UNRWA launches 300 million appeal for Gaza and the West Bank Says three years after the Gaza war humanitarian need “acute and widespread” Three years after the end of the Gaza war, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency, UNRWA, has launched an emergency appeal for Gaza and the West Bank worth just over 300 […]

UNHCR helps resettle 33 unaccompanied children from Tunisia to Norway A young boy plays in a special tent run by UNHCR and Save the Children for children, including unaccompanied minors, at Choucha transit camp. CHOUCHA CAMP, Tunisia, January 17 (UNHCR) – The UN refugee agency has helped resettle a group of 33 unaccompanied children who had spent months […]

Ertharin Cousin of United States appointed as head of UN World Food Programme Ambassador Ertharin Cousin at the November 2011 meeting of WFP’s Executive Board in Rome./(Copyright: WFP/Giulio D’Adamo) The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) today welcomed the appointment of Ertharin Cousin of the United States as the new head of the Rome-based agency. Ms. Cousin […]

New mindset needed to tackle non-communicable diseases, says UN official Margaret Chan, Director-General of the World Health Organization. UN Photo/Paulo Filgueiras Countries need to change their current mindset to successfully tackle non-communicable diseases (NCDs), the head of the United Nations World Health Organization (WHO) said today, adding that governments will need to explore new approaches […]

Cote d’Ivoire: UN relief official reviews situation nine months after poll violence Assistant Secretary-General Catherine Bragg. UN Photo/Evan Schneider A senior United Nations relief official is in Côte d’Ivoire to assess the humanitarian situation after the bloody post-electoral crisis that rocked the country early last year and draw international attention to remaining challenges. Catherine Bragg, […]

UN urges achieving sustainable energy for all as International Year kicks off Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon speaks at the opening ceremony of the World Future Energy Summit 2012 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. UN Photo/Evan Schneider As the International Year of Sustainable Energy for All kicked off today, United Nations officials called on governments, the […]

UN partners with European Commission to promote ‘climate-smart’ agriculture A woman farmer The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the European Commission are teaming up to help Malawi, Viet Nam and Zambia transition to a “climate-smart” approach to agriculture. The €5.3 million project announced today seeks to make changes in farming systems that […]

WHO Director-General addresses the Executive Board Dr Margaret Chan Director-General of the World Health Organization Margaret Chan, Director-General of the World Health Organization. UN Photo/Paulo Filgueiras Report by the Director-General to the Executive Board at its 130th Session  16 January 2012 Mister Chairman, distinguished members of the Executive Board, excellencies, ambassadors, representatives of the diplomatic […]

South-bound but stranded in Sudan After waiting for over a year to go to South Sudan, some southerners have set up home in abandoned train carriages at Khartoum’s Shajara railway station. KHARTOUM, Sudan, January 16 (UNHCR) – At first glance it looks like a junkyard, strewn with piles of broken furniture, rusty metal beams and doors ripped off […]

UN chief urges Syrian President to stop killing his own people Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon addresses high-level meeting on Reform and Transitions to Democracy in Beirut. UN Photo/Evan Schneider Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today renewed his call on the Syrian leadership to end the ongoing bloodshed in the country, stating that the era of one-man rule and the […]