Calling strongly today for an end to the deadly tit-for-tat violence between two of South Sudan’s main nomadic tribes, the top United Nations official for the fledgling country condemned with equal vigour the ongoing use of hate speech to sow seeds of ethnic division in the flashpoint region of Jonglei.
In progress at UNHQ
Press Conference
The international response to the 2011 famine in Somalia had had a “tremendous impact” in reducing mortality and raising nutritional well-being, but the fragility of the situation had led to a record humanitarian appeal this year, the top United Nations relief official in the country said today.
With climate change promising to be one of the biggest factors in global investment for the foreseeable future, investors were changing the way in which they did business and catalysing new energy solutions along the way, experts said at Headquarters today.
The voices of more than 80 per cent of the world’s population — represented at the United Nations by the “Group of 77” developing countries and China — would be heard loudly in 2012, Algerian Foreign Minister Mourad Medelci said today at a Headquarters press conference after his country took over the bloc’s chairmanship.
The Security Council would hold five briefings, 11 closed consultations and three formal debates in January, covering the Middle East, justice and the rule of law, and cooperation between the United Nations and the African Union, according to the programme of work outlined by Council President Baso Sangqu (South Africa) at Headquarters today.
In the face of inter-ethnic conflict, the Government of South Sudan, supported by the locally based United Nations Mission, had taken decisive steps to evacuate civilians and deter spiralling violence, a senior official of the world body said at a Headquarters press conference today.
The Russian Federation wanted Security Council action to end violence in Syria, but not if it would become an “auxiliary of regime-change policy”, Council President Vitaly Churkin said at Headquarters today.
From being increasingly vocal on human rights to taking decisions on tackling non-communicable diseases, the General Assembly had taken great strides in its current session during an “eventful and demanding” year for the United Nations, the Assembly President told journalists today at Headquarters. Speaking at a year-end press conference, Nasser Abdulaziz al-Nasser outlined some of the achievements made over the first three months of his tenure.
“The transition process in Yemen is moving forward with the participation of all sides,” the Special Adviser dealing with the situation in that troubled country said at Headquarters today, adding that the United Nations would continue to support the 10-day old unity Government as it implemented a landmark power-transfer accord that would “hopefully steer the country towards stability and reform”.
To remain relevant as the world’s only forum for cases beyond national jurisdiction and capabilities, the International Criminal Court must cement commitments to bolster its annual budget, improve its election process and eliminate some weaker practices, members of a coalition of 2,500 civil society organizations in 150 countries said today at a Headquarters press conference.