September 30, 2020 No comments
Guterres urges more countries to step up and fund global COVID-19 vaccine effort
INTERNATIONAL, 30 September 2020, Health - The UN Secretary-General on Wednesday called for all nations to provide further urgently needed funds – the equivalent of the total spent on cigarettes worldwide every two weeks – on behalf of global COVID-19 vaccine efforts to ensure that everyone, everywhere, gets protection from the virus. The Access to COVID-19 Tools – the ACT-Accelerator – along with its COVAX Facility, is a groundbreaking global collaboration to accelerate development, production, and equitable access to COVID-19 tests, treatments, and vaccines. Launched at the end of April 2020, the ACT-Accelerator has secured $3 billion, critical for its start up, but it needs a further $35 billion – including an “immediate infusion” of $15 billion – Secretary-General António Guterres said at a high-level event to mobilize support for the initiative. “These resources are crucial...
Read more
September 30, 2020 No comments
Moria fires aftermath: More than 1,000 asylum seekers relocated from Greece this year
INTERNATIONAL, 30 September 2020, Migrants and Refugees - Nearly 140 asylum seekers were relocated from Greece to Germany on Wednesday through a European Commission-funded initiative that has relocated more than 1,000 people so far this year alone, three UN agencies have reported. The group included families with children with special health needs, and more than 50 unaccompanied children, most of whom had been transferred to the Greek mainland after multiple fires destroyed the Moria reception and identification center, located on the island of Lesvos, three weeks ago. “We feel grateful for the people that helped us in Greece and we’ll never forget them. We don’t speak German, but we’ll try hard to learn the language. My brothers live in Germany and I’m excited that I’ll...
Read more
September 30, 2020 No comments
Listen to older people’s ‘suggestions and ideas’ for more inclusive societies, urges UN chief
INTERNATIONAL, 30 September 2020, Human Rights - Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, the world is reckoning with the disproportionate and severe impact that the virus has wrought on the “health…rights and well being” of older persons, the UN chief has said, marking the international day highlighting their issues. “Older people must be a priority in our efforts to overcome COVID 19”, Secretary-General António Guterres said in his message for the 30th anniversary of the International Day of Older Persons, celebrated annually on 1 October. He shone a light on the need to examine how the pandemic might change how we address age and ageing in our societies, stressing that more opportunities and increased access to health, pensions and social protection for older persons were “crucial”. In releasing his policy guidance on...
Read more
September 30, 2020 No comments
Libyan rivals conclude talks on key security and military issues
INTERNATIONAL, 30 September 2020, Peace and Security - Delegations from Libya’s warring sides meeting in Egypt have concluded two days of security and military talks in efforts towards a lasting ceasefire, the UN political mission for the country, UNSMIL, has reported. Police and military officers from the UN-recognized Government of National Accord (GNA) and the rival Libyan National Army (LNA) met in the Egyptian Red Sea resort of Hurghada for talks facilitated by the mission. Libya fell into chaos following the 2011 overthrow of former leader, the late Muammar Gaddafi, leading to two rival administrations, with the GNA in the capital, Tripoli, while the LNA controls large areas of the east. A spirit of mutual trust The discussions in Egypt, which ended on Tuesday, were marked by “a spirit of responsibility, transparency and mutual...
Read more
September 30, 2020 No comments
Thailand: More than 100 companies pledge to strengthen women’s economic empowerment
INTERNATIONAL, 30 September 2020, Women - Chief executives of 110 companies in Thailand on Wednesday, have signed up to a new set of UN principles on women’s economic empowerment, pledging to improve gender equality in the boardroom, equal pay for equal work, and safer and more inclusive workplaces. The Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs), established by UN Women and the UN Global Compact, offer guidance to businesses, regardless of their size or sector. According to UN Women, Thailand has done “comparatively well” in terms of women occupying senior business roles. Across the country, 24 percent of chief executive officers (CEOs) and managing directors are women, compared to an Asia-Pacific average of 13 per cent. Globally that figure stands at about 20 per cent. While the Asia-Pacific region has...
Read more
