People from around the world had an opportunity to join the global conversation to shape the future development agenda by participating in an innovative initiative known as MY World, Olav Kjørven, Assistant Secretary General and Director of the Bureau for Development Policy at the United Nations Development Programme, said today at a Headquarters press conference.

In Jordan today, UN High Commissioner for Refugees António Guterres urged donors to approve extraordinary funds to help Syrian refugees and host countries. While praising Jordan’s efforts, he warned of devastating consequences — for both the Syrian people and for regional stability — if funding levels do not rise.

Unprecedented human development gains across the developing world were radically reshaping the international power balance and making the global North and South increasingly interdependent, according to this year’s Human Development Report of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), presented at a Headquarters news conference and ahead of its official launch in Mexico City on 14 March.

The World Food Programme (WFP) said today that funding shortages were making it difficult for WFP to expand its emergency operation to feed millions of conflict-affected people. Executive Director Ertharin Cousin said that as the crisis enters its third year, now is not the time to reduce or stop WFP operations.

Amid the prevailing historic change and unprecedented political, economic and social challenges, it was more important than ever to promote cooperative and constructive dialogue among peoples of different faiths, religions and ethnic groups, the United Nations High Representative for the Alliance of Civilizations said at Headquarters today.

A common index to determine which cities were the safest and least safe in the short and medium terms would be established within the next month, Joan Clos, Executive Director of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat), said at a Headquarters press conference today.

The UN refugee agency is increasingly worried by the situation in south-eastern Central African Republic, where attacks this week are posing additional risks to the civilian population, including Congolese refugees. On Monday, Séléka rebels attacked and took over the town of Bangassou. As well as presenting a security risk, the Séléka advance is further compromising the refugee agency’s access to refugees and internally displaced populations.

The Secretary-General told the Arms Trade Treaty Conference today that, after a very long journey, our final destination is in sight: a robust arms trade treaty. Poorly regulated arms affects every dimension of the UN’s work and it is time to overcome past setbacks in the treaty process and deliver.

While reaching consensus on the Final United Nations Conference on the Arms Trade Treaty was a laudable aim, the main focus of the resumed negotiations should be “getting it right” and ensuring that a strong treaty emerged from the discussions, a civil society representative said at a Headquarters press conference today.

The UN Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo has welcomed the surrender of the Congolese rebel Jean Bosco Ntaganda, and the decision by the United States to transfer him to The Hague, where he is wanted by the International Criminal Court for war crimes and crimes against humanity allegedly committed in Ituri between 2001 and 2003.