By UN News UNITED NATIONS | 1 March 2024 (IDN) — Repeated warnings from humanitarians over desperate food insecurity and imminent famine in Gaza came into focus on Friday amid reports from the enclave’s authorities that a tenth child had died from malnutrition and dehydration. “The official records yesterday or this morning said there was […]
Need to Invigorate the Nuclear Disarmament Process
By Dr. J. Enkhsaikhan The writer is Chairman of Blue Banner NGO and Former Permanent Representative of Mongolia to the United Nations. ULAANBAATAR, Mongolia | 28 February 2024 (IDN) — Despite or perhaps because of the increase in geopolitical tensions, conflicts and the rise in the risks of nuclear weapons use, it is high time […]
Peace Negotiations Alone Can Save Ukraine
By Michael von der Schulenburg* The Ukrainian war must not go into a third year. BERLIN | 28 February 2024 (IDN) — Recently, the majority of members of the German Bundestag (federal parliament) declared their unrestricted support to Ukraine’s war aims: “Regaining full territorial integrity within the borders recognized in 1991“. With it, the Bundestag […]
Deadlock Over Disarmament ‘Not Acceptable’: Guterres
GENEVA | 28 February 2024 (IDN | UN Geneva) — Amid geopolitical divides, arms competition, increasingly dangerous new technologies and an elevated nuclear risk, the Secretary-General highlighted his concern that the UN Conference on Disarmament is consistently failing to deliver. The Conference, which was established with the primary goal of fostering cooperation for mutual disarmament, […]
DR Congo: Who Will Fill the Power Vacuum When Blue Helmets Leave?
By Manuel Wollschläger The Under-Secretary-General for UN Peace Operations, Jean-Pierre Lacroix (left), visited on 13 February the eastern part of DR Congo, with stops in Goma, Beni and Bukavu. Photo: MONUSCOW The IPS-Journal published the following article on 16 February. The author is the Head of the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung’s office in the Democratic Republic of Congo. […]
Cautious Hope for African Economies in 2024
By Franck Kuwonu This article appeared in the January 2024 issue of Africa Renewal E-Magazine. NEW YORK | 24 February 2024 (IDN) — As African economies look to the new year, countries are poised to make moderate economic gains but must navigate the maze of domestic and international challenges. According to the UN World Economic […]
FAO Chief Pleads for Peace, Right to Food and Global Governance Reforms
By Jaya Ramachandran RIO DE JANEIRO | 23 February 2024 (IDN) — The Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), Mr. QU Dongyu, has called for peace, recognition of the right to food, and reform of multilateral institutions as cardinal imperatives. Addressing the first session of the G20 Foreign Affairs […]
Still No End in Sight to The Devastating Gaza War
By Tor Wennesland The following are extensive excerpts from the Briefing by the UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, on the Situation in the Middle East. UNITED NATIONS | 22 February 2024 (IDN) — As we approach 140 days of devastating war, there is still no end in sight. No end to […]
Gaza War: Biden Still Has the Chance to Prevent Genocide
By Jeffrey D. Sachs* This article was published in Common Dreams and is being republished with the author’s permission. NEW YORK | 20 February 2024 (IDN) — The cabinet of Israel’s Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu is filled with religious extremists who believe that Israel’s brutality in Gaza is at God’s command. According to the Book […]
Ending the Existential Risks of the Menace of Nuclear Weapons
By Tariq Rauf* VIENNA | 20 February 2024 (IDN) — Following the Trinity nuclear test detonation of 16 July 1945, nuclear scientist Leó Szilárd observed: “Almost without exception, all the creative physicists had misgivings about the use of the bomb” and further that “[President] Truman did not understand at all what was involved regarding nuclear […]