April 19, 2024 No comments
Retaliatory spiral in Middle East must end, says UN chief after reported strikes on Iran
INTERNATIONAL, 19 April 2024, Peace and Security - Following reports of alleged Israeli strikes inside Iran near a nuclear power station early Friday, the UN Secretary-General António Guterres issued a new appeal to all parties to “stop the dangerous cycle of retaliation in the Middle East”. “The Secretary-General condemns any act of retaliation and appeals to the international community to work together to prevent any further development that could lead to devastating consequences for the entire region and beyond,” he said in a statement issued by his Office. Echoing those concerns, UN atomic energy agency chief Rafael Grossi urged “extreme restraint” from all sides, after more than six and a half months of war in Gaza that have fuelled fears of a wider regional conflict. “IAEA can confirm that there is...
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April 19, 2024 No comments
Myanmar: Rohingyas in firing line as Rakhine conflict intensifies
INTERNATIONAL, 19 April 2024, Peace and Security - The UN’s top human rights official on Friday raised alarm over the escalating violence in Myanmar’s Rakhine state between junta and opposition forces, amid reports of the military regime forcing members of the minority Muslim Rohingya community to join their ranks. Rakhine was the site of a brutal crackdown on the Rohingyas by the military in 2017, leading to killing of some 10,000 men, women and newborns, and the exodus of nearly 750,000 community members – many of whom continue to languish in refugee camps in neighbouring Bangladesh. “Rakhine state has once again become a battleground involving multiple actors, and civilians are paying a heavy price, with Rohingya at particular risk,” Volker Türk, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights said. “What is particularly disturbing...
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April 18, 2024 No comments
Renewable energy transforming the landscape
INTERNATIONAL, 18 April 2024, Climate and Environment - Renewable energy, if supported by governments, can “truly change the landscape” in terms of achieving equitable access to affordable and clean energy, but only if those governments can move from “commitment to action”; That’s according to the Director-General of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA). Renewable energy is generally defined as any energy source that is continuously replenished. It includes solar and wind power as well as bioenergy (organic matter burned as fuel) and hydroelectric power. IRENA’s Francesco La Camera, spoke to UN News ahead of a special meeting on Friday on transitioning to sustainable sources of energy which is taking place at the United Nations in New York as part of the first ever Sustainability Week. Ensuring access to affordable reliable, sustainable...
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April 18, 2024 No comments
US vetoes Palestine’s request for full UN membership
INTERNATIONAL, 18 April 2024, UN Affairs - The Security Council rejected Palestine’s request for UN membership on Thursday, with the United States casting a veto. In a vote of 12 in favour to one against, with two abstentions, the Council did not adopt a draft resolution that would have recommended the General Assembly to hold a vote with the broader UN membership to allow Palestine to join as a full UN Member State. The draft resolution is among the shortest in the Council’s history: “The Security Council, having examined the application of the State of Palestine for admission to the United Nations (S/2011/592), recommends to the General Assembly that the State of Palestine be admitted to membership in the United Nations.” For a draft resolution to pass,...
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April 18, 2024 No comments
Guterres appeals for maximum restraint in the Middle East
INTERNATIONAL, 18 April 2024, Peace and Security - Recent escalations in the Middle East make it even more important to support efforts towards lasting peace between Israel and a fully independent, viable and sovereign Palestinian state, UN Secretary-General António Guterres told the Security Council on Thursday. “Failure to make progress towards a two-State solution will only increase volatility and risk for hundreds of millions of people across the region, who will continue to live under the constant threat of violence,” he said. Regional conflict, global impact With the Middle East “on a precipice”, he appealed for maximum restraint, warning against the far-reaching consequences. “One miscalculation, one miscommunication, one mistake, could lead to the unthinkable – a full-scale regional conflict that would be devastating for all involved –...
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