March 23, 2019 No comments
UN Security Council condemns ‘unspeakable’ attack that leaves scores dead in central Mali
INTERNATIONAL, 23 March 2019, Peace and Security - The United Nations Security Council has strongly condemned an armed attack on a village in restive central Mali which reportedly left more than 100 people dead early on Saturday. “We condemn in the strongest terms this unspeakable attack,” said François Delattre, France’s UN Ambassador speaking as President of the Security Council at a press conference Saturday evening in the Malian capital, Bamako. A Council delegation has been in the country since late last week as part of a mission to Africa’s troubled Sahel region. The trip will wrap up tomorrow in Burkina Faso. Located in Mali’s central Mopti region, the village of Ogossou-Peulh was attacked on Saturday morning, reportedly by armed men dressed as traditional hunters. The attack claimed the lives...
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March 23, 2019 No comments
UN chief welcomes establishment of inclusive government in Central African Republic
INTERNATIONAL, 23 March 2019, Peace and Security - United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has welcomed the establishment in the Central African Republic (CAR) of a government in line with an early February peace deal struck with more than a dozen armed groups active in the country. In a statement issued Saturday evening by a UN spokesperson, Mr. Guterres commended the leadership of the African Union, particularly in the successful conclusion of the consultations that were held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, from 18 to 20 March, with United Nations support on CAR. This latest move towards a more inclusive Government in long-troubled CAR comes following the signing on 6 February in the capital, Bangui, of the Political Agreement for Peace and Reconciliation between the Government of CAR and 14 non-State armed groups. CAR has...
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March 23, 2019 No comments
Cyclone Idai: UNICEF warns of ‘race against time’ to protect children, prevent spread of disease in flood-ravaged Mozambique
INTERNATIONAL, 23 March 2019 - Humanitarian Aid - A week after the flooded Mozambican port of Beira was hit by Cyclone Idai, “aid agencies are barely beginning to see the scale of the damage”, the head of UNICEF said on Saturday, as she called for more international support to help quickly get relief to more than a million people across the country and prevent the possible spread of waterborne diseases like cholera. “We are in a race against time to help and protect children in the disaster-ravaged areas of Mozambique,” UNICEF Executive Director Henrietta Fore said at the end of a visit to Beira, one of the areas worst affected by Cyclone Idai. According to initial Government estimates, 1.8 million people across the country, including 900,000 children, have been affected...
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March 23, 2019 No comments
The sun’s impact on Earth and weather celebrated, as planet marks World Meteorological Day
INTERNATIONAL, 23 March 2019, Climate Change - Against a background of serious warnings against the effects of climate change, World Meteorological Day this year celebrates the crucial role played by the sun in powering all life on Earth, and in driving the weather, ocean currents and the hydrological cycle. The day which, every 23 March, marks the anniversary of the 1950 Convention that established the UN World Meteorological Organization (WMO), is the occasion to take stock of the importance of the sun and weather monitoring for the common safety, health and well-being of all living things on the planet. Through its national meteorological and hydrological services, WMO has been providing expertise, monitoring and forecast services to both harness and protect us from the power of the sun. “Too little sun impacts...
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March 23, 2019 No comments
UN commission agrees roadmap on ensuring women’s social protection, mobility, safety, and access to economic opportunities
INTERNATIONAL, 23 March 2019, Women - The UN body exclusively dedicated to promoting gender equality and women’s empowerment wrapped up its annual session on Friday evening with agreement on ways to safeguard and improve women’s and girls’ access to social protection systems, public services and sustainable infrastructure. The 63rd session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW63), which traditionally brings women’s rights advocates from across the world to United Nations Headquarters in New York for two weeks of intense dialogue, expert panels and partnership events, concluded with a strong commitment by UN Member States to ensure that services, infrastructure and social protection systems are designed and delivered in ways to prevent discrimination and create a ‘level playing field’ for women and girls. The Executive Director...
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