Millions of people want children but are unable to have them By UNFPA NEW YORK | 18 June 2025 (IDN) — Millions of people are unable to have the number of children they want, but not because they are rejecting parenthood; economic and social barriers are stopping them. This is the central finding of UNFPA’s […]
The Georgetown Agreement — 50th Anniversary of the ACP Group of States — What of the Coming Decades?
By P.I Gomes The writer is a former Ambassador of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana to the European Union and ACP Group of States, Brussels (2005 -2015) and Secretary-General of the ACP Group of States (2015-2020). PORT OF SPAIN | 11 June 2025 (IDN) — On 6 June 1975 in Guyana’s capital city, the signing […]
A Law of the Sea?
By Jonathan Power* LUND, Sweden | 11 June 2025 (IDN) — David Attenborough said in his wondrous new documentary film, “Ocean”, it had taken him a long time in his 99 years of life to understand that for the survival of our planet the oceans are more important than the land. This week as we […]
Russia’s Economic Influence in Africa Lags Behind Its Geopolitical Rhetoric
By Kester Kenn Klomegah* MOSCOW | 10 June 2025 (IDN) — With its Russia-Africa Partnership Forum Action Plan (2023-2026), approved as a working document by the Kremlin, Russia faces a long and winding road, especially in implementing several bilateral agreements signed with African countries. While manoeuvring around challenges and obstacles within Africa, Russia has still […]
UN Calls for Probe as Food Convoy is Destroyed in North Sudan
By J. Nastranis NEW YORK | 4 June 2025 (IDN) — A United Nations humanitarian convoy en route to the famine-stricken city of El Fasher in North Darfur has been attacked and destroyed in the town of Al Koma, currently under the control of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The assault left five people dead […]
The United Nations Confronts a Crisis Necessitating Thorough Reforms
By Simone Galimberti* KATHMANDU, Nepal | 30 May 2025 (IDN) — Is the UN salvageable, or is it doomed to irrelevance and perhaps even a complete collapse? The drastic cuts imposed by the United States on development cooperation following the closure of USAID, combined with a significantly weaker appetite among many traditional donors for international […]
Geledés’ UN Advocacy Creates People of African Descent Stakeholder Group
Historic milestone will benefit People of African Descent diasporas worldwide By Kátia Mello* SÃO PAULO, Brazil | 28 May 2025 (IDN) — The Brazilian NGO Geledés – Black Woman’s Institute, founded and led by black women, has achieved this week a historic milestone with the announcement by the United Nations Major Groups and Other Stakeholders […]
Trump’s Hostility Towards China
By Jonathan Power* LUND, Sweden | 20 May 2025 (IDN) — President Donald Trump’s antagonism towards China existed before the Coronavirus. Despite his bonhomie with President Jinping Xi whenever he meets him, he has gone all out with his trade war. He refuses to negotiate an extension of the nuclear weapons reduction agreement with Russia […]
UN Reform Is Not a Floorplan. It’s a Reckoning
By Stephanie Hodge* UNITED NATIONS | 20 May 2025 (IDN) — Last week’s leaked UN80 reform blueprint offers a sweeping architectural plan for a more “streamlined” UN. It proposes merging development-related entities, relocating operations to Nairobi, cutting senior posts, and centralizing administration through a new Executive Secretariat. It reads like a rebrand of the UN system […]
Heading For Nuclear War?
By Jonathan Power* LUND, Sweden | 13 May 2025 (IDN) — Four years ago, US Strategic Command, the part of the military responsible for nuclear weaponry and its use, posted an official Tweet which read, “We must account for the possibility of a conflict leading to conditions which could very rapidly drive an adversary to […]