Source: United Nations Office at Geneva (UNOG) |

Sudan: Children dying amid healthcare system collapse

Over 3,100 suspected measles cases and more than 500 suspected cholera cases were reported from 15 May to 15 September in Sudan, along with outbreaks of dengue and malaria.

According to the UN refugee agency (UNCHR) and the World Health Organization (WHO), the children were refugees living in nine camps in Sudan’s White Nile state.  UN refugee chief Filippo Grandi insisted that the world had “the means and the money” to prevent every one of those deaths.  He called…

Source: United Nations Office at Geneva (UNOG) |

Malawi: Truck drivers learn about risks of human trafficking

Feckson Chimodzi, a truck driver who transports farming products from countries in Southern Africa into Malawi and also participated in the course

Truck drivers in southern Africa who have been recruited to traffic or smuggle people illegally are learning about the risks involved thanks to the UN drugs and crime agency, UNODC. “I used to transport sugar from Malawi,” said an anonymous driver, who was arrested for migrant trafficking. “In 2016, I…

Source: United Nations Office at Geneva (UNOG) |

Guterres concerned over continued detention of Niger’s President

The Secretary-General is concerned over the continued detention of President Bazoum and the failure so far to restore constitutional order in Niger

UN Secretary-General António Guterres has underlined his support for ongoing mediation efforts by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in the wake of the 26 July attempted coup in Niger, his Office said on Monday.  ECOWAS is scheduled to hold another meeting on the crisis on Thursday in…

Source: United Nations Office at Geneva (UNOG) |

New Permanent Representative of Chad Presents Credentials to the Director-General of the United Nations Office at Geneva

He held the position of Regional Tobacco Control Advisor for the World Health Organization’s Regional Office for Africa from 2005 to 2010

Jean Pierre Baptiste, the new Permanent Representative of Chad to the United Nations Office at Geneva, today presented his credentials to Tatiana Valovaya, the Director-General of the United Nations Office at Geneva. Prior to his appointment to Geneva, Mr. Baptiste had been serving as the World Health Organization Representative in…

Source: United Nations Office at Geneva (UNOG) |

South Sudan: United Nations agencies urge immediate action to avert deepening food crisis

Scaled-up and sustained action is needed to respond to the ongoing hunger crisis, avoid further setbacks, and mitigate future crises

During a three-day visit to the country, Qu Dongyu, Director General of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO); Cindy McCain, Executive Director of the World Food Programme (WFP); and Alvaro Lario, President of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) witnessed the devastating effects of severe weather events and a lack of…

Source: United Nations Office at Geneva (UNOG) |

In Burundi, Guterres outlines challenges facing the region

The current crisis in the region underscores the need to redouble efforts to fully implement the commitments of the Framework agreement

Armed groups – both local and foreign – must lay down their arms in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), and efforts must be redoubled to advance a lasting, sustainable peace in the region, the UN chief said on Friday during his first visit to the African nation as…

Source: United Nations Office at Geneva (UNOG) |

United Nations (UN) advisory board charts fresh path to better global governance

The recommendations include strengthening the global architecture for peace, security, and finance, delivering just transitions for climate and digitalization, and ensuring more equity and fairness in global decision-making

There needs to be a major shift in global governance to better tackle such current and looming challenges as the climate crisis and rising security threats, according to a new UN report published on Tuesday. Launched by the UN’s High-Level Advisory Board on Effective Multilateralism, A Breakthrough for People and Planet: Effective and…

Source: United Nations Office at Geneva (UNOG) |

United Nations rights chief calls for action to address Central Mediterranean Sea migrant crisis

Most migrants come from Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea, Bangladesh, Tunisia and Pakistan, and they departed from Libya and Tunisia

The sharp rise in migrants and asylum-seekers making the deadly Central Mediterranean crossing into Europe requires urgent action to save lives, UN High Commission for Human Rights Volker Türk said on Thursday.   Since 2014, over 26,000 people have died or gone missing crossing the Mediterranean Sea.  Most of these deaths or disappearances,…

Source: United Nations Office at Geneva (UNOG) |

‘Fully financing’ HIV response in Africa will save millions of lives: Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS)

The report demonstrates that failing to mobilise the required funding to end AIDS as a public health threat by 2030 has substantial health, social and economic costs

Fully financing the HIV response in Africa will produce substantial health, social and economic gains for the continent, a new report backed by the UN agency devoted to ending AIDS (UNAIDS) has revealed. The report based on research by the Economist Impact partnership across 13 African countries, A Triple Dividend: The health, social and…

Source: United Nations Office at Geneva (UNOG) |

The deadly legacy of landmines

Marked annually on 4 April the International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action draws awareness to why landmines are one of the most insidious and indiscriminate weapons of war

More than two decades since the adoption of the landmark Mine Ban Treaty and the creation of the UN Mine Action Service, millions of landmines have been destroyed, but land in nearly 70 countries globally is still contaminated and innocent people continue to be killed or maimed. Marked annually on 4 April the International…