanka has highlighted the success of his country’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, underscoring the importance of a well-coordinated approach, underpinned by robust local health care system, to contain the disease. 
• Sign of the times: COVID-19 response and recovery must be accessible says Guterres
  This year’s International Day of Sign Languages is being commemorated in the midst of a pandemic that has “disrupted and upended lives everywhere”, including those of the deaf community, the UN chief said on Wednesday.
• The UN is not a building in New York city, it is our commitment to future generations, Indonesian President tells world leaders
  Amidst the coronavirus pandemic, the United Nations needs to prove “multilateralism delivers”, the President of Indonesia has said, telling world leaders, gathered virtually “all of us bear the responsibility” to further strengthen the global Organization. 
• As UN turns 75, multilateral milestones show successes and ‘how much remains to be done’ – Kagame
  In a virtual address to the UN General Assembly’s annual general debate, the President of Rwanda on Tuesday noted that while milestones on gender, climate and development have demonstrated the achievements of multilateral action, they also serve to remind “how much remains to be done”.
• Pandemic has exposed need for better cooperation mechanisms in crisis situations, Colombian President tells UN
  Facing the coronavirus pandemic, the global community is at an inflection point, which should spur fresh thinking about broader international cooperation and way to ensure a sustainable and fair future for all, Iván Duque, the President of Colombia told the UN General Assembly on Tuesday. 
• COVID-19 pandemic should be ‘shock’ to UN, revive multilateral order, France’s Macron tells world leaders
  The coronavirus pandemic requires cooperation between nations and should serve as an “electric shock” to wake up the United Nations, French President Emmanuel Macron stressed on Tuesday during the General Assembly’s annual high-level debate, held virtually this year.
• Forgetting lesson of history ‘short-sighted’, Russia’s Putin says, calls for cooperation to tackle health challenges
  Addressing the General Assembly’s annual high-level debate, Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday called on the international community to strengthen cooperation on a range of pressing issues and praised the UN’s successes, particularly through adherence to the world body’s Charter, in ensuring the post-war peace. 
• Iran not a ‘bargaining chip’, President Rouhani tells world leaders at UN
  Iran is not a “bargaining chip” to be factored into elections and domestic policy in the United States, the country’s President, Hassan Rouhani has said, stressing that the overall era of dominance and hegemony by a few world powers is “long over.” 
• Republic of Korea stresses support for developing nations during COVID-19
  The President of the Republic of Korea has signaled his country’s support to developing nations during the COVID-19 pandemic, which includes ensuring they have equitable access to any vaccines against the deadly new coronavirus.  
• South African President warns pandemic has set back African development
  Despite the continent-wide approach taken by African countries to combat COVID-19, the pandemic has set back their development aspirations, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa told world leaders at the UN General Assembly on Tuesday.
• ‘Joint action’ indispensable in addressing global challenges – Emir of Qatar 
  As the world enters the threshold of the century’s third decade, it continues to face “emerging and unprecedented challenges”, Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani, Emir of Qatar, told the opening session of the UN High-level General Debate on Tuesday.