UN Insider

Photo: Afro-Latinos. Source: World Bank.

Fulfil the Rights of Afro-descendants in Latin America and the Caribbean

Viewpoint by Natalia Kanem

Following are extensive extracts from the Statement by UNFPA Executive Director Dr. Natalia Kanem at the High-level Meeting on "Accelerating global action for the fulfilment of rights for Afro-descendant people in Latin America and the Caribbean", San José, Costa Rica, in October 2019.

NEW YORK (IDN-INPS) – Leave no one behind – that is the global community’s ambitious pledge. And the Sustainable Development Goals call on us to reach those furthest behind first.

How do we accelerate global action to fulfil the rights of Afro-descendants, who are often among those furthest behind in Latin America and the Caribbean?

How do we combat discrimination, inequalities and the root causes of exclusion?

: Phil Harris; THE WORLD; Latin America & the Caribbean; 11 November 2019

Photo: Agnès Callamard, the Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, OHCHR. Source: UN News.

The UN Experts Shining a Light on Human Rights Violations

By Sean Buchanan

NEW YORK (IDN) – The experts who fan out across the world to research, hold consultations and gather information on a vast range of human rights violations often find themselves caught in the crosshairs of international and domestic politics. Independent of governments and institutions – including the UN’s Human Rights Council which appoints them.

They occupy a unique investigative role that allows them to shine a light on alleged violations perpetrated across the world, with mandates to “report and advise”, both as specialists focusing on specific forms of abuse of international human rights law such as torture, human trafficking or the right to privacy, but also to carry out country-specific investigations.

: Phil Harris; SUSTAINABILITY; Peace & Justice; 10 November 2019

Photo: CSO Roundtable with Executive Directors at 2019 Annual Meetings. © World Bank.

Four Reasons the World Bank Should Engage More with Civil Society

Viewpoint by Patricia Moreira

Patricia Moreira is Managing Director of Transparency International, the global civil society organisation at the forefront of the fight against corruption. This viewpoint originally appeared on the World Bank blog.

BERLIN (IDN) - In recent years, we have witnessed a significant shift in approach of both the World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF) to addressing the concerns of civil society and recognising their contribution to development outcomes.

: Phil Harris; OPINION; 10 November 2019

India To Host the UN Conference on Migratory Species

By Rita Joshi

BONN (IDN) – Based on an ancient Sanskrit saying, the theme ‘Migratory species connect the planet and together we welcome them home’ will guide the 13th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS COP13) in Gandhinagar, a planned city in the western Indian state of Gujarat.

Some 1,500 representatives of national governments, international organizations, scientists, conservation groups and other wildlife experts – together with the associated meetings of the Standing Committee – will discuss the topic from February 15 to 22, 2020.

: Rita Joshi; SUSTAINABILITY; Forests, desertification, land degradation & biodiversity; 09 November 2019

Photo: Secretary-General António Guterres delivers a keynote address at the 81st Anniversary Commemoration of Kristallnacht at the Museum of Jewish Heritage, in New York. Credit: UN/Antonio Ferrari.

Holocaust Is Not Long Ago and Not Far Away

Viewpoint by António Guterres

Following are extensive extracts from UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ speech on 7 November 2019 at the Museum of Jewish Heritage in New York which was marking the 81st anniversary of the Kristallnacht pogrom carried out by the Nazi regime. Underlining his continued fight to stamp out antisemitism, racism and other forms of hatred, he accentuated that since nobody is born to hate, intolerance can be prevented and unlearned.

NEW YORK (IDN-INPS) – Kristallnacht was not just the night of broken glass; it was the night of broken lives, broken families, broken societies, broken dreams.

: UN Bureau; OPINION; 08 November 2019

79-Nation ACP Promotes SDGs Jointly with the Private Sector

By Reinhard Jacobsen

BRUSSELS (IDN) – The African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Group of States is committed to helping achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for the 79 countries in its fold. In doing so, it subscribes to the view that to realise the 17 Goals as outlined in Agenda 2030 will require actors across public and private sectors to work together.

: Reinhard Jacobsen; GLOBAL GOVERNANCE; ACP Group of States; 05 November 2019

UN Warns of Damage US-China Trade War Is Wreaking

By Jamshed Baruah

GENEVA (IDN | UNCTAD) – The ongoing U.S.-China trade war is not only hurting both countries but also affecting the stability of the global economy and jeopardizing future growth prospects, warns the UN in a new paper and adds that while China is losing, other economies – such as Taiwan, Mexico, the European Union and Viet Nam – are gaining.

The study, Trade and trade diversion effects of United States tariffs on China, shows that the trade war has resulted in a sharp decline in bilateral trade, higher prices for consumers and trade diversion effects such as increased imports from countries not directly involved in the trade war.

: Jamshed Baruah; UN INSIDER; 05 November 2019

Image: Geneva Conventions of August 12, 1949 and the Protocol Additional adopted in 1977. Source: history.com

Upholding International Humanitarian Law in Times of Armed Violence

Viewpoint by Rene Wadlow, President, Association of World Citizens

GENEVA (IDN) – The entry of Turkish troops into what they call a "safe zone" on the frontier of Turkey and northeast Syria and especially the actions of Turkish-backed Syrian militias has raised in a dramatic way the issue of respect of international humanitarian law. Regular military personnel of all countries are theoretically informed of the rules of the Geneva Conventions of August 12, 1949 and the Protocol Additional adopted in 1977.

: Rene Wadlow; OPINION; 05 November 2019

Photo: Secretary-General António Guterres speaks to the press after addressing the ASEAN Summit in Bangkok, Thailand. (3 November 2019). Credit: UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP).

UN Chief Lauds ‘Quantum Leap’ on Multiple Issues in ASEAN-UN Relations

Secretary-General António Guterres’ Press Encounter

Following are extensive extracts from UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ press encounter on 3 November 2019 following the ASEAN-UN Summit.

BANGKOK (IDN-INPS) – I am extremely happy with the UN ASEAN summit. Two years ago, I asked for a quantum leap in relations between ASEAN and the UN and we can, today, verify that that a quantum leap happened.

: UN Bureau; OPINION; 04 November 2019

Do Everything Possible to Avert ‘Great Fracture’

Viewpoint by António Guterres

Following are extensive extracts from UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ opening remarks for the 10th ASEAN-UN summit in Bangkok on 3 November 2019. ASEAN is the Association of Southeast Asian Nations comprising ten countries in Southeast Asia – Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. Thailand is the Chair of ASEAN for 2019 and the theme of its ASEAN Chairmanship is “Advancing Partnership for Sustainability”.

BANGKOK (IDN) – I thank you for your focus at this Summit on ‘Advancing partnership for sustainability’.