By Erol Avdović, WebPublicaPress UNITED NATIONS (IDN) – Informed East River diplomats characterize the United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres as a “tough nut”. Perhaps because he feels he is ‘untouchable’ and believes he is above everybody? But others maintain that he is a man of least resistance – in fear of the mightier above him. […]
SDGs Lead UN General Assembly President’s 2020 Priorities
By Santo D. Banerjee NEW YORK (IDN) – “International peace and security is key to achieving the SDGs, as no development can happen in the absence of peace”, said the President of the 74th session of the UN General Assembly, Tijjani Muhammad-Bande from Nigeria, setting out on January 13 his 2020 priorities, which aim to […]
An Ambitious Global Effort to Deliver The 2030 Promise
By J Nastranis Note: We are a member of the SDG Media Compact. This article is based on UN SDG Media Compact Editorial – 2020 Special Edition. NEW YORK (IDN) – With just ten years to go, an ambitious global effort is being kicked off to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030, which […]
Guterres Calls For De-escalating ‘Dangerous’ Geopolitical Tensions
Iran Ambassador Meets With UNESCO Chief Amid Trump Threats By Ramesh Jaura BERLIN | NEW YORK | PARIS (IDN) – “Stop escalation. Exercise maximum restraint. Re-start dialogue. Renew international cooperation.” This is the four-point message of UN Secretary-General António Guterres spelling out what needs to happen now, in capitals across the world, to de-escalate geopolitical […]
UN Chief Regards Youth As the ‘Greatest Source’ Of Hope
By Santo D. Banerjee NEW YORK (IDN) – With “uncertainty and insecurity all around”, Secretary-General António Guterres has described young people as “the greatest source of hope”. In welcoming the New Year, he said: “The United Nations stands with you and belongs to you”. According to the UN chief, the current situation is characterized by: […]
UN Warns of Growing Inequality Triggering New Great Divergence
By Santo D. Banerjee NEW YORK (IDN) – In the run-up to 2020, the UN has warned that despite remarkable progress on laying a solid foundation for human development, Thailand, like many other countries, is facing challenges in tackling inequality. This is also a theme on which the 2019 Human Development Report (HDR) from the […]
Historic Meeting Wraps Up With Pledges to Boost Opportunities for Refugees
By Tim Gaynor and Matthew Mpoke Bigg, UNHCR GENEVA (IDN) – A historic meeting in Geneva wrapped up on December 18 with wide-ranging and substantial commitments to help millions of refugees and the communities they live in worldwide, including important pledges of new long-term support for their inclusion. “I want to salute the efforts pledged […]
Flashback to the Historic 15th UN General Assembly Session
By Mark Weisenmiller TAMPA, USA (IDN) – The UN General Assembly will celebrate the 60th anniversary of its memorable 15th session in 2020. Never before in history had so many extraordinary historical and political leaders of a century been gathered in one place at the same time. Yet for Frederick H. Bolan of Ireland (President […]
UN Calls for $32 Billion to Battle Humanitarian Crises in 2020
By Jaya Ramachandran GENEVA (IDN) – As 2019 comes to a close, the United Nations has warned that climatic shocks, large infectious disease outbreaks and intensifying, protracted conflicts will constrain nearly 168 million – or one person in 45 on the planet – to seek humanitarian assistance and protection next year in crises spanning more […]
Action Needed to Face Looming Danger of Cyberwar
By Arul Louis * NEW YORK (IDN) – The terrifying potential for cyberwar between nations and also asymmetrical cyberwar by non-state actors now looms over the world with the same intensity of the threat of a nuclear holocaust. The danger was writ large in a recent cyber intrusion into a nuclear power plant in India […]