UNITED NATIONS – Page 16 – IDN-InDepthNews

SYNDICATION, UNITED NATIONS2016-01-042023-07-12

UN Expert Resigns as Israel Denies Access to Occupied Palestinian Territory

NEW YORK (INPS) – The United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Occupied Palestinian territories is resigning due to Israel’s failure to grant him access to the areas he is tasked with monitoring, according to the UN News Service.

“Unfortunately, my efforts to help improve the lives of Palestinian victims of violations under the Israeli occupation have been frustrated every step of the way,” Makarim Wibisono said of his resignation, which he submitted to the President of the Geneva-based UN Human Rights Council on January 4, to become effective as of March 31.

SYNDICATION, UNITED NATIONS2016-01-022023-07-12

UN Embarks on a New Process to Choose Ban’s Successor

By Ramesh Jaura | IDN-InDepthNews Analysis

BERLIN | NEW YORK (IDN) – UN Seretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s successor will not be elected by a secret ballot by the 193 member states of the United Nations. But the General Assembly and the Security Council presidents have agreed on a selection process that might mark a watershed.

According to the UN Charter, the Secretary-General is appointed by the General Assembly following the recommendation of the Security Council. The format agreed by the General Assembly President Mogens Lykketoft and the President of the Security Council Samantha Power does not axe the powers exercised particularly by the Council.

SYNDICATION, UNITED NATIONS2016-01-012023-07-12

UN Urges Swift Implementation of Japan-Korea Landmark Accord

By J Nastranis | IDN-InDepthNews Report

NEW YORK (IDN) – Nearly one-and-a-half years ago, the United Nations Human Rights Commissioner Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein’s predecessor, Navi Pillay, expressed profound regret that Japan had not provided effective redress to Korean victims of wartime sexual slavery leading back to the end of the Second World War.

The agreement reached on December 28 after protracted negotiations between Japan and South Korea – with support by UN human rights experts – seeks to redress the international community has been asking for. According to UN News, the accord reportedly involves an official apology from Japan and a promised payment of $8.3 million for the victims.

SYNDICATION, UNITED NATIONS2015-12-312023-07-12

Historic UN Tribunal on Rwandan Genocide Closes after 21 Years

NEW YORK (INPS) – The United Nations tribunal set up 21 years ago to judge those guilty for the genocide in Rwanda of more than 800,000 people – overwhelmingly Tutsi, and also moderate Hutu, Twa and others – formally closed on December 31 after delivering 45 judgments as part of the Organization’s efforts to stamp out impunity for crimes against humanity.

It became the first international tribunal to issue a judgement against a Head of Government since the Nuremburg and Tokyo Tribunals just after the Second World War, when it condemned former Interim Government Prime Minister Jean Kambanda to life imprisonment in 1998. Read in Japanese

SYNDICATION, UNITED NATIONS2015-12-282023-07-12

Treaty to Ban Nuclear Weapons High on UN Agenda in 2016

By Jamshed Baruah | IDN-InDepthNews Analysis

BERLIN | NEW YORK (IDN) – An open-ended working group of the United Nations General Assembly for achieving a nuclear-weapon-free world is, along with the Sustainable Development Goals, an important agenda item that the year 2015 has bequeathed to 2016.

SYNDICATION, UNITED NATIONS2015-12-262023-07-12

Ban Ki-moon Unhappy With UN’s 5.4 Billion Dollar Budget

By J Nastranis | IDN-InDepthNews Analysis

A wide view of the General Assembly. UN Photo/Rick Bajornas (file)

NEW YORK (IDN) – Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is far from satisfied with a budget of $5.4 billion the 193-member General Assembly adopted on December 23 for the United Nations to carry out its vital work in 2016 and 2017. This two-year budget is less than 7% of the $77.7 billion preliminary budget New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio proposed for 2016 in February 2015.

SYNDICATION, UNITED NATIONS2015-12-252023-07-12

UN Condemns Destruction of World Heritage Sites as ‘War Crimes’

By Jaya Ramachandran | IDN-InDepthNews Feature

Ancient City of Bosra, Syrian, World Heritage site. Photo: ©UNESCO/Véronique Dauge

PARIS (IDN) – With extremist assaults continuing unabated on striking symbols of Syria’s cultural diversity, the United Nations has condemned archaeological devastation of yet another major World Heritage site. Earlier, in October, it had declared such acts as “war crimes” and assured that those responsible “would be tried and punished”.

SYNDICATION, UNITED NATIONS2015-12-122023-07-12

Paris Climate Agreement Promises to be UN Chief’s Legacy

By J Nastranis | IDN-InDepthNews Analysis

NEW YORK | PARIS (IDN) – Ban Ki-moon has reason to be sure that when he completes his second term as the Secretary-General of the United Nations end of December 2016, he would have left behind a proud legacy.

Climate change has been “one of the defining priorities” of his tenure since January 2007, when he took over as Secretary-General. In his remarks at the closing of COP21, Ban stressed: “Over the past nine years, I have spoken repeatedly with nearly every world leader. I have visited the climate front lines, from the Arctic to Antarctica and to the Amazon, from the Sahel to the Aral Sea. I have been to Pacific Islands that are sinking under the waves.”

SYNDICATION, UNITED NATIONS2015-12-112023-07-12

First Ever UN Security Council Resolution on Youth, Peace and Security

By J Nastranis | IDN-InDepthNews Report

NEW YORK (IDN) – The United Nations Security Council has adopted a resolution on youth, peace and security, which for the first time in its history focuses entirely on the role of young men and women in peace-building and countering violent extremism.

The resolution, sponsored by Jordan, embodies an unprecedented acknowledgment of the urgent need to engage young peace-builders in promoting peace and frustrating extremism. Adopted on December 9, 2015 it also regards the youth and youth-led organizations as important partners in the global efforts to thwart violent extremism and promote lasting peace.

SYNDICATION, UNITED NATIONS2015-12-082023-07-12

Progress in Containing HIV/AIDS, But No Cause for Complacency

By Somar Wijayadasa* | IDN-InDepthNews Analyis

NEW YORK (IDN) – Almost all countries of the world commemorated the World AIDS Day on December 1 with statements that exhibit optimism that the HIV/AIDS epidemic is finally on its last leg.

Despite tremendous progress in containing the pandemic, the Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) estimates that, in 2014, there were “over 2 million new HIV infections”.