ICYMI: WHO declares Africa free of polio
The World Health Organisation (WHO) on Tuesday declared that Africa was free of the virus that causes polio, a landmark in a decades-long campaign to eradicate the notorious disease around the world. “Today is a historic day for Africa,” said Professor Rose Gana Fomban Leke, whose commission certified that no polio cases had occurred on […]
UN blames Mali, Niger troops for scores of killings
The UN mission in Mali on Thursday blamed Malian and Niger troops for scores of extra-judicial killings between January and March. According to a quarterly MINUSMA report, Mali’s forces carried out 101 executions and Niger forces 34 more between January 1 and March 31 in the country. The report from MINUSMA’s human rights division found […]
US, China block UN resolution in spat over WHO handling of pandemic
The United States and China remained at loggerheads Thursday over a UN Security Council draft resolution calling for a 90-day humanitarian pause in conflicts worldwide in the face of the coronavirus pandemic. The stalemate — over a mention of the World Health Organization — leaves little hope of a quick vote as the Security Council […]
Contributions to UN COVID-19 plans hit $1bn — Deputy Chief
The United Nations (UN) Deputy Secretary-General, Ms Amina Mohammed, on Monday said over one billion dollars (N376 billion) has so far been realised from contributions to the organisation’s Coronavirus (COVID-19) response plans. Mohammed disclosed this during a virtual new conference from New York on the launch of two initiatives in support of the UN COVID-19 […]
UN agency calls for $1 trn developing world debt write-off
The UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) said on Thursday that around one trillion dollars of debt owed by developing countries would be cancelled under a proposed global deal. The UN agency said that the plan was to help them overcome the impact of the coronavirus pandemic. The world’s developing economies, which were already […]
UN survey shows climate, conflict, health issues expected to affect future most
Climate, environment, conflict and health risks top the list of issues that are expected to most affect the future, according to a United Nations survey released on Monday
Only a COVID-19 vaccine will allow return to ‘normalcy’ ―UN chief
A COVID-19 vaccine may be the only thing that can bring back “normalcy,” United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Wednesday, hoping for just that before the end of the year. “A safe and effective vaccine may be the only tool that can return the world to a sense of ‘normalcy,’ saving millions of lives and […]
COVID-19: Sirika receives medical equipment from United Nations
By Lawani Mikairu The Minister of Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika Tuesday took delivery of various medical equipment donated by the United Nations Systems to the Federal government to aid its efforts at combating the COVID-19 scourge in the country. The equipment were transported to Abuja free of charge to the federal government by Allied Air […]
Half-a-million more Zimbabweans now acutely hungry ―UN
The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) said Wednesday that hundreds of thousands more people had slipped into the severely-hungry category in Zimbabwe, where over half of the population faces hunger. It said a recent study revealed that the “number of acutely food insecure Zimbabweans had risen to 4.3 million, from 3.8 million at the end […]
UN says pandemic hits billions without water, millions of students
United Nations (UN) agencies warn that the Coronavirus pandemic creates risks for billions of people who cannot wash their hands properly, and for hundreds of millions of children who have to cope without school lunches as education facilities are shuttered. The UN said on Friday in Geneva, citing World Health Organisation (WHO) and UN Children’s Fund […]
Emergency powers in coronavirus fight must not be used to quash dissent ―UN experts
Countries going into crisis mode over the spread of the deadly new coronavirus must not use the emergency measures to suppress human rights, a group of independent UN experts insisted Monday. The rights experts, who are appointed by the United Nations but who do not speak on behalf of the world body, said they recognised […]
