New paradigm needed to ensure global job creation and economic progress - UN officials

Thu, 17 May 2012 00:00:00 EST

United Nations senior officials today stressed the importance of establishing a new paradigm for growth that ensures social inclusiveness, job opportunities for all, and more accountability from the financial sector to tackle the ongoing global economic crisis.

UN agency welcomes $66 million for agriculture and fishing projects in Saudi Arabia

Thu, 17 May 2012 00:00:00 EST

The United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) today welcomed Saudi Arabia’s contribution of $66 million to implement its technical assistance projects in the country, which aim to benefit small-scale agricultural producers and fishermen.

UN Women names members of group to facilitate dialogue with civil society

Thu, 17 May 2012 00:00:00 EST

The United Nations entity mandated to promote gender equality today announced the members that will be part of a group that will facilitate dialogue between civil society and the agency.

UN declaration on rights of indigenous peoples inspired changes - Al-Nasser

Thu, 17 May 2012 00:00:00 EST

The President of the General Assembly, Nassir Abdulaziz Al-Nasser, today hailed the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, adopted five years ago, as a landmark document that has inspired positive changes in the protection of the rights of indigenous communities.

Security Council to visit Liberia, Côte d’Ivoire and Sierra Leone

Thu, 17 May 2012 00:00:00 EST

The members of the United Nations Security Council will leave New York on Friday for an official mission to West Africa.

Ban stresses power of information technology to facilitate sustainable development

Thu, 17 May 2012 00:00:00 EST

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today emphasized the need to optimize the use of information and communications technology (ICT) to support sustainable development.

UN chief asks youth to ‘make some noise’ ahead of Rio+20 conference

Thu, 17 May 2012 00:00:00 EST

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today asked young people from all over the world to "make some noise" to help accelerate progress on the negotiations of the United Nations Sustainable Development Conference (Rio+20) which will take place in Brazil next month.

On anti-homophobia day, UN calls for repeal of discriminatory laws

Thu, 17 May 2012 00:00:00 EST

Marking International Day against Homophobia and Transphobia, senior United Nations officials today drew attention to laws around the world which discriminate against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people, and called for equality and the repeal of such laws.

Urging progress on Abyei, Security Council extends mandate of UN peacekeeper force

Thu, 17 May 2012 00:00:00 EST

In a new resolution, the Security Council today extended by six months the mandate of the United Nations peacekeeping force for Abyei, an area contested by South Sudan and Sudan, and demanded that the two countries finalize the establishment of an administration for the area in line with an agreement signed last year.

UN envoy hails workshop related to Guyana-Venezuela border dispute

Thu, 17 May 2012 00:00:00 EST

A UN envoy today hailed a recent workshop related to a long-standing border controversy between Guyana and Venezuela as a demonstration of both countries’ on-going commitment to a peaceful resolution of the matter.

Trial of former Bosnian Serb military leader Ratko Mladic opens at UN tribunal

Wed, 16 May 2012 00:00:00 EST

The trial of Ratko Mladic, the former Bosnian Serb military chief facing charges of genocide and other war crimes, got under way today in the United Nations tribunal set up in the wake of the Balkan conflicts of the 1990s.

Increase of women in parliament is a step towards gender equity in Algeria - UN

Wed, 16 May 2012 00:00:00 EST

The head of the United Nations entity mandated to promote gender equality today welcomed the increase in women’s representation in Algeria’s new parliament as a result of elections held last week, and stressed that it represented a step towards democratic reform and gender equality.