Environmental issues and sustainable development

The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) reports that the voluntary repatriation of registered Afghan refugees in Pakistan has been suspended and it has closed several repatriation centres until further notice due to the Government’s precautionary steps to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.

Following is UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ message for World Meteorological Day, to be observed on 23 March:

Following is UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ message for World Water Day, observed on 22 March:

Following is UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ message for the International Day of Forests, observed on 21 March:

Following is UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ briefing to Member States on the twenty-sixth Session of the Conference of the Parties (COP26), in New York today:

The United Nations is following with concern the latest developments in Guyana, particularly allegations that the tabulation of votes from Region 4 was not done according to proper legal procedures, and takes note of statements of concern issued by international observers and ambassadors accredited to Georgetown.

United Nations agencies and their partners launched an appeal today for $877 million to help some 855,000 Rohingya refugees from Myanmar who are in Bangladesh, as well as more than 444,000 vulnerable Bangladeshis in communities generously hosting those refugees.  More than half will fund vital services.

Following are UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed’s remarks, as prepared for delivery, to the African Group’s meeting on repositioning the United Nations development system and reinforcing delivery of the Sustainable Development Goals and advancing climate action, in New York today:

Almost 300,000 people in Burkina Faso have been forced to flee their homes since last December and nearly 766,000 in total are displaced as of today.  More than half the internally displaced have inadequate shelter or none at all, and $10 million has been allocated from the Central Emergency Fund to help them.

Following are UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ remarks at Lahore University of Management Sciences, in Lahore, Pakistan, today: