By J Nastranis NEW YORK | 17 July 2024 (IDN) — “Nelson Mandela showed us the extraordinary difference one person can make in building a better world,” says UN Secretary-General António Guterres, ahead of this year’s Nelson Mandela International Day on 18 July—which reminds us, he adds that “combatting poverty and inequality is in our […]
The Ukraine War Could Have Been Averted If the UN Charter Had Been Observed
By Michael von der Schulenburg* BRUSSELS | 11 July 2024 (IDN) — As the war in Ukraine continues, we must once again ask ourselves perhaps the most important question about a peaceful future for humanity: can there be a world in which peace and an international order can be guaranteed by joint agreements between states, […]
Geneva Is a Western, And Not Global, Hub for Multilateralism
By Kasmira Jefford GENEVA | 10 July 2024 (IDN | Geneva Solutions) — A study revealing international Geneva’s largely western donor base suggests the city is not as global as it claims. Donor contributions to international organisations in Geneva have almost quintupled over the last two decades, according to a study released by the Geneva […]
History: Bogged Down in Iraq, US Crawls Back To UN
By Rodney Reynolds UNITED NATIONS | 30 June 2024 (IDN) — After the US invasion of Iraq in March 2003, in what transpired as a fruitless search for weapons of mass destruction (WMDs) that did not exist, IDN’s Editor-at-Large Thalif Deen, a senior UN correspondent, wrote a series of articles strongly critical of the invasion […]
Giant Wall Mural on Sustainable Development Goals Inaugurated
By Reinhard Jacobsen VIENNA | 28 June 2024 (IDN) — The gigantic mural painting, “Woman with Dove – Shaping Our Common Future”, has been inaugurated at a special ceremony at the United Nations headquarters in Austria’s capital city. Representatives of Host Country, City of Vienna, 22nd municipal district, the United Nations and the Calle Libre […]
Global South Leaders Call for Equitable Economy and Renewed Multilateralism
By Jaya Ramachandran GENEVA | 20 June 2024 (IDN) — Over 1,100 participants from 152 countries convened in Geneva for the three-day Global Leaders Forum to mark 60 years of UNCTAD, under the theme “Charting a new development course in a changing world”. Discussions focussed on shaping a vision for inclusive prosperity amidst global crises, […]
UN Keen to Tackle Global Refugee Crisis and Statelessness
By Ramesh Jaura BERLIN | 16 June 2024 (IDN) — While the European focus is on the Russo-Ukrainian war, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is concerned about those crossing terrain such as deserts and seas without adequate resources to escape war, poverty, or climate catastrophe—often at risk of losing their lives or […]
The Highest Number of UN Staffers Killed in Conflicts in 79 Years
By Thalif Deen UNITED NATIONS | 8 June 2024 (IDN) —The growing military conflicts worldwide—and specifically the eight-month-old war in Gaza—are continuing to claim the lives of both UN staffers and UN peacekeepers. At the June 6 memorial service for fallen staff members, UN Secretary-General António Guterres said: “We remember and honour the 188 United […]
UN Conference Assures Small Island Developing States a New Era Of Resilience
By J C Suresh TORONTO | ST. JOHN’S, Antigua and Barbuda | 1 June 2024 (IDN) — The United Nations Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed has emphasized the need for investment in Small Island Developing States (SIDS). She made these remarks as the Fourth International Conference on Small Island Developing States (SIDS4) wrapped up on 30 […]
Turning Development Challenges into Opportunities
By Amanda K Serumaga The author is the UNDP Resident Representative, Mauritius and Seychelles. VICTORIA| 30 May 2024 (IDN) — An archipelago of 115 islands in the Indian Ocean, Seychelles has a population of just over 100,000 in an area covering 457 square kilometres. But while it is classified as a high-income country, this Small […]